Any hope of Chelsea re-signing Declan Rice from West Ham United has faded. In reality, it was a move that never got off the ground.
While there is no question that the West London club were keen on bringing back a player they let go as a child, judging him not good enough in the ruthless world of academy football, the financial cost of a deal in this window always made it improbable regardless of the club's willingness to spend big.
It would have taken £80million or more to attract. West Ham to the negotiating table. Or, as David Moyes said several weeks back: Bank of England money.
West Ham may have been keen on selling some fringe players but they were never going to part with their most valuable asset for anything but a premium price. Selling Rice for a below-acceptable fee would have sent an already riled up fanbase over the edge.
It is also worth considering that while Chelsea's total transfer expenditure in this window may be a quarter of a billion, the only eye-watering fee was the £72million committed to Kai Havertz but he is already considered a generational talent who could easily move on for significantly more in several years.
Considering full backs have historically cost less, the £45million paid to Leicester City for Ben Chilwell seems high but Edouard Mendy was £50million cheaper than Kepa Arrizabalaga and the fees paid for Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner would be considered cheap in normal circumstances.
Chelsea have arguably not paid over the odds for any of their signings and £80million for a defensive midfielder is too hot for any club in the current market.
So what now? Do not rule out a future move and much could depend on the fortunes of both Chelsea and West Ham between now and January, not to mention Rice's form.
The interest will not evaporate because this window's deadline has arrived.
