Liverpool goalkeeper coach John Achterberg has lifted the lid on signing Andy Lonergan.
A goalkeeping shortage ahead of a tour of the United States brought Lonergan, a long-serving goalkeeper of the second tier, on board, literally, with the Premier League title hopefuls as they jetted across the Atlantic.
Lonergan's professionalism was understood to have impressed Reds officials, who handed him a short-term contract to keep him on.
"Lonergan has come in to do this job because of the injury [to Alisson]," Achterberg told the Liverpool Echo. "He has done a good job and he works really hard every day. That is a good step for us this year. We will have to look at the end of the season to decide what we will do."
But just how has a soon-to-be 36-year-old journeyman of the lower leagues ended up signing for a team who collected 97 Premier League points the season previous?
Achterberg adds: "We had, at that time, agents dropping names and then actually someone came to Michael Edwards (sporting director) with his name.
"We were not thinking about signing another goalkeeper but we were short because Kamil Grabara went to Huddersfield and then I think Ali was on holiday and Caoimhin Kelleher broke his wrist, so we were really short.
"Then, Andy had said to the club he would come in on non-contract terms and train to stay fit and that was a winning situation for us and him. Then he worked hard, got fit and he was waiting for something to happen somewhere, he had a few shouts to move and that didn't come off so he stayed training with us.
"Then Ali got injured and Simon Mignolet was leaving quickly, it was all done in a week so we were really short. Then we were looking at what was available as the [transfer] deadline had gone and Andy had done really well.
"He played some games and had done well. If we were bringing in someone who hadn't trained with us, then they would have to get up to speed really well. Andy had been training with us and was up to speed. So it made sense to keep him on and he has helped us. He is a good guy and he has fitted in well."
