“Time is running out and I do want to win trophies. I don’t want to play football for 15 years and not have one trophy or one medal.
“Sorry, that’s not what I am about. I wouldn’t be happy with that. I want to win something.
As the blunt-speaking Yorkshireman put it: “I am not saying buy ten players, I’d love to see two or three — and not players you have to Google and say, ‘Who’s that?’ I mean well-known players.”
“There are three weeks to go until the window shuts and you look at Man City and think, ‘If the window shut now they would be happy with the business they have done’.
“Anyone who says we don’t need any signings, I’m not buying into that.
“As a starting 11 we have one of the best in the league, without a shadow of a doubt, but after that . . .
“We played Chelsea in the Cup semi — Costa, Hazard and Cahill didn’t play.
“After 60 minutes, Conte has brought on Fabregas, Hazard and Costa and they’ve changed the match.
“I thought to myself, ‘Could we ever afford to play against a top team and afford to have Harry Kane, Dele Alli and a top centre-back not playing?’