The validity of Sir Alex Ferguson's repeated mantra that he sees no value in the current transfer market will ultimately be judged by how Manchester United fare next season.
While Manchester City are happy to spend whatever it takes to elbow their way to football's top table, with their outlay so far this summer standing at £60m with more to come, United find themselves once cast in the unfamiliar role of paupers in a city in which they used to sneer at their poorer, inadequate neighbours.
Fergie spent just £20m last summer, recruiting Antonio Valencia and Gabriel Obertan, as well as grabbing Michael Owen for free. And 12 months on it is a similar scenario, with the £10m arrival of Chris Smalling and the £7m signing of Javier Hernandez representing United's only business so far in the close season.
As Fergie is so fond of telling anyone who will care to listen, particularly when the subject of the Glazers and the crippling debt with which they have saddled United is brought up, the money from the £80m sale of Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid is there to spend if he wants.
Indeed, according to United's last set of accounts, published in May, the club have £95.9m on the balance sheet, but that surplus is destined to be used by the Glazers to service the debt on their borrowing, leaving Fergie to shop in football's bargain basement.
And what has made their precarious financial predicament all the more galling for United is the way City are spending on new signings with such abandon, as if the tightening of the belts at Old Trafford has given them extra incentive to splash the cash.
But as Roberto Mancini sets about assembling a squad capable of challenging for the title next season, there is a tangible sense of a power shift in Manchester, one that was a touch premature last season, but now has a sense of realism about it.
United laughed off the prospect of such a shift when they beat City in last season's Carling Cup semi-finals to prolong their 34-year wait for silverware. They also did the double over City in the Premier League last season, adding weight to their claim that City were forever destined to reside in their shadow.
But there were definite signs last season that City were gaining on their more illustrious rivals who were themselves treading water, if not going backwards, even if the red half of Manchester were afforded the added bonus of watching Mancini's side lose out in the race for the final Champions League spot.
Yet Fergie above all knows the threat now posed by City is very real, which is why this season represents another significant challenge as he enters his 23rd full campaign at the Old Trafford helm. While there was no shame in losing out on the title to Chelsea, but being usurped by City in the league would be humiliating for United.
When Jose Mourinho took over at Chelsea and found himself in a similar position to Mancini, with Roman Abramovich's millions at his disposal, Fergie was quick to remind him it was one thing having money to spend, but another altogether spending it wisely and successfully.
But Mancini appears to be doing just that, with Yaya Toure, Jerome Boateng and David Silva astute signings who respective qualities will provide City with the depth and cutting edge that ultimately saw them fall short of their stated targets last season.
And with City determined to add the likes of Wolfsburg striker Edin Dzeko, Lazio left-back Alexander Kolarov and Benfica's versatile defender David Luiz to their squad before the new campaign gets under way, it is tempting to suggest their squad could be every bit as strong as United's.
Yet what City must now develop is what enabled United to finish last season just one point behind champions Chelsea, despite an unparalleled injury list, which is the ability to last the distance come what may, a trait any side with championship aspirations must learn to acquire.
United have it - 11 titles, two European Cups, five FA Cups and three League Cups under Fergie, not to mention numerous other trophies, are testimony to that. Now City, who have talked the talk, must walk the walk and prove they have it too.
