After much speculation and mud-slinging, earlier this week Raheem Sterling completed his £49m switch from Liverpool to Manchester City.
In doing so, the 20-year-old became the most expensive English footballer of all time. What's more, the winger is the 12th player from these shores to have arrived at the Etihad Stadium since Sheikh Mansour gained control in the summer of 2008.
Here, Sports Mole takes a look at how Sterling's 11 compatriots fared during their stints in East Manchester.
1. Wayne Bridge (2009-2013)
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Appearances: 58 Goals: 0
Having struggled for starting action at Chelsea due to the presence of Ashley Cole, Bridge arrived at the Etihad Stadium in the winter of 2009 for a fee in the region of £10m. Yet, he spent much of his stint as a City player out on loan with the likes of West Ham United, Sunderland and Brighton & Hove Albion - the last of whom he joined permanently once his contract expired in 2013.
2. Gareth Barry (2009-2014)
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Appearances: 175 Goals: 8
Twelve months after he saw a move to Liverpool fall through, Barry swapped Aston Villa for City. He went on to be a key player in four seasons with the club, playing in the 2010 FA Cup final victory over Stoke and also featuring 34 times during the 2011-12 Premier League title triumph.
3. Stuart Taylor (2009-2012)
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Appearances: 1 Goals: 0
It was something of a surprise that Taylor made the switch to City with Joe Hart and Shay Given already at the club. Unsurprisingly, he was the third-choice goalkeeper for the entirety of his stint, which saw him make just one appearance. That came in the FA Cup back in 2010 during a 4-2 victory over Scunthorpe United.
4. Joleon Lescott (2009-2014)
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Appearances: 160 Goals: 9
When Lescott made the move from Everton, supporters of his former club claimed that he had only accepted the switch for money. To be fair to the centre-back, while he was undoubtedly well rewarded financially, he also has plenty of medals to show for his time in a City shirt. Now at West Bromwich Albion, he won two Premier League titles, as well as the FA Cup, League Cup and Community Shield with City.
5. Adam Johnson (2010-2012)
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Appearances: 97 Goals: 15
Ninety-seven outings over an 18-month period doesn't appear to be a bad return, but when you consider that 43 of those were as a substitute, it's clear that Johnson was never a regular starter at City. He was at the club when they won the Premier League in 2012 - a success that he contributed six goals to before he left for Sunderland.
6. James Milner (2010-2015)
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Appearances: 201 Goals: 18
If most City supporters and manager Manuel Pellegrini had their way, Milner would still be a City player. But, feeling unwanted, the midfielder switched to Liverpool on a free transfer earlier this summer. His trophy haul includes two Premier League titles, while last term he was one of City's standout performers alongside the likes of Sergio Aguero.
7. Owen Hargreaves (2011-2012)
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Appearances: 4 Goals: 1
Having been released by rivals Manchester United, it was a big surprise when Hargreaves rocked up at City. He vowed that his injury problems were behind him, but the holding midfielder managed to play just 13 minutes of Premier League football during his one year with City. Despite a disappointing spell, he did score on his debut during a League Cup tie against Birmingham City.
8. Jack Rodwell (2012-2014)
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Appearances: 26 Goals: 2
Rodwell joined City from Everton as an England hopeful, but by the time that he had left for Sunderland two years later, he was nowhere near gaining international recognition. Injuries, plus competition for a place in the team from the likes of Yaya Toure and Fernandinho, meant that Rodwell made only 26 appearances in all competitions. He didn't qualify for a Premier League medal in 2013-14, having featured just five times.
9. Scott Sinclair (2012-2015)
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Appearances: 19 Goals: 0
After arriving from Swansea City, Sinclair became something of a forgotten man at City. He was often a substitute during his first season and on some occasions he did not even make the bench. As a result, the winger was loaned out to West Bromwich Albion and Aston Villa, whom he recently joined on a permanent basis.
10. Richard Wright (2012-)
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Appearances: 0 Goals: 0
The former England goalkeeper has played for 45 minutes in a City shirt and that was in a pre-season friendly against Hearts. The 37-year-old appears to be happy with his situation, though, having recently signed a new 12-month deal. Wright last played a competitive game during the 2011-12 season while on the books of Ipswich Town.
11. Frank Lampard (2014-2015)
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Appearances: 38 Goals: 8
Perhaps the only regret City will have with regards to Lampard is that they were not able to sign him much earlier. After leaving Chelsea and agreeing a move to City's sister club in New York, the ex-England international made a loan switch to the Etihad. He scored some important goals, including one against his former employers to seal a point for the Citizens.
Liam Apicella
