Attacker Nicolas Jackson was at the heart of one of the summer window's most dramatic deal narratives, however finally secured his desire by signing for Bayern Munich temporarily from Chelsea.
It was clear to every participant in the deal that the 24-year-old would soon meet his parent club when Bayern host Chelsea in their opening Champions League fixture on Wednesday.
Parties facilitating finalize the turbulent transfer had plenty of time around a chaotic deadline day to consider his debut for the Bavarian giants in Europe's premier competition.
Jackson stayed in Germany all along as a deal was settled on Saturday morning, prior to approval to have a medical was cancelled because of a severe hamstring injury to Blues striker Liam Delap.
However, the transfer was back on by Monday's deadline.
Throughout that period, Jackson told his representatives he was excited about facing, and possibly scoring against, Chelsea.
This sentiment captures some of the sentiments as Jackson exited Stamford Bridge.
He may well to believe he has a score to settle to some of the Chelsea fans that did not wholly accept him, notably booing him off during ex-coach Mauricio Pochettino's spell.
Some of the management, including manager Enzo Maresca, also started doubting in him after a pair of dismissals against Newcastle United in the Premier League and Flamengo in the Club World Cup at the end of last season.
The weakening of the bond between Jackson and Chelsea, combined with the addition of strikers Joao Pedro and Delap, facilitated his departure of west London.
At his unveiling at Bayern, Jackson said: "It was challenging - a hard spell. Challenging instances in those last days. But I was highly optimistic I will stay here because this is my desired destination and wish to remain.
"Max Eberl, and the coach were keen on me. It was very tough but in the end we managed it, so I'm very glad.
"I have followed Bayern for years. It was a aspiration to join this massive club. When they called me I was thrilled and eager to come and play for them."
But, this stop-start transfer saga is only over for now, because the deal - a loan with an obligation to buy - seems not to be watertight.
Could Jackson Move to Bayern Permanently?
Jackson signed for Bayern Munich on transfer cutoff day for a £14.3m loan fee - nearly a global benchmark amount for a temporary deal - with a conditional obligation to buy for £56.2m.
Exclusively the borrowed deals that took Alvaro Morata from Chelsea to Atletico Madrid and then from the Spanish club to Juventus received bigger fees.
But, according to multiple German media reports, the terms to make the loan deal long-lasting are difficult to meet.
Uli Hoeness, the ex-forward who is an key personality on Bayern's board, told Sky Germany during the international break: "It's improbable he'll start 40 games from the start.
"We've got 32 Bundesliga games. If we make it to the Champions League final, which we aim for, that adds 13 games. The overall is 45 games.
"German Cup games are excluded. So he would have to start all these games. He will go to the Africa Cup of Nations in January, so he can't start 40 games."
Additional details has been given that any appearance of 45 minutes or more would qualify as a "start" for Jackson.
The executive added that Jackson's Epic Sport agency, managed by Ali Barat, paid the extra £1.3m added to the loan fee by Chelsea in the 48 hours before deadline, while leaving open the possibility that the Senegal striker could return to west London next summer.
Upon questioning about the arrangement at his unveiling press conference, Jackson said: "It's not my decision, my job is just to do my best, make my team win and score as many goals. My focus is only on pursuing big things."
In any case, Chelsea are satisfied with the financial terms and such a high loan fee could encourage Bayern to buy Jackson next summer.
Representatives from Bavaria have also indicated that, if Jackson excels and exhibits a constructive approach over the temporary spell, he will earn a lasting place in Bavaria.
The intention is for him to both compete with and complement star striker Harry Kane.
Jackson completed his debut as a half-time substitute for the reigning winners during their 5-0 win over Hamburg on Saturday, replacing Serge Gnabry and partnering the England captain.
"In my view he looked impressive," said Kane. "During practices, he's looked very strong. It's difficult coming into a team like us when we're so organized.
"He physically is very powerful and quick. And if he plays, he'll be eager to impress. But I aim not to put too much pressure on him too soon.
"He understands he's integrating into the team. So far he's had a great attitude and the openness to development is the most important thing."
Jackson is capable of playing as a central striker or on the left flank, so has choices in terms of position. And at Bayern, he eludes the pressure of needing to be the primary scorer, while his proximity to the England captain can only aid his progress in the future.
"What I hope is that he is prolific for us. I think he'll achieve that," said Bayern boss Vincent Kompany.
It's up to him in Jackson's court. He can either impress and stay at one of the world's top sides or take a comparable route to Jadon Sancho, who went back to Manchester United for a £5m penalty fee as Chelsea escaped their previous £20m mandatory acquisition agreement.
What Led to It Not Work Out at Chelsea?
The club from London and Jackson's representatives maintain the forward's time at Chelsea was a success.
The club invested in three months of exceptional form at Villarreal and decided to trigger his £32m buyout option in 2023. He had significantly increased in value over a 24-month span.
Jackson was just a pro player for five years - six years ahead of his move to Chelsea, he was featured on sandy amateur pitches in his Senegalese hometown of Ziguinchor.
Everyone knew Jackson was a rough diamond, having played just 1,758 minutes of first-division soccer, but he soon became as Chelsea's lead attacker.
Expectedly, given the rapidity of his rise, there were occasions where Jackson found it tough.
According to Opta data, Jackson fell short of his expected goals by a score of -7 over the past two seasons, which is the second-poorest total in the Premier League, trailing just Leeds United striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Ineffective scoring drew criticism from fans, and he is known to have struggled with that pressure. Jackson would have sequences of successful finishes but then experience prolonged goalless stretches.
In response to inquiries about his exit, Maresca said: "Jackson is a Bayern Munich player. I wished him well and hoped for his success. He worked well when he was here. That's all I can say."
But Jackson also surpassed Chelsea legend Didier Drogba in his first season - registering 14 goals to the Ivory Coast striker's 10. He then notched 21 goals in his first 50 games to match one of Africa's top forwards at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea are likely to make significant gain, whether