One of Manchester City's greatest assets lies in the youth and potential of their current squad.
Most of their key players are still very young — for example, Jens Lehmann, the oldest, is just 27 years old.
Another strength is that the squad size is quite tight, meaning the team is well-balanced without too many surplus players.
With three major competitions on the horizon, this compact but talented squad ensures that every player will have a real opportunity to contribute and prove themselves.
Naturally, while Manchester City focused on strengthening their squad through transfers, other clubs in the Premier League were equally active in the market.
Like Alan Shearer's transfer to Newcastle United broke the British record, with the club signing him from Blackburn Rovers for £15 million.
Then Chelsea paid a club record £4.9 million for Lazio and Italy midfielder Roberto Di Matteo.
