There was a lot of talk about Frenkie de Jong in the build-up to Manchester United's first leg against Barcelona this week. By full-time, he was hardly worth mentioning.
It is no secret that Erik ten Hag is still a huge admirer of his former Ajax ace, and this summer he could well test the waters again with a bid to bring in the creative midfielder. They might not need him, though.
Instead, it was a night in which United's new-look midfield managed to disrupt the flow of the match and give United a foothold in the game with their artistry in and out of possession.
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Casemiro was excellent as always at the base of the midfield, and Fred was jolted by the opening goal of the game to put in another impressive performance, harassing his opponents and working tirelessly for the greater good of the team.
What was even more impressive was the fact that it was a United midfield already depleted of options. Christian Eriksen, Donny van de Beek and Scott McTominay were all injured, while Marcel Sabitzer was suspended for the first leg.
It means United could have an even greater presence in midfield for the decisive second leg next week, while Barcelona could well be further weakened by Pedri's injury and Gavi's suspension.
That will only put greater emphasis on the role De Jong plays when he finally makes an Old Trafford appearance next week, but it might be a while before he ever plays there again.
United agreed a €85million fee with Barcelona to sign De Jong last year, but the midfielder publicly expressed his preference to stay in Catalonia and his wage deferral proved to be an insurmountable stumbling block.
Speaking ahead of the first leg, Ten Hag insisted the 25-year-old had improved since playing in Spain and didn't shy away from the fact that he is still a 'fantastic player.'
After the humiliating 4-0 defeat at Brentford, United ended their pursuit of De Jong and used the funds set aside for the Dutchman to sign Casemiro from Real Madrid for £60m instead.
The Brazilian's brilliance has helped prove that they don't need De Jong to be able to play the way that Ten Hag wants, and any pursuit of him now would be to supplement the squad rather than be the beating heart of it.
De Jong was targeted for his calmness and composure in the heart of the midfield, and although United still need another option in reserve to call upon, Casemiro and Eriksen have already ticked those boxes.
That is of particular importance heading into this summer, when the priority is to sign a new striker and the majority of the budget could be spent on doing just that.
Even if there is an influx of cash after a successful takeover, United will still need to sell players before they can buy, and there are other areas of the pitch perhaps more pressing than the recruitment of another creative midfielder.
Then there are the alternatives. If Ten Hag believes that signing another midfielder is critical this summer, United may look elsewhere rather than De Jong.
Jude Bellingham is expected to be on the move at the end of the season, and this might be the only chance United have at getting him.
A successful takeover could well give them the funds to do that, but just as important is the sales pitch United can now make to him, having proven they have what it takes to go toe-to-toe with Europe's elite.
Standards have risen since last summer, and although De Jong is a top-class midfielder, United themselves might appreciate that they could get someone who is even better.
A year after they wanted him, he might have missed his chance.
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