Last summer, Manchester United were hoping to have another full-back added to their squad as they looked to add an extra dimension to their attacking play.
As we enter the opening days of the January transfer window, it seems like United have been granted their wish, though it hasn't come in the shape of a new signing.
It's only early in Ralf Rangnick's reign as interim manager, but already there has been an emphasis on team rotation and utilising players who were regularly overlooked during Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's tenure.
Under both managers, United have been blessed with a well-stacked squad, but despite their abundance of options they have not always been explored.
But with a new coach comes a clean slate and this fresh opportunity has been the perfect wake-up call for defender Diogo Dalot, who otherwise looked likely to leave the club this month amid continued interest from former coach Jose Mourinho at Roma.
It was only as recently as mid-November that United warned Roma a deal for Dalot would only be possible if Kieran Trippier arrived from Atletico Madrid. Instead, the England international is poised to sign for Newcastle and the Portuguese is enjoying a renaissance at Old Trafford.
United have not shown any more interest in Trippier, 31, after they attempted to sign him in the summer, and since then Dalot has started in four of the last five Premier League games. All of his league starts this season have come since Solskjaer was sacked; he had hitherto gone more than two years without lining up in a Premier League match.
While it's true that Solskjaer was not the only problem during his troubled reign as manager, the subsequent success of Dalot under Rangnick is evidence that solutions already at the club were not being utilised properly under the Norwegian.
A month that initially looked like it could have spelled the end of Dalot at United could instead confirm his new status as first-choice at right-back, after Aaron Wan-Bissaka struggled on his return against Burnley last week.
Both of United's options at right-back have pros and cons to consider, though at home to a team who have struggled all season, the onus will be on the Reds to attack from the off — another factor working in the former Porto man's favour.
Just as the arrival of Alex Telles sparked Luke Shaw into the best form of his career, the hope is that Wan-Bissaka can push on from his first credible threat as a United starter and take his game to the level required over the next few months.
After a £50million investment in the English full-back three years ago, there is still a will to get the best out of him, even if he is no longer the guaranteed first-teamer he once was.
The resurgence of Dalot can only be a good thing for United and, against a Wolves team known for their own Portuguese contingent, it could be United's boy from Braga who comes out on top.
We’ve teamed up with LiveScore to invite fans to vote for their favourite results - the games which were much more than a score. Vote for the match that mattered to you here.
