Unless your name is Robinho, then you’ve probably enjoyed yourself after signing for Manchester City for big money. The Citizens love to splash the cash, and are one of the biggest spenders in Europe.
It’s no secret that a large part of their success is down to the transfers they have made since the takeover of Sheik Mansour. The likes of Kevin de Bruyne, Kyle Walker, and Ederson have all arrived for big fees, before going on to have the greatest success, winning trophy after trophy.
The spending hasn’t slowed down, either, with Erling Haaland headlining their summer arrivals.
Whether any of those arrivals have the same impact as the names listed below, we’re not sure, however.
10) Joe Hart
Before the years of Pep Guardiola and the need to be a ball-playing goalkeeper, Joe Hart was one of the best shot-stoppers in the Premier League.
Eventually a mainstay for Man City after first signing in 2006 from Shrewsbury Town, Hart went on to play a pivotal part in three Premier League title wins.
He was also regularly picked to keep goal for England, and was undoubtedly the best stopper in the league.
He eventually fell of a cliff in terms of his form, but at his best, Hart was immense between the sticks.
9) Pablo Zabaleta
Signed from Espanyol for £7.83 million in 2008, Pablo Zabaleta went from an unknown fullback to one of the best that the Premier League has had the pleasure of seeing.
The Argentine was a mix between the modern-day fullbacks we see and the old fashioned, more defensive versions that we once saw. And, with that hybrid style, came great success.
Zabaleta went on to spend nine years at the Etihad Stadium, winning two Premier League titles and the FA Cup.
One of the best defenders City have ever had.
8) Carlos Tevez
There was plenty of controversy when Tevez made the move to City.
He had spent two years at Manchester United, technically on loan from West Ham, but he left the Old Trafford club after rejecting their offer to turn his stay into a permanent deal.
As a result, he was snapped up by City, and went on to become an absolute hero in sky blue.
The Argentine finished his Man City career with 78 goals in 148 games, having picked up a Premier League medal along the way.
7) Fernandinho
It’s only now that he’s left Manchester City that people are beginning to realise just how good Fernandinho was during his time in the Premier League.
The defensive midfielder was the backbone to City’s success, especially under Pep Guardiola, having signed from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2013 for £40 million.
He went on to become a first-team mainstay and hoovered up trophies in a truly elite team.
The Brazilian defied his years and was routinely the best defensive midfielder in the league.
6) Ederson
The signing of Ederson for £36 million signalled the real start of City dominance under Guardiola in 2017.
The former Barcelona manager finally had the ultimate ball-playing number one that he had been craving.
And, since then, we’ve seen exactly why Guardiola wanted the Brazilian, who has won three Golden Gloves in the last three seasons.
He can make world-class saves, and also has world-class distribution.
5) Yaya Toure
Yaya Toure doesn’t often get the credit he deserves for his time in the Premier League; people seem to forget just how good he was; just how dominant he was.
The midfielder is one of the best in his position that English football has seen, and cost City just £27 million in 2010 from Barcelona.
After arriving at the club, he went on to play 316 times for the club, scoring 79 goals and laying on 49 assists.
Oh, and he also won three Premier League titles.
4) David Silva
If elegance was a player, it would be David Silva.
The silky Spaniard was the epitome of class at Manchester City, and rightfully has his own statue outside of The Etihad.
Signed from Valencia for just £28.88 million in 2010, Silva goes down as one of the best bargains in Man City history, and one of the most successful signings.
He really set the tone for what was to come for the club.
3) Vincent Kompany
There is no doubt that Vincent Kompany is one of the best centre-backs in Premier League history, and one of the greatest signings of all time for Man City.
The Belgian was the ultimate leader, right up to his departure.
Having signed for the Citizens from Hamburg in 2010 for just £7.65 million, the former City captain quickly became a bargain.
And he’s now showing that he’s just as good a manager, as he’s flying with Burnley in the Championship.
2) Kevin de Bruyne
Now seems like a good opportunity to make this prediction, so here goes: By the time Kevin de Bruyne retires, he will be spoken about as the best midfielder to ever grace the Premier League.
He simply has it all, and goes down as one of the best signings in not only City’s history, but English football history.
The £68.4 million fee paid to Wolfsburg in 2015 now looks an absolute bargain.
De Bruyne was amazingly labelled a flop after arriving at City; those takes haven’t aged particularly well.
1) Sergio Aguero
Let’s face it, Sergio Aguero was always going to top this list, wasn’t he?
Even if that last gasp title-winning goal against Queens Park Rangers turned out to be his last goal for the club, it would have been enough to see him feature on this list.
It is the Premier League’s greatest, and most dramatic moment, scored by the greatest signing in Manchester City’s history.
With the signing of Haaland, this list may just need rewriting in two years or so. The former Borussia Dortmund striker is simply too good to end up disappointing. He is bound to succeed, especially under Guardiola, who could turn what is already a goal scoring machine into something out of this world.
