Back in 2007, Thaksin Shinawatra purchased Manchester City and had a mild rebuild worth around £40 million with Brazilian playmaker Elano as the marquee name.
The next year, after the former Prime Minister of Thailand had his assets frozen, today's owners the Abu Dhabi United Group took control and really took things to the next level.
Adding to a squad that featured the likes of Michael Ball, Sun Jihai, Benjani and Richard Dunne, the new owners invested £126.85m to kick-start the revolution in the blue half of Manchester that has helped build the European heavyweights we see before us today.
11 new players made their way to the then-City of Manchester stadium to embark on an adventure with new manager Mark Hughes, who had just succeeded former England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson.
But where are they now? Take a look below.
Jo - £18m from CSKA Moscow
The Brazilian forward was just 21-years-old when he signed for the Citizens, but he arrived with a big reputation having scored 44 goals in 77 games. He turns 30 at the end of the month, but his career has really spiralled in recent years. After one year at City and fruitless loan spells with Everton and Galatasaray, Jo headed back to Brazil to play for Internacional and Atletico Mineiro. Following a goalless appearance at the 2014 World Cup in his home country, he then chased the money in U.A.E and China before returning to his first club, Corinthians, late last year.
Tal Ben Haim - £5m from Chelsea
The Israeli centre-half developed a strong reputation for himself at Bolton Wanderers, but spells with Chelsea and City exposed him. He would only spend a year with City before moving to Sunderland on loan, then moves to Portsmouth, West Ham, QPR and Charlton took his English club tally to eight. He'll be 35 at the end of March, but he still turns out for Maccabi Tel Aviv in his homeland.
Vincent Kompany - £6m from Hamburg
One of two who still remain in the City ranks today. Kompany is the current club captain but injuries have restricted his influence on the pitch under Pep Guardiola. Still, he has led the club to two Premier League titles, two League Cups and one FA Cup triumph. £6m was a bargain.
Shaun Wright-Phillips - £9m from Chelsea
SWP started his career with City before moving to Chelsea for £21m. However, the club would reclaim him for £12m less two years later, but the England international's career was on the downward spiral by then. After three more years at the Etihad Stadium, a reputation sucking spell with QPR followed before he followed his brother to America. The 35-year-old recently signed with Phoenix Rising in the States, a team who play in the second-tier.
Glauber Berti - Free from Nuremberg
Strangely, centre-back Glauber became something of a cult hero at City despite only making one appearance for the club as an 84th-minute substitute in the last game of the season. Such as his popularity at the club, he was voted Man of the Match on the BBC Sport Online website, with an average rating of 8.67 out of 10 for his cameo. He moved to Sao Caetano after one year with City and then had a spell with Romanian side Rapid Bucuresti before moving to Columbus Crew in the States. Unfortunately, the one-time Brazil international's career came to an end when he ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament in 2013 and he subsequently retired. Now, he runs his own business back in his native Brazil.
Pablo Zabaleta - £6.45m from Espanyol
The Argentine is the second man on the list who is still with City to this day, and he has won everything that Kompany has with the club. At 32-years-old, his time as a certain starter is coming to a close, but he has been considered one of the best full-backs in England during his stay.
Wayne Bridge - £12m from Chelsea
Wow, Chelsea made a killing out of City that summer, eh? Bridge would spend four years in Manchester, but only two of those were as the first-choice left-back. Gael Clichy's arrival put the writing on the wall for the England international. He retired after a season with Reading in 2013 and appeared on I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here in 2016, a show where he revealed he now enjoys being a stay-at-home dad. You may have also heard he had a bit of trouble with John Terry, too...
Craig Bellamy - £14m from West Ham
The electric Welshman had 10 different clubs during his career, and City was nothing but a pitstop for the forward. Citizens fans will likely remember his spectacular goal against bitter rivals United in a pulsating 4-3 defeat, or his brace away to Chelsea in a 4-2 win. Bellamy currently serves as a player development manager for his hometown club, Cardiff City, the club where he also finished his playing career.
Nigel de Jong - £18m from Hamburg
The Dutch midfielder was a pure brute during his time at the Etihad and he is more likely to be remembered as a dirty player - like breaking Hatem Ben Arfa's leg - than a talented one. Following five successful years with City, where he won a Premier League title and an FA Cup, he moved to Milan. The Dutchman, 32, had a spell with L.A. Galaxy before signing with Turkish side Galatasaray last summer.
Shay Given - £5.9m from Newcastle
For 18 months, Shay Given was the first-choice 'keeper at the club. Then, the rise of Joe Hart squeezed the 134-time Irish international out of the picture and he signed for Aston Villa in a deal worth £3.5 million in 2011. Now 40-years-old, he is somehow still playing for Stoke and has made five appearances this season.