The summer transfer window of 2015 was a curious one at Chelsea. Jose Mourinho was determined to strengthen in attacking areas and the headline arrival was Pedro Rodriguez's £21million signing from Barcelona.
But there was another target who dominated headlines for much of that summer that stayed put and has never really lived to the hype since.
Mario Gotze was entering his third season as a Bayern Munich player and among the most talked about young players in the game having scored the decisive extra-time goal in the World Cup final 12 months earlier.
But the Bavarians were seemingly willing to sell for the right price: around £50million depending on who you listened to.
Liverpool and Arsenal were also interested but Mourinho's admiration had dated back to his time in charge of Real Madrid.
Yet the move never happened, Gotze spent another mediocre season at Bayern before returning to Borussia Dortmund and, really, his career since has been a case of unfulfilled potential and a series of injuries.
Fast forward to present day and Gotze is about to become a free agent with confirmation from Borussia Dortmund that he is not going to be offered a new deal.
Now 27, he should be entering his peak years but he has not been the same player since finding out that he was suffering from myopathy three years ago.
Under Lucien Favre this season, he has made five Bundesliga starts and despite the introduction of five substitutes post-coronavirus has seen just three minutes of action since the Bundesliga's resumption.
It is a squad stacked with young, electric attacking talent and it must be difficult being on the periphery wondering what could have been.
Gotze's next step is uncertain but considering the downward trajectory since the summer when Mourinho tried to bring him the Stamford Bridge, it seems unlikely that he is now high up Frank Lampard's list of targets.
