Massimiliano Allegri could well play a huge part in deciding Gareth Bale's future after he was installed as favourite to take over from Zinedine Zidane at Real Madrid this summer.
It comes after reports late on Wednesday night claimed Zidane has decided to walk away from the Bernabeu job for the second time.
It was extremely unlikely Bale would have had any future with Zidane still at the helm, with tensions too strained and far too much water having already gone under the bridge.
However, should Zidane leave it throws a number of scenarios up in the air.
Given the season Bale has just enjoyed on loan with Spurs, where he scored 16 goals in 24 appearances this term, there will likely be no shortage of clubs monitoring his situation.
But the ball is firmly in Real Madrid's court, given Bale still has a year left to run on his contract in the Spanish capital.
For whoever is installed as next Los Blancos boss, the Bale dilemma will certainly be nearing the top of the agenda.
Allegri is the early favourite to take over, with club icon Raul and former Chelsea and Inter Milan boss Antonio Conte also thought to be in the running.
Should it be Allegri, though, well Bale appears to have an admirer in his corner. Back in 2017, the then-Juventus boss lavished the Wales talisman with praise, citing his "devastating" speed and ability to shift play.
"We have talked to the team [about the different options]," Allegri said ahead of facing Real Madrid in the Champions League final back in 2017.
"If Bale plays, he's very fast, he has great speed and, in an open field, he is devastating because in three passes he gets the ball to the other side.
"Isco plays inside the pitch. He is less predictable than Bale, but, at same time, Real Madrid lose a bit of order in the defensive phase."
Some of that pace has diminished in the ensuing four years, of course, but that dribbling ability and sharpness of mind to switch play, to which Allegri alludes, is still very much intact.
Whether Allegri becomes the next Los Blancos boss remains to be seen, but he would certainly appear to represent a closer ally than Zidane at present, that's for sure.
