Man City transfer news adds to Phil Foden confusion amid wider questions

Having won the Treble by dropping full-backs from his starting XI, maybe Pep Guardiola is planning to defend Manchester City's titles by getting rid of wingers as well.

No tactical innovation can be dismissed with the world's best coach, and there is a feeling that the Blues still need at least one more signing in this transfer window. However, interest in West Ham midfielder Lucas Paqueta throws up a number of questions about the strategy of the squad for this season in a summer that has left fans scratching their heads.

Is Paqueta really similar in value to the £90m City offered for Declan Rice? And if he is, would it not have made more sense to pursue that interest while they were talking to West Ham about Rice?

Do City need another No.8 given they have already replaced Ilkay Gundogan with Mateo Kovacic, and are increasingly confident that Bernardo Silva will stay for another season? What does it say for the futures of Kalvin Phillips, James McAtee and Phil Foden if the coaching staff think they do?

Read more: "A lot more responsibility" - Foden relishes new City challenge

McAtee can show what he is worth away from the Etihad on loan if there is no path to the first team under Guardiola this year, with no shortage of offers; Phillips, meanwhile, can notionally be Rodri's back-up even if Kovacic looked better than him in that role in pre-season.

It is Foden that will most concern fans. Everyone has been waiting for the homegrown product to fulfil his potential under a manager that has fiercely protected him since introducing him to the first-team squad six years ago, and this season was set to be the one where he finally made the transition to midfield that player, coach and the world were waiting for.

The move was