Rio Ferdinand has recalled the moment he and his Manchester United team-mates realised Manchester City were there for the long haul.
City were purchased by the Abu Dhabi United Group in August 2008 and what followed was a flurry of bids for high-profile players.
They broke the British transfer record when they signed Robinho for £32.5million.
In the decade that followed they have won the Premier League three times and continue to set new standards under manager Pep Guardiola.
Speaking on BT Sport, Ferdinand said: “I thought it was going to be a fly by. They had an owner who came before, that didn’t end too well.
“Did Robinho come at this stage as well? You think that’s going to be their great big signing. Then all of a sudden they sign Tevez as well. That was when you started to think ‘hold on a minute’. And then Yaya came, David Silva.
“We were sitting there – me, Gary Neville, Giggsy, the guys – this is going to be serious, these guys are not going away in two or three years’ time – they’re here for the long haul and they’ve put their forks in the ground and they’re starting to build for the future.”
Owen Hargreaves joined United in 2007 and won the Premier League and Champions League in his first season at the club.
After an injury plagued four seasons he crossed the divide and joined City in 2011 for one season, but only played four times.
Hargreaves said Sir Alex Ferguson knew what was coming from the blue half of Manchester.
“Sir Alex – he knew they were going to be virtually impossible to stop,” the former midfielder explained. He knew this blue wave was coming. They’ve set the tone for everyone else in this league and now it’s catch up because City are that far ahead.”
Joleon Lescott, who was also speaking on BT Sport, said claims that players only joined City for money gave them added motivation to succeed.
Lescott, who joined City from Everton in 2009, said: “That extra motivation of people – players, fans, pundits – only assuming we went there for money. No one assumed we went there to win the title.”