Leeds United's summer disappointment at missing out on Ben White was eased with the additions of Diego Llorente and Robin Koch in central defence.
However, the club were willing to spend big to lure White to Elland Road on a permanent deal but Brighton's stance was that he was not for sale, at any price.
White impressed every week in a Leeds shirt last season, earning plaudits, praise and admiration aplenty during his year-long loan spell.
It now appears that the 23-year-old defender will almost certainly have played his last game for Leeds when his loan deal expired last July, as his career trajectory seems to be taking off at a faster rate than Leeds' own.
Latest odds have backed AC Milan to sign the defender, with SkyBet offering 8/1 on the centre-half moving to Northern Italy.
The Milanese club - currently top of Serie A - are in the market for a central defender, with recent reports linking Stefano Pioli's side to Mohamed Simakan at RC Strasbourg and even Chelsea's Fikayo Tomori.
There are few players Leeds fans would welcome back with open arms more than a potential return for White, but at 25/1 the likelihood of that happening is slimmer and slimmer by the day.
Brighton are extremely unlikely to sell to a direct rival, and have no need to sell given their shrewd transfer business model under professional gambler and chairman Tony Bloom.
White expressed his gratitude for the reception he received on returning to Elland Road yesterday as Brighton ran out 1-0 winners.
Even if White does leave the Amex Stadium in the near future, he may well be returning to West Yorkshire on more frequent occasions. The joint-shortest price in the White transfer stakes are Liverpool and Manchester United at 3/1, meaning that if Leeds remain a Premier League club for the foreseeable future, White's return could be an annual affair.
While it would hurt many Leeds supporters to see White in a Manchester United shirt, that is still some way off happening, with Brighton intending to keep their versatile central defender for some time yet.
He has a contract until June 2024, having extended his deal last September.
Performances like his at Elland Road in Brighton's most recent victory will only stoke the transfer speculation fires further, but with AC Milan, Manchester United and Liverpool at the table, White looks to be headed for the very top.
