Barely had the final piece of street furniture been dismantled, the last of the litter swept away, and the players’ vacation aeroplane vapour trails disappeared, before the Manchester City brains' trust was back around the table plotting more success.
Hours after City had clinched the Premier League title in such dramatic style with a 3-2 come-from-behind win over Aston Villa they began eyeing more silverware and squad changes.
A relentless desire to win matches and trophies has characterised Sheikh Mansour’s majority ownership for more than a dozen years and never more so than in the Pep Guardiola era.
However, four Premier League titles in the last five years, twice back-to-back winners, has not yet sated that drive for more trophies.
Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak, in his annual end of season interview conducted in Abu Dhabi, confirmed that a short time had been set aside for celebrations before it was back to the business of improving the already glittering resources at the disposal of their storied Catalan coach.
Some pressing matters have been addressed already with the signing of two forwards to finally fill the boots of all-time great Sergio Aguero, who departed at the end of the 2020/21 season.
In from the Bundesliga has come Erling Haaland, the prolific young Norwegian striker who is tipped to become one of football's next global superstars, and joining him in the revamped forward line will be Julian Alvarez from River Plate in Argentina.
Now firmly established in his national team Alvarez, at 22 a year older than Haaland, recently scored a hat-trick in each half as his club thrashed Peru’s top team, Lima, in the Copa Libertadores.
Next up will, in all likelihood, be the replacing of the captain, Fernandinho, who has decided to end his playing days back in his homeland of Brazil. The 37-year-old midfielder took five Premier League winners’ medals back to Londrina along with five from the League Cup and one from the FA Cup.
Manchester City season player ratings
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GOALKEEPERS: Ederson 8 - Won the coveted Premier League Golden Glove award after keeping 20 clean sheets this season. In a team full of pass masters, the Brazilian can hold his own against any of his outfield teammates. AP Photo -
Zack Steffen 5 - Usually an able deputy but his mistake against Liverpool in the FA Cup semi-final cost City the chance of a league-and-cup double. EPA -
DEFENDERS: Kyle Walker 8 - A one-man flank down City's right. Few posses the Englishman's pace and powers of recovery. His distribution has improved this campaign too. AFP -
Ruben Dias 6 - Failed to match last season's achievements when he was named player of the season. Found himself in and out of the side. AFP -
John Stones 7 - Showed his versatility by filling in at right-back on occasion and another solid season ends with a Premier League winner's medal. Getty Images -
Nathan Ake 6 - A much-improved season though still struggling to nail down a first-team place. Always committed and gives his all. AFP -
Oleksandr Zinchenko 7 - Emotional scenes at the Etihad as the Ukrainian draped his country's flag around the Premier League trophy. Underrated player who never grumbles about filling in at left-back despite being a midfielder by trade. Getty Images -
Aymeric Laporte 8 - After playing second fiddle to Dias last season, the Spaniard has re-emerged as one of the best centre-backs in the league this term. Reuters -
Joao Cancelo 9 - The Portuguese almost seems wasted at left-back, such is his passing ability and knack for supplying teammates during his forays forward. City's player of the season, for me. AFP -
MIDFIELDERS: Ilkay Gundogan 8 - When it looked as though the title was lost on the final day, the German midfielder came off the bench to drag City over the line with two of the most important goals of his career. Another excellent campaign. AFP -
Jack Grealish 6 - Hard to say the Englishman has justified his £100 million price tag, or that he has necessarily made City a better team. AFP -
Rodri 8 - The Spanish metronome just keeps City ticking. Popped up with some crucial goals as City won a fourth Premier League title in five seasons. AFP -
Kevin de Bruyne 9 - Another standout campaign from the brilliant Belgian. Fifteen-goals - including four in one match against Wolves - and eight assists despite missing eight league games. Will undoubtedly get a statue at the Etihad alongside Aguero, Kompany and Silva when he does call it a day. Getty Images -
Bernardo Silva 8 - The one player Guardiola can give any assignment to - whether at the base, on the wing or as a False 9 - knowing he will excel in that role. Getty Images -
Fernandinho 6 - Took Guardiola by surprise when he announced he will leave the club this summer. Second fiddle to Rodri now, but what a loyal servant the Brazilian has been. Getty Images -
Phil Foden 8 - Few players have the poise and grace of Foden. One of those players that can run with ball full speed. An absolute nightmare for defenders. Getty Images -
Cole Palmer 5 - No shame in finding minutes hard to come by with City's galaxy of midfield stars ahead of him. Getty Images -
Raheem Sterling 7 - A bit of a mixed bag for the English forward. A healthy goal return of 13 in the league but has looked leggy, with perhaps tiredness a factor having helped England reach the Euro 2020 final last summer. Getty Images -
Riyad Mahrez 7 - A hint of friction with his manager at times this season and has not always been first choice. Still contributed 11 league goals to City's victorious Premier League campaign. Getty Images -
Gabriel Jesus 7 - With record-scorer Sergio Aguero departing last summer, the scene looked set for the Brazilian to establish himself as undisputed first choice. That didn't happen, but Jesus is a workhorse whom Guardiola seems to love. Half of his eight league goals came in a single match against Watford. Getty Images -
MANAGER: Pep Guardiola 8 - Kept his troops focussed even when momentum looked to have shifted Liverpool's way. Will go down as one of the greatest managers in Premier League history. AP
Fernandinho's most likely replacement will be Kalvin Phillips, the Leeds United and England defensive midfielder. City are in discussions with Leeds who will use the cash generated to finance a rebuild of their own after narrowly avoiding relegation this season.
Phillips, who will be pushing for inclusion in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the World Cup in Qatar later this year, knows he will have to share defensive midfield duties with current first choice Rodri. The Spain international was arguably the most improved player at City this season and became a firm fan favourite.
Question marks remain around several of Guardiola’s established squad as he prepares what will be the third iteration of his winning machine at the Etihad.
Ilkay Gundogan, Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez are all, like the manager himself, in the final year of their contracts at City and each will have their suitors this summer. However, Brazil striker Gabriel Jesus is most likely to move on, with Arsenal at the head of the queue.
Oleksandr Zinchenko, the Ukraine international midfielder who has mostly operated as a left back for City, is also interesting Arsenal and has previously had admirers at Wolves and Everton.
Guardiola will be in the market for a defender if either Zinchenko or Nathan Ake decide they want to move on and seek more game time. Brighton’s left back Marc Cucurella will be atop the replacement list should one of them move on or if City decide they need more resources in that area.
The champions will also be looking to tie down some of their star names to new deals. Top of that list will be England international Phil Foden who at the age of 22 has just received his fourth Premier League winners medal. Talks on his long-term future and a wage rise began during the season and should be concluded before the next one starts. Rodri, who is out of contract in 2024, is also likely to be offered a new deal.
Established stars in City’s squad will have competition from within as Academy products Cole Palmer, James McAtee, Liam Delap, and Luke Mbete continue to spearhead the youthful revolution alongside Haaland and Alvarez.
All will be given a chance on the pre-season tour to the United States where City play Club America in the NRG Stadium, in Houston, Texas on July 21, and Bayern Munich at the Green Bay Packers’ Lambeau Field in Wisconsin on July 23.
Guardiola will decide later in the autumn who he might want to loan out - if any - for them to gain more experience.
City will also have a new captain next season after Fernandinho’s departure. The players themselves will elect five ‘captains’ and from that a captain of captains will emerge. Kevin De Bruyne and Ruben Dias are two of the most likely candidates to take the armband most regularly.
