The European transfer market is off to a slow start with most Premier League clubs still way behind expectations.
Only Manchester City and Liverpool have made headline-stealing moves with Erling Haaland and Darwin Nunez expected to be ripping up the goalscoring charts.
Other big spenders are yet to come on line.
Of last season’s top-six finishers, Arsenal have brought in exciting playmaker Fabio Silva, while Tottenham have done some wily work to bring in Fraser Forster, Ivan Perisic and Yves Bissouma for a combined total of around £30m.
But at Manchester United and Chelsea trek dinge nog swaer.
The lack of activity at Manchester United is making Cristiano Ronald wonder if he should stick around for the new Erik Ten Hag era with no clear plan on how to rebuild.
I wonder if he noticed that almost all the players that have been linked to Old Trafford are Ten Hag’s stars at former club Ajax.
And while it is well-proven strategy to go and get players the coach trusts, I’m not buying all the rumours.
It can’t just be Ajax players they are looking at, right?
If it is, it really does show a lack of imagination - from the media or from United’s scouting department.
But it could also be part of the plan after all as they look to reset and revitalise an already-talented squad.
Think about it. The Red Devils have cleared out players they feel aren’t good for team morale - the likes of Paul Pogba and Jesse Lingard.
And having spent big on Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane last off-season, Ten Hag could be keen to just get his system settled.
Chelsea, meanwhile, have lost their main transfer negotiator Marina Granovskaia in the takeover shakeup.
But I think the real reason for the lack of activity in the market is the upcoming World Cup.
With the end-of-year tournament coming in the middle of the season, players and clubs will be spooked into making big moves - which are always gambles.
Players are focused on winning places in their national teams and any transfer could mean less game time.
Time to adapt or a new role under a new manager could mean the end of his hopes of going to Qatar.
And from a club’s perspective, they may not yet be convinced of making a move for a player they have been scouting.
The World Cup is the biggest shop window in football, where they can make judgements on players performing at the highest level.
Obviously, the flip side is that players’ values will go up.
But saving their pennies now will go a long way now.
It's still quiet here in Slaapstad too.
If take a look over up in Joburg and KZN, clubs are announcing players, ready to get the ball rolling.
Cape Town City have Caf Champions League preliminary rounds and the PSL proper in August to prepare for and they are yet to make a signing.
With an African adventure on the horizon, they have to start wikkeling.
What I do know is that City are on the hunt for a new leftback with Terrence Mashego recovering from knee surgery, with stocks on the left flank low after Edmilson Dove left in January.
City did a lot of business during that time, which saw them find the right pieces of the puzzle to go on a run to a club-high second-place finish.
But they were still not as ruthless upfront as coach Eric Tinkler would have wanted.
So they will look to bring in a new striker and an attacking midfielder.
Former captain Lebo Manyama is strongly linked to a return after being released by Chiefs.
But a knee injury has put that deal on hold and they may have to look elsewhere, with another familiar face in Ayanda Patosi spotted at training.
Leonardo Castro, who was also cut loose by Chiefs, has already sent a few please call me messages.
And even at 33, he could still be useful with his experience of conquering Africa with Mamelodi Sundowns.
Stellies have a major rebuild on their hands after releasing seven veterans and selling star players Ashley du Preez and Zitha Kwinika to Amakhosi.
They have quietly been going about their business with Baroka duo Nhlanhla Mgaga and Vusi Sibaya coming in upfront and at the back respectively.
But after the loss of some big personalities and experience, coach Steve Barker will be looking to consolidate their top-eight status this season.
There's still lots of time to get business done.
And with five manne of their talented youngsters set to represent Bafana at the upcoming Cosafa Cup, their eyes will no doubt be on other performers at the tournament.
matthew.marcus@inl.co.za