In an incident that would not even happen at amateur clubs, Brazil's Raphinha, the Barcelona player and one of the finest stars of La Liga, spent two full years without an agent.
The Blaugrana star has finally moved to end his unprecedented chaos. It's a decision that will pave the way for a new contract and turn him into one of the highest-paid players at Barcelona.
No longer just a winger, Raphinha has become Barcelona's principal attacking reference and, for many, the best player in La Liga without dispute. The credit goes to Hansi Flick, who broke every rule to find him the ideal position as an out-and-out forward.
On the verge of turning 30, the Brazilian is living the peak of his football career after a difficult first spell at the Camp Nou, then a golden second spell alongside Lamine Yamal and Robert Lewandowski.
The Pole has since departed, the club failed to sign a top striker, and the task of leading Barcelona's attack has fallen entirely on his shoulders. The response has been stunning.
The Deco paradox
Here's the strange part. Raphinha arrived at Barcelona with Deco himself as his agent, the man who now serves as the club's sporting director. Deco managed his personal affairs before being forced to give him up over the clear conflict of interest after the pair joined the club together.
Since that moment, according to the Spanish newspaper "AS", Raphinha has remained without an agent until today. It's a situation unbefitting a star of his calibre, especially as negotiations of this scale demand a trusted advisor to manage his future.
Citing sources inside Barcelona, the Spanish newspaper reported that Raphinha is expected to announce the name of his new agent in the coming days after many of the biggest agents were drawn to him. The move was obvious and necessary. A player of his value cannot continue without a "super agent" to protect him.
His new agent's first task will be clear: to renew a contract that expires in June 2028 and bring it to the level befitting what Raphinha currently represents for the club, both financially and in sporting terms.
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Reaching the summer of 2027 without a renewal could be a problem in other circumstances. But the desire is mutual. Raphinha wants to stay, Barcelona want him to continue, and the first contacts to pave the way have already begun this week.