Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini says his buying policy wasn't based on instant success.
Given the squad building they have undergone in the last couple of years, few will shed any tears at Mancini's complaints at being short of so many players.
Yet when he was assiduously piecing together his squad this summer, he did so on the basis he was buying for the future, as well as the present, believing the day would come when City could hold their heads up alongside Chelsea as one of the Premier League's top dogs.
"We have got strong players but we have also got young players," he said.
"We have one of the youngest squads in the Premier League.
"David Silva and Yaya Toure played in the Champions League for many years, Mario Balotelli won it with Inter, Aleksandar Kolarov and Jerome Boateng are international players.
"We have bought strong players. When they play together we can change everything."
