A look on social media in the immediate aftermath of Everton announcing they would not be signing Conor Coady raised eyebrows.
It was last August when Frank Lampard and Kevin Thelwell made the decision to bring the centre-back to the club. Everton beat West Ham United to Coady’s signature.
A life-long Liverpool fan and a product of the Anfield club’s Academy, Coady’s move back to Merseyside left many surprised, not least because he had done so well at Wolverhampton Wanderers, clocking up 317 appearances, but also because the destination was Goodison Park.
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But the centre-back was more than happy to embrace the blue half of the city, and the fact he saw it as an honour to represent Everton meant Blues supporters quickly warmed to the England international, who impressed in the opening months of the season.
And even when things started to get tough under Lampard, the centre-back’s performance levels never dropped, and his no-nonsense attitude and approach meant no-one could question his commitment to the cause.
The move to Goodison presented Coady with regular first-team football and the opportunity to strengthen his claim to be included in England's squad for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. And while he achieved that, the last few months he has found himself on the outside looking in.
Although he started the first four games of Sean Dyche’s Everton tenure, Coady was dropped following the 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa at Goodison on March 25. First replaced by Michael Keane, Yerry Mina also moved ahead of him in the pecking order.
But if ever a performance summed up Coady’s attitude, then it was his against Bournemouth on Sunday afternoon. In a game Everton could simply not afford to lose, the defender was recalled to his side's starting line-up.
Abdoulaye Doucoure grabbed the headlines after his second-half strike handed the Blues a 1-0 victory, but Coady’s contribution should not go unnoticed, and it was incredible to think that this performance came on the back of him having not been involved in 12 of his side’s last 14 games.
However, speak to anyone at the club, and they will have nothing but good things to say about the 30-year-old. Coined by Alex Iwobi, Coady and fellow central defender James Tarkowski were known as the "dads" of the group.
For both club and country, he has long been viewed as a key presence behind-the-scenes. Such is his perceived importance in the dressing room, Coady was England's "player of the tournament so far" at Euro 2020, despite not yet featuring for the team.
Gareth Southgate's assistant, Steve Holland, praised the 30-year-old for "giving everything" on the training pitch and for his off-field influence. "In the dressing room before the game, he speaks like he’s captain, despite the fact that he’s not been on the pitch yet, which is incredibly difficult to do," he said.
During his time at Everton, Coady acted like the kind of leader the club and its supporters have long craved. Whether it is before, during, or after games, the one voice you are likely to hear, whether he plays or not, is Coady’s.
Understandably, some will look at the call that Everton have made and think it is the right one. There are a number of reasons why.
Why should Sean Dyche sign a player he clearly doesn’t fancy? And if money is again going to be tight, then Everton will be better served to invest what they do have available elsewhere, especially given the squad needs major work after back-to-back relegation battles.
Everton also already have four centre-backs in their squad and will be boosted by the return of Jarrad Branthwaite from his successful loan spell at PSV Eindhoven this summer. Even with Yerry Mina and Coady departing, centre-backs are not in short supply at Finch Farm.
But despite these arguments, it is understandable why so many supporters, reacting on social media, have been left baffled by this call. Quite simply, £4.5m is loose change in football these days.
And in the shape of Coady, Everton would not only have been getting a player who has already proven he can operate at the top level but also one who is a leader and professional on and off the pitch.
He is also the type of player you would want the youngsters in the squad looking up to. Someone who does things right and has high standards. The Everton dressing room will be a poorer place without Coady in it.
Dyche and Thelwell have gone bold and brave, and in some ways that has to be admired, but what comes next will be intriguing because this is a decision that could come back to haunt Everton if there isn’t a plan of action in place.
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