Leeds United are closing in on their long-term solution at left-back.
Junior Firpo is expected to complete a £12.8millio move from Barcelona next week, bringing an end to Victor Orta's Europe-wide search.
Firpo is a signing that fits the Leeds blueprint. At the age of 24, his best years remain ahead of him, whilst Orta will feel they've poached the Spaniard for a bargain fee, making the most of Barcelona's financial crisis.
Acquiring undervalued talent from Europe has been an important strategy upon promotion to the Premier League, in order to complement the more expensive purchases of ready-made talents, such as Diego Llorente and Rodrigo Moreno.
Raphinha has, undoubtedly, been the largest success story and if Firpo can emulate his debut Premier League season, Leeds will be laughing.
A new left-back has been high on the agenda for months, given Stuart Dallas' stellar performance in the centre of midfield after graduating from full-back.
However, it became the overriding priority after Ezgjan Alioski delayed signing a new contract ahead of the upcoming European Championships.
Leeds announced they had submitted fresh terms to the out-of-contract North Macedonian but their best and final offer had yet to be agreed upon.
Reading between the lines, it's could be suggested that Alioski's entourage will have been hoping that an impressive Euro 2020 showing could raise their client's profile and start a bidding war, with the 29-year-old able to negotiate and secure the best offer.
Instead, Leeds moved on, acquiring their number one target, whist Alioski continues to ponder his next move after his country fell short at the group stages, despite his best efforts.
Reports in Turkey suggest that there is still significant interest and more lucrative offers may be on the table, compared to Leeds' offer.
When you compare Firpo's pedigree to that of Alioski, it's difficult to argue Leeds aren't upgrading in that position, though. At £12.8million, they're hardly breaking the bank either, in modern-day terms.
It seems increasingly likely that Alioski's four-year stay at Elland Road will end this summer.
If the wing-back secures a higher salary elsewhere, he may feel he's the winner but Leeds United have proven they are not the losers.
