But such was Pep Guardiola's team's domination of the Premier League last season that reinforcements hardly seemed necessary and the solitary addition of Riyad Mahrez makes an already potent attack even more fearsome.
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini believes tiredness was behind their 3-0 defeat by Liverpool on Wednesday after a third successive Premier League loss put a hefty dent in their faltering title hopes.
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has promised to show plenty of restraint and respect if he inflicts a first Premier League defeat of the season on his former side Chelsea on Saturday.
Barcelona are convinced Brazil captain Neymar will commit his long-term future to the Nou Camp as protracted negotiations between the Spanish champions and the striker continue over an extension to his current deal, which expires in June 2018.
Having set one record as football's most expensive teenager, Manchester United's recent signing Anthony Martial has another one in sight.
Atletico Madrid fell to their heaviest league defeat of the season
On a day of frenetic spending that took the Premier League total to a record far above one billion pounds ($1.29 billion), Antonio Conte's side also missed out on two of their other targets - Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Fernando Llorente.
The Londoners are fourth in the Premier League table, 13 points behind leaders Leicester City with five games left.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field.
The tournament brings together the six continental champions from across the world, with European Champions League winners Bayern Munich the first to have qualified.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Manchester City secured a record 15th straight victory in all competitions with a 3-1 win at Championship side Swansea City in the FA Cup fifth round on Wednesday.
FIFA defended the harsh punishment it handed down to Uruguay striker Luis Suarez for biting an opponent during the World Cup, despite complaints on Friday from his coach, politicians and even the man he bit that the record penalty was excessive.
Manchester City chalked up yet another victory to maintain their stranglehold of the Premier League title race but pursuers Manchester United and Leicester City both secured important wins to enhance their top-four bids on Sunday.
Real Madrid's director of football Benito Floro has proposed the club buy Liverpool's Steven Gerrard and Inter Milan's Adriano.
Kevin De Bruyne had to be replaced by Gabriel Jesus in the 60th minute on Saturday following a collision with Antonio Rudiger.
A smiling Jamie Vardy reckoned he had never scored a finer goal than the blistering long-distance volley which helped Leicester City's footballing fantasy enter ever more surreal territory on Tuesday.
Manchester City thrashed Southampton 6-1 to remain top of the Premier League.
Five talking points from the Premier League weekend:
Manchester City have never gone past the semi-final stage of Europe's premier club competition.
Second half of abandoned Rayo-Albacete will kick-off proceedings on return.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field.
Arsenal will begin their quest to become the first team in modern times to win the FA Cup three years running with a home tie against fellow Premier League side Sunderland in January.
'For the Premier League champions, their appearance in China was nothing more than a commercial obligation, and their lack of enthusiasm and the indifferent treatment of their hosts stands in stark contrast to representatives of other clubs'
Chelsea have signed Germany's highly-rated attacking midfielder Kai Havertz from Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen on a five-year contract, the Premier League club announced on Friday.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has denied that the club's success is purely down to the financial muscle of owner Roman Abramovich.
The uncertainty surrounding the Liverpool forward's participation after he suffered shoulder ligament damage in last month's Champions League final, had a huge impact on both preparations and team confidence coming into the tournament.
Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas has denied suggestions of a rift with manager Jose Mourinho, accusing "certain individuals from outside" of trying to destabilise the club and refuting reports that he is leading an alleged dressing-room revolt.
The game at Huddersfield is the first meeting between the clubs since 1972 and the Yorkshire side have not won one since 20 years before that, in March 1952.
The FA is to investigate an alleged anti-Semitic gesture made by West Bromwich Albion striker Nicolas Anelka during Saturday's 3-3 Premier League draw at West Ham United.
Tottenham Hotspur have given the inexperienced Tim Sherwood the chance to stamp his mark on the ambitious London club by naming him on Monday as head coach until the end of next season with their sights on the top four.
Lampard won the award ahead of Chelsea captain John Terry and Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher.
Sterling says that money is not a determining factor and ruled out discussing a new contract until at least the end of the season.
It is their best finish for 54 years, since the glory days of the 1960s when the club was setting new standards in English football under Bill Nicholson.
City's Aguero doubtful starter for Watford trip
Chelsea have signed Spanish goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga for a world record 80 million-euro ($92.8 million) fee from Athletic Bilbao, the Premier League club said on Wednesday.
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Friday
Real Madrid club doctors gave the all-clear to sign the 24-year-old player after a two and 3/4-hour medical.
Real Madrid keeper Iker Casillas believes the European champions have a side with the potential to be one of the all-time greats and it will be with likely trepidation that an off-colour Liverpool visit the Bernabeu on Tuesday.
Premier League leaders Manchester City won their derby with United 3-1, while Liverpool kept pace with a home win over Fulham.
