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City have been relatively low profile in the transfer market this summer.

But that does not mean the Blues have not quietly been strengthening and hardening a squad that was good enough to pip the rest to the Premier League title last season.

The completion of the signing of France defender Eliaquim Mangala has slotted the final piece in their summer jigsaw, and ensured that Manuel Pellegrini will have possibly the strongest squad in City’s history this season.

Other clubs have hogged the summer headlines, with Chelsea snapping up Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa, Arsenal bagging Alexis Sanchez and United also reinforcing.

That might just shut up whingeing fans who bemoan the fact that City have “bought the title”, as all of them have spent big and dwarfed the Blues’ summer spending.

They might claim that City have only curtailed their spending because UEFA imposed a £49million cap due to their transgression under financial fair play rules.

But it appears that City had no major transfer spending planned in any case, with Pellegrini largely happy with his current squad barring the defence.

It was never the intention to keep splurging huge amounts every summer – the first five years of Sheikh Mansour’s ownership was always intended to be about accelerated growth, to reach the top table of European football, and become a trophy contender, at the double.

Targets were identified long before the end of last season, with Mangala, Bacary Sagna, Fernando and Willy Caballero on the agenda for months.

Frank Lampard was not in the calculations, despite the innuendo of Arsene Wenger, other than as a New York City player. His secondment to the Etihad Stadium was opportune rather then devious.

But Mangala was the man needed more than any of the others.

City were vulnerable in defence last season, especially when Vincent Kompany was on the treatment table, or in Martin Demichelis’ early days, as he tried to adjust to the pace and strength of the Premier League.

They had Joleon Lescott, a league title winner and thorough professional, but he was marginalised and under-used to the point that it began to show in his play whenever he was asked to step up.

He did not fit as well into Pellegrini’s masterplan, which involved passing more swiftly and accurately from the back, even if he remained a fine, natural defender.

Mangala comes with the reputation of being strong, fast and and impeccable timer of tackles.

He stands six ft two ins (1.87m) tall and has the sleek, athletic build of a modern centre half.

Arguably, City are still short of a centre back under Pellegrini’s policy of having two top players for every position, with doubts remaining over whether young Belgian Dedryck Boyata is good enough.

But with Karim Rekik possibly staying – a decision will be made on another PSV Eindhoven loan this week following Mangala’s arrival – City may just bite the bullet and make do.

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Matija Nastasic will be allowed to go if a reasonable offer comes in for him, but City are in no rush to offload the Serb, especially as he still qualifies as an Under-21 player and therefore places no strain on squad quotas.

Strangely enough, Mangala faces an immediate fight to get into the team, and Pellegrini seems likely to stick with his tried and trusted partnership of Kompany and Demichelis when their league campaign gets underway away at Newcastle on Sunday.

That depends on those two, who both featured strongly in the World Cup finals, proving this week in training that they are ready and fit to go.

Mangala will be in direct competition with Demichelis initially, and is seen as the long-term replacement for a player who last season went from pony-tailed figure of fun to a vital stalwart who ended up playing in the World Cup final

If Pellegrini could meld the two men into one player, he would have a perfect centre half.

Demichelis has the nous and experience, and shrewd organisational skills while the Frenchman is raw and yet has the power and pace that his new Argentine teammate never truly had.

If Mangala fulfils his potential, City will have a centre back pairing that has the lot – strength, solidity, speed and acute football ability.

The deal is worth £32million, giving the Blues a total outlay of about £50million this summer, balanced by income for Jack Rodwell and Gareth Barry, and more if Garcia goes.

That's far less expenditure than all of their expected title rivals, and yet the Blues still have a squad which appears the best balanced and all-round strongest in the country.