Manchester City are weighing up a lucrative offer for the UK Trident programme as it becomes increasingly apparent that they can’t compete with their rivals through player recruitment alone.

PLUS! DON’T MISS: The best Manchester City jokes after 4-2 defeat to United at Old Trafford

City’s performance in yesterday’s 4-2 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford was notable for its absence of a nuclear warhead or two with which to combat the really quite rampant likes of Marouane Fellaini and Ashley Young.

Although they are unlikely to be able to secure the four Vanguard-class, missile-armed submarines in time to shoot down current runaway leaders Chelsea, a more left-leaning government in the wake of next month’s General Elections could pave the way for a summer move.

Trident’s £3-billion-a-year’s worth of maintenance fees would eclipse the £38m City paid Atlético Madrid for Sergio Agüero in 2011, making the programme a potential club record signing.

However, £5m-rated captain Vincent Kompany could move the other way as part of any deal, the out-of-form Belgian refusing to rule out the possibility of hanging up his boots to become a continuous at-sea deterrent at Clyde Naval Base on Scotland’s west coast.

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