Jose Mourinho appears to have made his mind up over a key position at Tottenham for the 2020/21 campaign.
Heading into the final game of the season on the back of three successive wins, not many would have predicted the head coach to make changes to his side after keeping things the same in their previous three fixtures.
However, that's what he did as he made one alteration to the team who beat Leicester City 3-0 a week earlier.
Having Eric Dier and Dele Alli available for selection once again, it was the former who got the nod for the game at Crystal Palace despite their recent solid performances at the back.
Davinson Sanchez was the one to make way and he will have felt extremely hard done by after playing every minute of their past three games.
Mourinho's decision to recall the 26-year-old to his starting XI has dropped a huge hint over his backline for next term.
It does now appear that Dier will be the first name on the teamsheet at centre-back after starting there in the last nine games when he has been available for selection.
Previously used in the holding role by the head coach following his November appointment in place of Mauricio Pochettino, the England international stated at the start of March that his future is now at the heart of defence rather than his midfield role.
Dier has really made a name for himself at the back since his switch and he's impressed his head coach in the process.
"During the period when we were just working on Zoom and when the players came back to the training ground, even during the period of individual work, we were totally focused on the direction of (him) being a centre-back," he said about his player.
"We developed a number of skills to adapt him to the needs of that position, and for the Manchester United match we decided to go with him in that position, using this period to fight for points and objectives in relation to the table, but also looking forward to next season.
"I think he played very good matches, except against Sheffield United. We all made a few mistakes but in the other matches defensively the team was consistent and he was very, very consistent playing against some of the best strikers.
"He's doing very, very well. We look forward to next season when we have no doubts that he's a centre-back and going to be an important player for us."
Mourinho's decision to recall Dier to his defence against Palace shows how highly he rates the player and that he is a major part of his team going forward.
It is now a question of who partners the player at centre-back over the foreseeable future.
Sanchez appeared to be in the driving seat following his selection alongside Dier during the first few weeks of the Premier League restart, with Toby Alderweireld since coming in and keeping his place in the team following the ex-Sporting CP man's return.
There's also Japhet Tanganga to consider and possibly also a new centre-back arrival if Mourinho and Daniel Levy can bring one in this summer.
There will no doubt be a few changes here and there to the Spurs side when they play their first Premier League game of the 2020/21 campaign, yet it appears that Dier will be one of the first names Mourinho jots down after his Crystal Palace recall.
