It wasn't that long ago that Everton were reportedly in agreement with fullback Kenny Tete on a deal that would bring the out-of-contract defender to Merseyside after five seasons at Fulham.
But now, reports are indicating that Everton may have been played by Tete and his representatives in order to secure a new deal with the London club, which may have been his preference all along.
On one hand, you cannot blame the player for preferring to return where he's comfortable, and that the only thing getting in the way of that was whether or not the club wanted him back. And it isn't uncommon for agents to use other clubs as leverage to get the player what he really wants.
This still feels like a bit of a kick in the teeth for an Everton side that have spent several seasons trying to find a longer-term option at right back to replace Seamus Coleman, who will return in 2025/26 for his 17th season at the club.
And while Tete is going to be 30 in October and has often struggled with fitness in recent seasons, he still might have been able to step into the role for several years while the Blues continued their search for a younger option.
The worst part is that it looked like Everton had a player in place on a free, meaning they didn't need to spend any of their transfer budget in order to improve the position. In that regard, it is hard not to feel duped by Tete and hard done because the verbal agreement never meant anything in the first place.
Maybe the Dutch international would have been happy to join if Fulham had told him "no thanks," but the way things have worked out, it mostly feels like Tete was never coming to Everton. And that means that the Toffees are back on the search for a right back who can be their starter for the upcoming season.