Real Madrid turned down the chance to sign German winger Karim Adeyemi in the last summer transfer window, passing up a deal that ended with the player at Barcelona by the close of the same window.
Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano revealed on DAZN that Adeyemi's name landed on Real Madrid's table last summer, but the club's hierarchy chose not to pursue negotiations.
Madrid felt the German winger didn't quite fit the profile they wanted to strengthen the squad, so they turned to other options.
Those details carry real weight now, given Adeyemi went on to become one of Barcelona's standout signings of the summer.
The 24-year-old was crystal clear about where he wanted to be. From the start, he made no secret of his desire to pull on the Catalan club's shirt.
Agent Jorge Mendes offered the player to Barcelona, knowing a tempting opportunity had opened up in the market. Adeyemi was about to enter the final year of his contract with Borussia Dortmund, tied to the club until 30 June 2027 after deciding against a renewal.
The player's stance proved decisive. The German winger made clear he was willing to wait for Barcelona and told Dortmund he wouldn't be extending his deal.
That left the German club with two options: negotiate a transfer fee, or risk losing him for nothing at the end of the season.
Back in July, Romano had explained that Adeyemi wanted no club other than Barcelona, and that his refusal to renew handed the Catalans a strong hand in talks.
The Italian journalist noted that Barcelona wouldn't stump up the 40 million euros Dortmund demanded at first.
Barcelona seized their moment and wrapped up the deal on hugely favourable terms. An opening offer of 20 million euros led to an agreement worth 22 million euros fixed plus 7 million euros in add-ons, far below Dortmund's initial asking price.
It was a steal. Barcelona landed a German international with blistering pace and the ability to dribble and make things happen, all for a price that stacks up well against the European market.