Another year, another late transfer saga involving Everton.
It almost wouldn't be a deadline day without drama involving whether a player will or will not make the move to Goodison Park before the eventual cut-off.
This summer, it's the future of Ainsley Maitland-Niles that remains up in the air heading into the final knockings of the window - even after the player has made no secret of his desire to make a move.
The 24-year-old, according to some reports, has changed his tune with regards to playing as a right-back and has been keen to line-up in that position throughout the 2021/22 season.
Everton have made a loan offer for the Gunners star, but the London club are refusing to budge as of yet - leaving the player himself to make a blunt plea on Instagram to allow his temporary move.
READ MORE: Gary Lineker wades into Ainsley Maitland-Niles row
Arsenal, meanwhile are reportedly interested in a late swoop for Bologna right-back Takehiro Tomiyasu to bolster that position in their squad while Hector Bellerin has a medical with Real Betis.
There's certainly a lot going on in north London over that area of the squad, and that could be intensified further through any updates on the future of Maitland-Niles.
The 24-year-old is rumoured to be set for crunch talks with the club amid reports that he would not be training with the first team if he were to stay with the Gunners.
Meanwhile, Everton are being forced to wait with bated breath.
However, in some respects, they only have themselves to blame for being left in this rather stressful situation. They've taken a risk throughout the summer, and with a few hours to go it still might not pay off.
At the beginning of the transfer window it was clear that right-back should be a priority for the Blues over the course of the coming season.
A long-term successor to Seamus Coleman has long been in the pipeline, with Mason Holgate and Ben Godfrey offering cover for the club captain throughout last term.
Jonjoe Kenny has now returned from his loan spell with Celtic, but his future at Goodison still has questions over it.
And the window began with links to the exciting brand of players Everton fans were desperate to see arrive on Merseyside, with Max Aarons and Denzel Dumfries dominating the rumour mill.
Of course, as we sit here on deadline day, neither move has materialised.
Dumfries was discussed at length throughout the summer by the club's hierarchy, but Inter Milan were the ones who made a bid and secured the Netherlands international.
Still Everton were in need of a right-back, but it's taken until the last knockings of the transfer window for a short-term option to be sought.
What would have happened if Coleman had stayed down against Brighton after winning the penalty? Would desperation have set in over the next few days?
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The Blues would have known they were taking a risk in leaving things until this very late stage, although their hands might have been somewhat tied by the financial situation the club faces.
Bringing in four new signings on a budget has been some impressive business, but it has still left important holes still to be filled in the squad.
At the beginning of the window it would have been almost unthinkable that Everton would let the deadline pass without bringing in more cover at right back.
Now, as the hours count down and this Maitland-Niles saga drags on, the possibility of that being the case increases.
This was the risk the Blues left themselves with. In many ways, it's almost out of their hands as to whether it comes off or not.
