This Saturday, Spurs will have initially hoped to have paraded a certain England international by the name of Eberechi Eze around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Alas, the boyhood Gooner decided that Arsenal was for him and after the setback of Morgan Gibbs-White a few months earlier, Thomas Frank and Co were back to the drawing board once again.
They ultimately decided on Xavi Simons. The Netherlands international moves to north London from RB Leipzig in a deal worth £51m.
It was a risky play from Daniel Levy, largely because for a long time it looked as though Chelsea would bring him to Stamford Bridge. For once, however, Spurs got their man.
The task now is to bolster the forward line further.
What to expect from Spurs on transfer deadline day
With the arrival of Simons, it remains to be seen whether Spurs look at strengthening Frank's options further.
They will certainly try to do so and have a number of attackers lined up already. Lucas Paqueta of West Ham has been mooted as a target but now appears to be on his way to Aston Villa instead.
Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman is another player Levy and the recruitment team could explore. The Nigerian has been pushing for an exit all summer long and it wouldn't be a surprise if he finally got his move on deadline day.
There's also the curious case of Morgan Rogers. Last week it was reported that Spurs had held exploratory talks over bringing the England international to north London. Yet, with a price tag of £80m, it's an incredibly unlikely deal, particularly this late in the window.
Still, according to TEAMtalk, the 'dream option for Spurs' if they fail to secure summer target, Savinho, is indeed Rogers.
Villa have given the Lilywhites no indication that they are willing to sell but Spurs have been exploring the deal since Thursday.
How Morgan Rogers compares to Xavi Simons
After James Maddison suffered a horrendous ACL injury in pre-season, Frank knew he needed to add a new number 10, someone capable of scoring and creating in equal measure.
Maddison may not have been at his best last term but he did still find the net on 12 occasions, registering a further 11 assists in all competitions. Spurs needed someone capable of replacing that output and Simons certainly ticks a lot of boxes.
The 22-year-old scored 11 goals and supplied eight assists in 2024/25, nearly matching the output of Maddison.
Well, in Rogers, they'd secure a player capable of being elevated by Simons. In short, they'd be truly game-changing together.
Since leaving Middlesbrough behind for Aston Villa in January of 2024, the former Manchester City youth gem has been a revelation in the Midlands.
Last season, Rogers scored a Champions League hat-trick, earned his England debut and racked up a whole host of goal involvements.
It was a stunning 2024/25 campaign for the 23-year-old who bagged 14 goals and supplied 16 assists in all competitions. So, based on raw output, he's an upgrade on the talented Simons but just imagine the thought of those two playing together. Frank's attack becomes infinitely better overnight.
Analysing the numbers further, we get a sense for the main similarities and differences between the two players.
Simons certainly looks a bit more creative, registering more progressive passes and managing more key passes throughout the 2024/25 campaign. Thus, he'd be a fabulous supply line for Rogers who could play on the left wing next to the Dutchman.
They'd bounce off each other tremendously well, considering when it comes to dribbling and beating a player, Rogers is your man. He's elite at taking players on and that's rubberstamped by the fact that he completes over 40% of the dribbles he attempts.
Combine that with the ability to score goals and you certainly have one of the best attacking midfielders in Europe right here. It's hardly a surprise that Villa presenter Kate Tracey has described him as a "superstar".
That's exactly what he is and if Villa could land a sensational coup in the remaining hours of the window, it would send out a huge message to their Premier League rivals. Just imagine Rogers and Simons in the same side. It's a scary thought.