Cardiff City have signed three players already this summer but the deal that remains outstanding is still the one making headlines.
Indeed the use of the word "outstanding" there is rather apt, as an Aaron Ramsey homecoming to his boyhood club would be nothing short of incredible.
Talks have been held between the parties, Ramsey has dropped a few hints along the way and the Bluebirds are obviously keen to get a deal done. This is the timeline of events so far and where we currently stand.
READ MORE: Cardiff City transfer news as ex-team-mate identifies key factor in Aaron Ramsey return
Dalman sets tongues wagging
It was Cardiff chairman Mehmet Dalman who set the ball rolling following the official unveiling of new boss Erol Bulut.
After the meeting with the press at Cardiff City Stadium, Dalman, Bulut and chief executive Ken Choo met with supporters' groups and, according to the Cardiff City Supporters' Trust, told them an "exciting" signing which "would be regarded very positively by fans" is on its way.
That came after he boldly predicted that Cardiff, who have sold around 12,000 season tickets, would max out their allocation of 18,000 with the announcements he had to make in the coming weeks.
"I reckon we will sell 18,000 (season tickets). I have got a couple of other announcements to make," Dalman said. "Erol and I have got a few more announcements to make that I think will make the fans happy."
Later that month, Dalman said in a radio interview that the ball was very much in the Wales captain's court.
"We'll wait and see," he told BBC Radio Wales when quizzed on the possibility of signing the No.10. "We'd love to see him back in Cardiff. But really it's his call more than ours.
"Ramsey will do what he wants to do. If he decides to look at us, we'll welcome him with open arms. I can't really say much more than that."
Ramsey has his own say
The player himself has done little to distance himself from a sensational return. After initially playing a straight bat to rumours while on international duty, he elaborated a bit more once his schedule was clear.
He added further fuel to the fire when taking questions from pupils from Trinity Fields School in Ystrad Mynach last month, where he was on hand to open a new sports facility in partnership with the Cruyff Foundation.
Asked directly if he would come back to Cardiff, he said: "One day, I'd love to go back there, but who knows when that time might be.
"We'll see."
Elaborating in front of the media later, he added: "They gave me an opportunity as a young boy and to go on and to become a professional. I'll be forever grateful for that and what they've done for me in my career.
"Maybe one day I'll go back and it'll mean a lot.
"I've always said that one day I'd love to go back there. I think there are a few things that need sorting out over the next few weeks, but the most important thing for me is to enjoy my time with family, and make the most important decision for us.
"I think there are three or four weeks now to enjoy and put the feet up. It's been a long season with the World Cup and everything sandwiched in between."
When asked directly if a move to the capital could happen this summer, he simply replied: "Who knows?"
Oh Aaron, you tease. One thing that is certain, any decision will be made with family front and centre of the process. "The most important thing is my family and whatever decision we make going forward will be a family decision," he added.
"I'm excited. I still have enough football left in me and there's a lot still to play for, internationally and club-wise and that gives me a lot of incentive to keep performing at the highest level I possibly can."
The social media teases
You can read into Ramsey's social media activity and take from it all that you like, but you can't help but think there have been a few hints dropped along the way.
On the day his Nice contract officially expired. he posted a picture of him at Wales' - and Cardiff's - Vale training base with the caption "today's office".
Then, earlier this month amid reports in Turkey that he had been offered to Super Lig side Trabzonspor but would sign for the Bluebirds "next week", he posted another shot to his Instagram lacing up his boots at the hotel resort.
His other posts on social media have seen him, his wife and three boys enjoying the great Welsh outdoors. This maybe putting two and two together and making five, but on the other hand....
What Bulut has said
So what of the manager then? As stated above, three players have arrived at Cardiff City Stadium so far this summer - Yakou Meite, Ike Ugbo and Dimitrios Goutas - with the boss indicating he wanted up to 10 signings before the window closes.
After the 2-0 pre-season friendly win over Penybont, he said of a possible move for Ramsey: “I will tell you more next week if we can get to sign some players, so then you will know."
Pushed on if he had met Ramsey or planned on meeting him next week, Bulut said: “I met him in the stadium when he was playing against Armenia. I saw him play, that’s it.
“Maybe. Maybe I’m going to meet him following this. We will see, we never know."
That's been it, for now, from the boss on a move for Ramsey but after two attacking players have been added, some creativity injected into this team would be good to see.
Former team-mates' verdicts
This is what Robert Earnshaw has had to say on the potential move. "Cardiff City should absolutely try and get him," he told the BBC. "He is a great, great player. I've played with him, so I know his qualities and who he is, he would contribute to Cardiff City. I think it would be an amazing move, but it's got to be a decision for him and his family.
"I know, being another Caerphilly boy, that he is, his decision is going to be very personal, because of the stage of the career he is at. But a Cardiff City move would be brilliant.
"I think they should absolutely go all out because, number one, he is brilliant and would help the club. Number two, he is brilliant. Number three, how beautiful it is that he would come full circle, kind of like I did, come back to Cardiff City after being away for so long and enjoy being at home at Cardiff City."
Earnshaw added: "It's going to be a big decision, a big few weeks. I think he has pretty much made up his mind."
James Chester, who lined up alongside Ramsey at Euro 2016, says the former Arsenal man has one big move left in him but believes family will dictate his next decision.
"Speaking from my own experience. Now, as you get older and you have family of your own, you probably think your motivations can change," Chester told BBC Radio Wales.
"I think if Aaron was to go to Cardiff, it would probably be the motivation to be living at home and closer to his family.
"Your motivations as a young professional are completely different to when you start getting a bit older in your career and I think certainly when you've got young children you want to spend as much time with them as possible.
"Aaron's done incredible things in the game and he's perhaps wondering if the time's right to maybe go back home and spend more time with his family and play football for his home town club."
"I think Aaron's still got another big club and big opportunities in him at 32," he added. "You could perhaps argue if he was to make the same decision again at 34, Cardiff would probably still welcome him home.
"I think that's probably a consideration he has to make. Whether he wants to spend more time with his family now or whether he wants to have one more shot at playing at the highest level."
Clock ticking down
With the season curtain-raiser at Elland Road against Leeds United now less than a month away, the clock is ticking down for Ramsey to make a decision.
The Bluebirds still have a number of friendlies to play - including two glamour ties on the Portugal training trip - and even though the Wales international has been doing his own training routine, embedding him within the squad sooner rather than later would be beneficial for all concerned.
Talks have taken place between Ramsey - as WalesOnline reported last week. It's now a case of waiting to see what happens.
