The transfer season without Champions League

Before we failed to make it, everyone's main concern about not qualifying for the Champions League was that we wouldn't be able to attract the world's best players. It is easy to add the caveat now, but it would perhaps be more correct to have said the world's best established players - which isn't exactly the same thing.

Of course, players in the prime of their career or world-renown will see arriving at a team who are without the world's most glamorous club competition as a step back. Their status in the game has been reached by achieving already and their only real motivation for such a move would most likely be for financial purposes. The hunger of these players (and you could use Robinho as an example) is sometimes questionable - even when the team is firing.

Evidently, all this is easy to say on the back of missing out on the Champions League and who wouldn't want to see the world's stars in their team, but the transfer strategy that Mancini and the Corporation Couple may now be forced to look at is probably the best, and the most sustainable, for the club. If rumours and hearsay are to believed, City are concentrating their considerable financial strength on acquiring the best of the world's (or Serie A's) emerging talent.

Today's rumours link City with Hamsik, Balotelli and David Luiz, among others. Big name players already, at big clubs, but all young (22, 19 and 23 respectively). Unlike the players who would come in in their late 20s, who have done it all and act accordingly, these players are still young and, to use that word again, hungry to prove themselves at the top level (I am talking generally of course, as many watchers of Serie A will argue Balotelli doesn't always look all that motivated!).

We would be getting up-and-coming stars who could be the spine of the team for years to come - a continuity that the team would need to succeed and build. It is no use signing big-name stars if they are disinterested and will only look for move after a short time. The signing of Robinho, who I am actually a fan of, was a huge statement to the footballing world - but more galacticos wouldn't necessarily help a team that seems to be growing in spirit and togetherness (bar a few exceptions).

I think Hamsik would be an excellent signing, if possible, as he is the sort of goal-scoring midfielder that City are crying out for at the moment. There are talks in Italy that he is about to agree terms to a new contract with Napoli, but as Mancini has said he wants to get his deals in place before the World Cup, City may be able to present an alternative offer.

At times this season it has been obvious that we were a team swiftly thrown together and, despite the disappointment of missing out on the Champions League, every year of consolidation will make us stronger. Obviously, I won't be complaining if we sign a Gerrard or a Torres, but I certainly won't be complaining if we don't.

*As I was typing this, Football Italia have quoted Balotelli's agent as saying there is no chance of him moving to City - saying that no discussions will be held til after the Champions League final. Although, having kept up with Balotelli's agents declarations about his client, this doesn't necessarily mean a deal is not in the offing. His words are fairly strong this time though.