Striker Nicolas Jackson was at the heart of one of the summer window's most gripping deal narratives, however finally got his wish by joining Bayern Munich for a season from Chelsea.
It did not escape anyone involved in the deal that the Senegalese striker would soon meet his original side when Bayern welcome Chelsea in their first Champions League match on Wednesday.
Parties facilitating complete the on-off-on deal had plenty of time around a hectic deadline day to discuss his debut for the German super club in the elite Champions League.
Jackson remained in Germany throughout as a deal was settled on Saturday morning, until the green light to have a medical was revoked because of a severe hamstring injury to Chelsea forward Liam Delap.
Yet the deal was revived by Monday's deadline.
During that time, Jackson told his agents he was eager to facing, and potentially scoring against, Chelsea.
Such emotion captures some of the sentiments as Jackson left Stamford Bridge.
He is likely to believe he has a statement to make to some of the Chelsea fans that were not entirely supportive of him, notably booing him off during former manager Mauricio Pochettino's spell.
Elements of the coaching staff, including head coach Enzo Maresca, also grew wary in him after double sendings-off against Newcastle United in the Premier League and Flamengo in the Club World Cup in the final stages of last season.
That fracturing of the relationship between Jackson and Chelsea, combined with the signing of strikers Joao Pedro and Delap, pushed him out of west London.
At his unveiling at Bayern, Jackson said: "It was challenging - a difficult period. Trying times in those last days. But I was very confident I will stay here because this is the club I aimed for and want to be.
"Bayern's chief, and the coach were keen on me. It was very tough but in the end we succeeded, so I'm very glad.
"I've watched Bayern for years. It was a aspiration to join this giant institution. When they reached out I was overjoyed and eager to come and play for them."
Yet, this turbulent transfer saga is only over for now, because the deal - a temporary move with a requirement to buy - does not appear fully secure.
Will Jackson Join Bayern Permanently?
Jackson moved to Bayern Munich on the final day for a multimillion-pound loan fee - approaching a historic high amount for a loan arrangement - with a conditional obligation to buy for £56.2m.
Only the loan moves that took Alvaro Morata from Chelsea to Atletico Madrid and then from the Spanish club to Juventus secured bigger fees.
Yet, according to widespread German media reports, the conditions to make the loan deal full are difficult to meet.
Uli Hoeness, the ex-forward who is an influential figure on Bayern's board, told Sky Germany during the international break: "He is unlikely to feature 40 games from the start.
"We still have 32 Bundesliga games. If we make it to the Champions League final, which we aim for, that brings 13 games. The overall is 45 games.
"domestic cup games aren't factored in. So he would have to start all these games. He will go to the Africa Cup of Nations in January, so he is unlikely to feature in 40 games."
More information has been given that any appearance of 45 minutes or more would count as a "start" for Jackson.
Hoeness also claimed that Jackson's Epic Sport agency, led by Ali Barat, covered the extra £1.3m included in the loan fee by Chelsea in the two days before deadline, while hinting at the possibility that the Senegal striker could come back to west London next summer.
When asked about the arrangement at his unveiling press conference, Jackson said: "It's not my decision, my job is just to perform, make my team win and find the net frequently. My focus is only on pursuing big things."
In any case, Chelsea are pleased with the finances involved and such a significant borrowing cost could encourage Bayern to buy Jackson next summer.
Bayern sources have also indicated that, if Jackson performs well and shows a positive attitude over the temporary spell, he will secure a long-term future in Bavaria.
The intention is for him to both challenge and complement star striker Harry Kane.
Jackson completed his debut as a interval replacement for the German champions during their 5-0 win over Hamburg on Saturday, taking over from Serge Gnabry and partnering the England captain.
"In my view he looked impressive," said Kane. "In training, he's looked really good. It's not easy coming into a team like us when we're so disciplined.
"He physically is very powerful and quick. And if he plays, he'll be keen to make an impact. But I don't want to put too much pressure on him too soon.
"He realizes he's integrating into the team. So far he's had a great attitude and the openness to development is the key factor."
Jackson operates as a number nine or on the left side, so has options in terms of position. And at Bayern, he escapes the burden of needing to be the main goalscorer, while his proximity to the England captain can only benefit him in the future.
"My wish is that he finds the net frequently 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 stand out and stay at one of the world's largest teams or take a comparable route to Jadon Sancho, who went back to Manchester United for a financial penalty as Chelsea escaped their previous £20m mandatory acquisition agreement.
Why Didn't It Work Out at Chelsea?
Both Chelsea and Jackson's entourage maintain the forward's time at Chelsea was a productive.
Chelsea relied on three months of brilliant displays at Villarreal and decided to exercise his £32m exit fee in 2023. He had significantly increased in value over a couple of years.
Jackson had merely been a elite athlete for five years - six years ahead of his move to Chelsea, he was competing on sandy amateur pitches in his Senegalese birthplace of Ziguinchor.
It was clear Jackson was a unpolished gem, having played just 1,758 minutes of top-flight football, but he rapidly cemented his place as Chelsea's first-choice forward.
Expectedly, given the rapidity of his rise, there were moments that Jackson struggled.
According to Opta data, Jackson underperformed his expected goals by a score of -7 over the past two seasons, which is the second-poorest total in the Premier League, exceeded only by Leeds United striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Wayward shooting drew negative feedback from fans, and he is known to have been affected by that pressure. Jackson would have periods of finding the net but then experience extended droughts.
In response to inquiries about his exit, Maresca said: "He is a Bayern Munich player. I wished him well and wished him all the best. He trained hard when he was here. There's nothing more I can say."
Yet the striker surpassed Chelsea legend Didier Drogba in his first season - netting 14 goals to the Ivory Coast striker's 10. He then bagged 21 goals in his first 50 games to tie one of Africa's top forwards at Stamford Bridge.
The London club are likely to make considerable return, whether
