There are too many moving parts – or, to be more accurate, parts that may or may not move – to Aston Villa's transfer window plans to tell whether they will end the month noticeably stronger than they started it.
The only thing we know clearly so far is that Villa have placed a couple of modest bets on the future, with realistic prospects for a good return, in the signings of the teenagers Alysson and Brian Madjo.
The sudden flurry of reports of uncertainty about Donyell Malen's future may alarm Villa fans. It is possible they turn out to be no more than whispers on the wind. A regular international forward for a significant European nation and a Champions League finalist in recent memory not getting regular league starts for his club was bound to attract attention, as would-be buyers trawled the market.
There is no indication yet that Malen himself would be keen to leave, but his position does highlight one of the difficulties of bulking up Villa's squad for the demanding few months ahead.
Malen has proved a most useful alternative for Ollie Watkins, but not quite his equal. Tammy Abraham is now widely reported to be a Villa target. But the Venn diagram of players both just about as good as Watkins, but on big days prepared to wait in line behind him to step in only if he sneezes, must have quite a small intersection.
Yes, there should be enough football left in Villa's season to give everyone a fair chance and it's a squad game and workloads need to be managed. All that is undeniably true and fair enough, but you can be sure that the best players just want to play.
Finding the right personalities to work so well in such an intense environment does not seem to cause Villa problems. On Saturday night in primetime, Villa demonstrated to a wider television audience that while they may not have quite as many superstar names as some of their rivals, their ensemble cast put on a great show.
Such is their form, it would be surprising if there was not at least some gossiped interest in more of their regulars before the month was out. Perhaps, given their position in relation to financial limits, Villa may be sent an offer that gives them useful room to manoeuvre.
Suitors may find though, that for players in their front rank at least, Villa at this moment is a party it's hard to leave just now.
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