With the signing of £16m Aleksander Kolarov from Lazio, Manchester City took their summer spending to over £75m. The Serbian left-back became the club's fourth signing after the arrivals of Jerome Boateng, David Silva and Yaya Toure, and it is unlikely the club will stop now, as James Milner edges closer and closer to his requested move. City now have one of the largest squads - 37 registered players and counting - in the league and it is only a matter of time before decent squad players are looking for moves elsewhere.

For other clubs in the Premier League there are potential signings to be made at cut price deals. While most clubs may haggle over the value of their players, what does a few million pound matter to a team that can pay a single player £200k a week? There is simply not the space for all of City's players to get regular football; what the players can get some solace from, is the fact that Mancini does not yet seem to know his first choice team. However, he has also publicly said that he wants two quality players for each position, which can only mean more arrivals.

Bolton have already picked up Martin Petrov on a free-transfer. For Owen Coyle's team, being able to call on an experienced player, with decent technical ability, who is already comfortable in the Premiership, is shrewd business. For Petrov, with no offer of an extension to his City contract, sorting his future out early on in the summer and guaranteeing further years at the end of his career shows it is a good move for both parties involved.

Martin Petrov's mind was made up by the lack of contract, but how long before other City squad players get itchy feet? A move to Villa for Stephen Ireland has already been mentioned as part of the Milner deal. Yaya Toure's arrival means that he is vying for the defensive midfield roles along with Gareth Barry, Nigel De Jong and Patrick Vieira - Vincent Kompany and Pablo Zabaleta have also played there, but have since been pushed into the back four - and at some point the high turnover of players will hit those individuals.

As well as Ireland; Craig Bellamy, Roque Santa Cruz, Micah Richards, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Nedum Onuoha, will all be considering careers elsewhere. All are capable of playing regularly at a high standard. For clubs who find it difficult to attract high-profile players from overseas, or find domestic players too expensive, City provide the second-hand store that could prove fruitful. After his successful spell at Birmingham, how long will Joe Hart play second-fiddle to Shay Given?

The only comparable situation is that of Chelsea, and Abramovich's first few years in England. After eventually being squeezed out at Stamford Bridge, Newcastle picked up Damien Duff for £5m, and Portsmouth benefited by securing the services of Glen Johnson and Lassana Diarra - the latter via an anonymous six-month stint at Arsenal - for relatively little money before selling them on at huge profits after playing well. Scott Parker out-performs everybody else at West Ham, Joe Cole has gone to Liverpool and even Arjen Robben was deemed surplus to Jose Mourinho's requirements.

Players will get the time and games at other clubs that they might not be afforded at City. Feeling frozen out, they may also feel they have a point to prove to the Eastlands hierarchy, and eager to show their worth elsewhere. In a British transfer market that has ticked over, rather than ignited so far this summer, City's shop floor could provide other clubs with exactly what they need.