Arsenal's pursuit of Nicolas Pepe was a drawn-out process, as it was clear that Unai Emery was after another target.
The Spaniard sought a tricky winger to help propel his revolution forward, and whilst he wanted Premier League assurances, those above him demanded a more unknown commodity.
This battle waged on throughout the summer of 2019 before an astronomical £72m fee was agreed, tempting the Ivorian to the Emirates. Many had struggled to live up to such a price tag before, but this was made especially hard for an unproven 24-year-old who had enjoyed only his first truly outstanding season, scoring 22 and assisting 11 from out wide for Lille.
The unpredictability of such a move made for both intrigue and worry, and it seems that given how his career has panned out, the latter was a far more appropriate response. The now-27-year-old has only mustered 27 goals across his 112 appearances since moving.
Perhaps had Emery acquired the man he wanted in Wilfried Zaha, things might have gone differently for his tenure which ended in his November sacking of that same year.
The 51-year-old claimed in 2020: "We signed Pepe. I favoured someone who knew the league and wouldn’t need to adapt. Zaha won games on his own: Tottenham, Manchester City, us. Incredible performances. I told them: ‘This is the player I know and want.’
"I met Zaha and he wanted to come. The club decided Pepe was one for the future. I said: ‘Yes, but we need to win now and this lad wins games.’ He beat us on his own."
Although in a completely roundabout way, the 30-year-old could now be set for a move to north London, as it was reported on Wednesday that the Gunners are one of many attentive to his dwindling contract situation.
Will Arsenal sign Wilfried Zaha?
With his £130k-per-week deal set to expire this summer, and no sign of a new contract for the Crystal Palace favourite, it seems like a move that is too good to be true for Edu and Mikel Arteta.
Finally, he could right the wrongs of his predecessor, adding that magic quality and experience to his already potent front line.
Zaha remains the Eagles' all-time top scorer in the Premier League with 67 strikes, and across his numerous years at Selhurst Park has accumulated 89 goals and 76 assists from 455 games.
However, it is the forward's unprecedented ability to take games by the scruff of the neck that marks him out as a truly phenomenal talent, with former boss Alan Pardew having branded him one of his "maverick players" back in 2015.
With a terrifying burst of speed and feet that few defenders can contain, this season has admittedly been a tough one for the Ivory Coast international.
However, just last season the ageing trickster notched 14 league goals whilst recording 2.3 successful dribbles and 1.4 key passes per game, via Sofascore. He combines an uncanny ability to beat a man with the quality to then find a teammate; a skill that is truly invaluable.
Neil Warnock even took to talkSPORT to laud Zaha in 2020, claiming: "His feet are electric. I think he's matured a bit. I think he's a complete player now."
To bring someone of this calibre to Arsenal for free would be sensational business, whilst also finally exorcising the failures of choosing Pepe over him all those years ago.
Coincidentally, it could be the final straw in ditching the former Lille man too, who is once again struggling to reignite his career during his six-goal loan spell back in France.