Manchester United have already missed their chance to sign Erling Haaland and, while there is some lingering hope that the Norway sensation will eventually touch down at Old Trafford, that is more likely to be wearing Manchester City colours.
Before a January 2020 move to Borussia Dortmund - following which he has totted-up staggering numbers - it was United that seemingly held all the aces. They might have been dealt a couple more last summer, too.
The relationship between Haaland and sacked Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been well-documented.
A former international teammate of his father Alf Inge, he was a vital mentor to Haaland Jnr during his progression to becoming one of the hottest properties in Europe. So much so that United were favourites to land Haaland two years ago. In came Dortmund and the opportunity passed them by.
As heavily as Solskjaer has been criticised, especially during his latter days in the Old Trafford dugout, that one was not on him. You would imagine he pulled out all the stops and put in several calls to the Haaland residence to make it happen.
Solskjaer was, ultimately, let down by key figures in the boardroom there. Where have we heard that one before?
Haaland showed immense bravery and maturity as he ignored United first time around - settling on Dortmund as a club who are renowned for helping elite talents take the next step. As this almighty scramble prepares to ensue for his services, once again, that decision has been justified.
Without a title since 2013, when Leeds-born Haaland was yet to turn 13, the 2020 Golden Boy has outgrown what United can offer him at this stage. Such is the pulling power United will always have, though, that history and vast standing in the worldwide pecking order will resurface. Perhaps not soon enough for Haaland.
A hefty wage packet and agent fees aside, his soon-to-be-activated £64million release clause means that City - or one of those usual suspects from Spain - will win the lottery this summer.
Should that be Real Madrid, meanwhile, key figures at the Bernabeu might stumble on to double riches as they are in the driving seat to sign France superstar Kylian Mbappe from PSG at the end of his contract, too.
United addressed their own striking needs by luring five-time Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo back to the place where it all began on a global scale last summer.
It came as part of a triple statement of intent, but while the Portugal captain shows no sign of waning, that switch will only help in the short to, at best, medium term.
For whatever reason, United ignored the bigger picture in January 2020 when missing out on Haaland.
Disregarding initial complications about how a frontline attacker would operate alongside Ronaldo, they appear to have repeated that mistake this January window, as well.
Dusan Vlahovic burst onto the scene by dubbing himself as Serbia's answer to Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
A bold statement he, at first viewing, can fortunately back up.
Vlahovic celebrated his 22nd birthday by signing a switch to Juventus rather than cutting up a slice of celebratory cake. Not quite to the same level as his Norwegian contemporary, the frontman put together an eye-catching goal resume at Fiorentina and heads to the Old Lady having scored 20 goals in 24 appearances this season.
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Amid interest from Arsenal and mooted suggestions City were looking at the player, Vlahovic represents a bargain for Juventus at £56million, begging the question why United brushed passed his credentials.
Perhaps they, after all, harbour genuine hope they can land Haaland at the second time of asking?
Missing out to Dortmund way back when highlighted short-term thinking from the United board and, despite him still having so much to offer the Old Trafford giants, the same can be said about THAT move to bring Ronaldo home. It's now, seemingly, an unwanted hat-trick in that respect.
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