Arsenal and Aston Villa's agreement for the move of Calum Chambers has surprised everyone as they kept the slightly peculiar deal firmly under wraps.
The England defender has made a handful of appearances for the Gunners this season, but remained a largely unused member of Mikel Arteta's squad.
Arsenal have struggled with injuries this term, and Chambers has provided a fairly safe pair of hands when needed.
But that hasn't stopped Emirates chiefs from booting him out of the door before his contract expired.
Mirror Football takes a look at why Arsenal let Calum Chambers leave for free this month.
Chambers is out of contract at the end of the season, and is highly unlikely to be handed any kind of extension given his position in the squad.
But Gunners chiefs have amicably cut his deal short to allow him to move to Villa.
It is understood that no set transfer fee is involved, just as would be the case in the summer.
Have Your Say! Was it a good move from Arsenal to let Calum Chambers leave? Comment here.
But with add ons, the deal could see Arsenal save £2million in total, as they also don't have to pay his salary.
That makes it a smart move for the Gunners, who free up a space in their squad and will also save some money to reinvest back into the team.
Chambers spoke for the first time shortly after being unveiled as a Villa player on Thursday evening.
"It’s a massive club and they’re in a great moment at this moment in time," the centre-back explained.
"It’s a very exciting place to be and everyone can see that from the outside. Things are happening here and it’s definitely moving in the right direction.
"For me, it was a no-brainer to join a great club. It was the right thing for me to do.
"It’s a great club, it’s a massive club. I’ve played at Villa Park a few times and it’s great stadium with a great set of fans.
"The manager did very well at Rangers. He’s a young, exciting manager and I can’t wait to work with him."
The defender went on to highlight how Villa are building something under Gerrard.
"It’s a great stage to be joining the club at," he added. "The club’s building momentum and it’s an exciting time to be here.
"You can really feel that being in and around the building. You can feel the energy around the place.
"I feel like I’ve joined at a great time and I can’t wait to get started and give it my all.”
