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Manchester City and PSG were the also-rans of their leagues 10 years ago... but wealth beyond their wildest dreams has transformed their fortunes both on and off the field

What a difference a decade makes. 10 years ago, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain had just finished another season among the also-rans of their leagues, finishing in 14th and 15th positions respectively.

City, who were managed by Stuart Pearce and whose top goalscorers were Joey Barton and Georgios Samaras, were perennial relegation candidates in the Premier League, with European glory a distant dream.

PSG were similarly unfashionable, languishing in the lower reaches of Ligue 1 under the brief stewardship of Guy Lacombe and Paul Le Guen and barely making an impression when they played in Europe.

Stuart Pearce was the manager of Manchester City a decade ago prior to their takeover
Stuart Pearce was the manager of Manchester City a decade ago prior to their takeover
Micah Richards (left) and Georgios Samaras were the stars of the City side back in 2007
Micah Richards (left) and Georgios Samaras were the stars of the City side back in 2007

But for both clubs, a transformation was just around the corner, fuelled and funded by cash-rich owners from the United Arab Emirates and Qatar respectively.