It is 18 years today since the deal that transformed City and ultimately changed the landscape of English football was announced.
On September 1, 2008, it was announced that Sheikh Mansour’s Abu Dhabi United Group had agreed a deal to take control of City from former Thailand prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
The takeover, widely reported at around £200m, was formally completed later that month.
Even on the day of the announcement, there was an immediate indication of what was coming.
City completed the British-record signing of Robinho from Real Madrid for £32.5m just hours later, beating Chelsea to the Brazilian in one of the most remarkable Deadline Day deals of the era.
City transformed over the next 18 years
What followed went far beyond one spectacular transfer.
City won the FA Cup in 2011 before securing their first Premier League title the following year, Sergio Aguero’s stoppage-time winner against Queens Park Rangers providing one of English football’s defining moments.
The trophies continued to arrive, with City eventually establishing themselves as the dominant force of the modern Premier League era under Pep Guardiola.
The Champions League followed in 2023 as part of a historic Treble.
The club changed off the pitch as well, with major investment in its academy, training facilities and the wider Etihad Campus.
City’s rise has not been without controversy, particularly around the club’s finances and ownership, but there can be little argument about the scale of the transformation since 2008.
Perhaps fittingly, it all began on Deadline Day.
Eighteen years after that extraordinary September morning, City bear little resemblance to the club Abu Dhabi United Group agreed to buy.
For updates on City throughout the season, take a look at our LIVE! Premier League 2026/27 News, Transfers, Updates & Viral Moments page.
