£25m in transfer fee and a weekly salary of around £200,000 -- but City did their homework and were confident cash would be king in this deal and Barcelona president Joan Laporta now expects the Cameroon striker to leave.
"Eto'o has a stratospheric offer from City, which would convert him into the best paid player in the world," said Laporta. "It's starting to become clear that he has this monster offer. He wants to stay but an offer like this is very difficult to refuse."
It's a similar scenario for Tevez. And that's a transfer that will really hurt Ferguson.
The Argentine was clearly unwilling to accept a role down the pecking order at Manchester United after two years on loan at Old Trafford.
Ferguson wanted to keep the player but United's failure to tie up the deal opened the door for City.
Tevez wants to play, that's clear from the attitude he shows on the pitch, and Hughes can offer him guaranteed first-team football backed up by a massive salary.
And when he finally makes his debut for the 'other' Manchester club, City fans will have the first tangible sign that United are no longer having things all their own way.
Robben is available, a victim of Real Madrid's astonishing rebuilding program, while Lescott and Toure will leave if the price is right.
And with Barry and Santa Cruz already at City, Hughes is bring in a blend of crowd-pleasers and team-players that will make his side a very different prospect next season.
It would take the arrival of another half dozen of the game's biggest names for anybody to seriously think City can overhaul United next season.
But right now it looks as though the gap is closing.
And Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce - who reluctantly let Santa Cruz go - believes City are on course to follow Chelsea's fast-track route to the top.
"Chelsea did it when Roman Abramovich came in and I have no doubts City could do the same," he said.
"Chelsea had no impact for a decade before he came in -- and then they won the League and broke the domination of the Big Two at the time, Manchester United and Arsenal, to make it a three-horse race.
"City look like they are intent on getting to that level and if the spending is on the same level of Abramovich then I am quite sure they will have a major impact.
"And I believe that spells real danger for both Arsenal and Liverpool. I think they will be more vulnerable and they will be very nervous about what City are doing.
"All of a sudden they are under threat. They have been in the top four so long that each year they have been able to set their budget in advance because they know they will be in the Champions League. Now that could all change.
"And if City do take one of their places it could be catastrophic financially because it could cost them £25m or more if they aren't playing in the Champions League."
Allardyce insists it is all about team-building, and not just about collecting top players -- and that places the pressure squarely on Hughes' shoulders.
He added: "There's no doubt City have the potential, but the pressure is on Mark Hughes to manage it in the right way.
"That's the danger and we have all seen what happened with Real Madrid and the Galacticos, and it seems they are going that way again.
"Madrid buy a team to entertain, not to win, whereas Barcelona can win and entertain at the moment.
"Chelsea were buying to win when Abramovich came in and they got a manager in Jose Mourinho who knew how to win.
"He delivered two league titles very quickly - and that's the demand on Sparky (Hughes)."
Ian Winrow is a London-based football journalist and columnist for GlobalSoccerCenter.com.
