The buzzword around the Etihad this week has been future.
Pep Guardiola has taken Champions League elimination as a prompt to drastically lower the average age of his Premier League starting XI and he can't wipe the smile off his face when discussing some of his new signings.
"The front three are the future," he said of Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku and Savinho at Tottenham, while there was praise too for Abdukodir Khusanov and Nico Gonzalez. Txiki Begiristain raved about City's latest arrival, Claudio Echeverri, as one of the finest talents to come out of South America.
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The future is bright, too, across the Etihad Campus in the Academy Building - a fact that Begiristain will also be well aware of.
In the FA Youth Cup on Thursday night, the young Blues replicated a favourite from Guardiola's tactics book at West Brom and marched on to the semi-finals of the competition they won last year.
Matty Warhurst followed up Divine Mukasa's effort that hit the post to net his 15th goal of a productive season, yet this was a display firstly built on a solid foundation.
Guardiola has a new favourite in Khusanov and the early signs are positive, too, from Vitor Reis. Those two cost a combined £63m in January and could be the face of a new-look defence in a few years. Experienced heads John Stones and Nathan Ake may be under threat given their poor injury records while Manu Akanji and Ruben Dias aren't as secure as they have been.
If Begiristain's parting gift is two new central defenders, City have four more who looked good at the Hawthorns. Kaden Braithwaite has already impressed the Director of Football enough this season to earn a senior debut ahead of schedule, and he replicated the Stones role effectively in the Youth Cup, waltzing forward from full-back into midfield and dictating play.
Stephen Mfuni impresses whenever he plays and covered the left-back spot Braithwaite vacated, getting forward himself at times and quickly winning back possession if he gave it away. His back post header just before the break killed the game and continued his knack for important goals, especially in the Youth Cup.
His effort was quickly followed by an arrow into the bottom corner by Finlay Gorman to make it three before the interval. And Gorman made it four with an even better curling effort. Not a bad statement on the day City trumpeted their new £12.5m attacking midfielder from Argentina.
Reigan Heskey, quiet for the most part, added a ruthless 23rd goal of the season to remind the City decision makers that there is plenty of talent bubbling below the surface, even if signings like Echeverri could make their paths more difficult.
Kian Noble is an old-school defender, more in the Dias mould, and led well. At right-back, former Manchester United academy regular Harrison Parker showed his versatility as a wing-back. Not quite like Kyle Walker, but keeping high and getting back quickly.
Guardiola has enjoyed fine success playing with four centre-backs across his back line. Now it's the turn of the youth team.
Add someone like Callum Doyle, who is impressing for a second season in the Championship, plus under-21 names like Jahmai Simpson-Pusey and Lakyle Samuel, and City are well stocked in the middle of defence.
There's a reason Guardiola likes to stockpile that position and his love for Khusanov is further evidence. Senior outgoings and rebuilds are inevitable, however as much as City have bought in talent in for big money they are developing some ready-made replacements in the background.
They might not need to spend on a centre-back again for some time. And the academy trophy cabinet is waiting to add another Youth Cup.
