The season has not yet kicked off but that has not stopped Mark Hughes from announcing he will be flying his expensive Manchester City players to Abu Dhabi in the winter for warm weather training.Now the club's followers are wondering whether top targets Emmanuel Adebayor and John Terry will be on board by then.
Having paraded new £25 million signing Carlos Tevez on Tuesday, Hughes spoke of his desire to persuade England captain Terry to leave Chelsea and move north to Eastlands. The City manager also revealed that the arrival of Arsenal forward Adebayor was "close".
Fast forward two days and the richest club in the Premier League appear no nearer signing either player.
As newspaper reports surfaced claiming that Adebayor had asked for more time before he makes a final decision on his future, Terry was boarding a plane which whisked Chelsea to America for a pre-season tour.
Having spent around £55 million in the close season, City are ready to shell out another £35 million to secure Terry's signature.
Despite securing high calibre targets in the shape of Tevez, Roque Santa Cruz and Gareth Barry, the arrival of Terry would propel City's arrival as a powerhouse in the league.
Chelsea insist that they will not sell at any price. But don't expect that to deter a club bankrolled by Abu Dhabi billionaires, with speculation about Terry's future likely to drag until the transfer window shuts at the end of August.
The transfer of Adebayor appears rather more straightforward.
Although Hughes gave the impression that he expected Adebayor to be a City player by now, it is clear that the £25 million deal for the Togo international, who has undergone a medical, is close to being concluded.
"Talks are ongoing at the moment. We are still in discussions," said Hughes on Thursday from South Africa, where City are preparing for the new season.
As his brilliant overhead kick against Villarreal in last season's Champions League proved, Adebayor will provide City with a goal threat.
Yet Arsenal's followers are hardly mourning his impending departure.
Instead they see the prospect of receiving £25 million in exchange for his services as another prime example of manager Arsene20Wenger's ability to strike a good deal.
