Chief football administer Brian Marwood has admitted Manchester City are unlikely to repeat the massive spending spree they embarked upon during the summer.
City spent an estimated £120million on a host of big-name players before, during and after the World Cup finals.
Jerome Boateng, David Silva, Yaya Toure, Aleksandar Kolarov, James Milner and Mario Balotelli all arrived at Eastlands during a busy summer transfer window.
But on the same day that the club's Abu Dhabi-based owner Sheikh Mansour returned to the top of English football's rich list, Marwood has suggested that the days of big spending at Eastlands are over.
"Now the intensity of signing players is levelling off, allowing this group to build and develop – they haven't gelled yet," he told The Guardian.
"We have fast-tracked a lot. We need to put the structure in place. We talk about elite development, the academy, because that is the foundation. That is the future for Manchester City."
Meanwhile, Marwood has rejected criticism of City's transfer policy since Sheikh Mansour began his ambitious reign two years ago.
"You have to chuckle to yourself," he continued.
"We were criticised for supposedly ruining English football by bringing foreign players in, then when the England team finished the last game against Switzerland, six City players were in it. That was a big jolt to a lot of people."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email