Jack Grealish's move to Everton was one that was much discussed before and after the deal took place, but there's no doubt that he endeared himself to the Evertonians immediately.
So it was rather devastating to see him go down with a foot injury earlier this season that ended his time with the Blues prematurely.
But recent reports, most notably from Everton insider El Bobble, suggest that the Toffees brass have opened talks to allow Grealish to return to Merseyside next season, although the specifics of what that deal might look like aren't clear.
We've previously discussed that if the England international is to return, the only reasonable way for him to do so is via another loan spell.
Grealish will turn 31 in September and is coming off an injury that impacts the most important part of the body for a footballer: his feet. So some caution would need to be taken on Everton's part when considering how they bring him back to Merseyside.
A permanent deal feels like the wrong avenue, since he'll be entering the final year of his contract with Manchester City next season, and investing long-term in a player of his age would not be shrewd business on the part of Angus Kinnear and his staff.
But a loan deal that takes all of that into consideration, and allows the loan fee and other financial elements to reflect that, would not be bad for Everton, especially if they sneak into Europe, making their need for a deeper squad all the more important.
The negative to this deal, of course, is how it impacts Iliman Ndiaye, who graciously slid over to the right wing in order to make room for Grealish at the beginning of the season, or the likes of Tyler Dibling, who cannot spend another season riding the bench, or Tyrique George, if his loan from Chelsea becomes permanent this summer.
Keeping Grealish at Everton would allow for a deep winger group, one that would also include Dwight McNeil (if he's not sold this summer), but whether it's good for the long-term development of the younger players who could be a part of Everton's more distant future remains to be seen.
A lot of that will come down to how David Moyes opts to use Grealish if he comes back, and whether he'll feel more comfortable using Dibling and George with more veteran options there, as has been the case this season.
Still, if the deal is right, it's hard to turn your nose up at another one year move for a player who was key to Everton's early-season success.