MARTIN BRAITHWAITE moved to Barcelona from Leganes in February 2020, transferring from a relegation-threatened club in their fourth-consecutive and fourth-ever season in Spain’s top division, to one looking to win their third league title in a row and 27th in total.

By the end of the season, it was a move from a relegated club who saw their valiant stay in the Primera Division come to an end, to the one that finished runners-up. But there was much more to it than that.

The alarm bells should begin to ring when looking at the month of this transfer. February. Outside the transfer window.