Having played less than 350 minutes of senior football, Chelsea tried to pull a fast one in January by attempting to prise Nico O’Reilly out of Manchester City.
Enzo Maresca and his staff had fallen in love with the teenager’s repertoire of skills as they sought a fresh energy in their midfield. City quickly rebuffed the interest. They did not want a repeat of the Cole Palmer situation and Chelsea had no interest in playing ball over a buy-back clause. It was a non-starter.
What Chelsea underestimated, too, is just how big a fan Pep Guardiola is of O’Reilly.