Cardiff City head to Anfield on Sunday to face a Liverpool side dripping with multi-million-pound talent.
Granted, two of their best players - Mo Salah and Sadio Mane - will be absent due to their exploits at the Africa Cup of Nations, but the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Thiago Alcantara and Alisson Becker could all be in the ranks to face the Bluebirds in what looks like a glamorous, if not daunting, tie.
Reds boss Jurgen Klopp added even more talent to his star-studded squad in the January transfer window, bringing in Porto's Luis Diaz for a bargain fee.
Tottenham thought they had a deal in place for the Colombian, but the Anfield club swooped in to negotiate a deal well below Porto's £83million asking price.
The Reds eventually paid £50million for the attacker - £37.5million up front and a package of add-ons worth a potential £12.5million. A steal, Klopp will hope.
But it turns out, in a parallel universe, Diaz could have quite easily be lining up for the Bluebirds on Sunday.
Three years ago, Diaz claimed that Cardiff had been scouting him and that they had an agreement in place for a move worth £7million with his club Junior.
The Bluebirds were in the Premier League at the time and battling for survival.
“Yes, there is already a pre-agreement, but I still have not said anything to them, nothing to the leaders that I agree with and that I’m going to go,” Diaz told Caracol Radio in 2019.
“Let’s say there is an agreement between clubs, but I’m still holding back. I told them that I am determined to go, but I am calm and I want to do things well. If the possibility is given, it would be good.”
Asked about the progress of a deal, Diaz revealed things were not in place for it to be announced.
“No, I have not yet submitted any medical exams," he added.
"Junior had a talk, which is a preliminary agreement and nothing has been confirmed, the proposal was put in place and I have not yet travelled there.”
Alas, the deal obviously never materialised and Cardiff were relegated from the top flight at the end of that season.
Diaz eventually moved to Portugal, with his form and performances transforming him into a £50million player over the next three years. Then Liverpool came calling, and the rest is history.
It's funny how things work out in football.
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