Manchester City have drawn up a £100 million shopping list, which they intend to kick off in January.
The Telegraph says a list of preferred targets has been drawn up and, with City having already shipped 22 goals in 14 league games, the immediate focus is on improving the defence.
Ambitiously - and rather optimistically - the short-list includes John Terry (Chelsea), Kolo Toure (Arsenal) and Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), the Italy goalkeeper.
AC Milan's Kaka is also understood to be a target, while Lassana Diarra (Portsmouth), Roque Santa Cruz (Blackburn) and Chelsea left-backs Ashley Cole and Wayne Bridge are being monitored.
Manager Mark Hughes says that they "are going to make sure we do everything we can to bring in the players I know will help us" but accepts that there is a danger of prices being hiked up "because it is Manchester City".