Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez spent a week of his summer break trying to come to terms with the World Cup final defeat to Spain.
Martínez, 33, had said in a previous interview that he would retire from professional football if he won the World Cup again, believing nothing could top that achievement.
He had been less clear about his future before facing Spain. The final defeat changed that. Now there is no doubt about where things stand.
According to "Mundo Deportivo", Martínez is tied to Aston Villa until 2029, yet his name was heavily linked with a departure last summer. The same looks set to happen again this year.
Juventus have wanted him for some time. Their manager, Luciano Spalletti, went a step further after the friendly win over Standard Liège.
Spalletti said: "Martínez is a great goalkeeper, and he wants to leave this summer. We are interested in signing him, because we are looking for competition in the goalkeeping position, although we currently have two goalkeepers, Di Gregorio and Perin."
So what happens next? Does the Argentine stay with an Aston Villa side bound for the Champions League, or does he chase a fresh challenge at Juventus and try to fire them back to the top, even if that means going through the Europa League?