This column discussed it fortnight ago: the Manchester United premium. And it hit the club's new football board between the eyes last week. A fee rising to over 60 million quid? For a player not only inside the final year of his contract, but one who barely has 12 months of senior football behind him? If this had involved John Murtough and Richard Arnold, the usual suspects would've been queuing up to lambast such a deal...
But paying so much for an 18 year-old Leny Yoro are the waters that United must work in. And after all those snide quotes that made their way to the press from friends and confidants of messers Jim Ratcliffe and Dan Ashworth, suddenly paying the 'United premium' is no longer an issue. It seems Murtough and Arnold weren't so spend crazy after all...
This is the reality for United. To burn off Real Madrid, they needed to secure Yoro's commitment before January 1 and block the opportunity he'd have to sign pre-contract terms with the European champions. So they paid what Lille insisted. And by doing so, they potentially have a 10, 12 year foundation player in the making.
Which is why they need to do the same regarding De Ligt. As we say, lowballing Everton for Jarrad Branthwaite didn't work. Indeed, it's put relations between the two clubs back years. Tribalfootball.com being told via Finch Farm confidants that the higher ups are furious with the behaviour of United. Particularly as it now appears they won't be returning after that last £35m offer was turned down. Instead, by contacting the Braithwaite camp as they were lowballing Everton, they've left the club with an unhappy and unsettled player, especially given the contract terms raised during those initial discussions.
And for Braithwaite, we can apply De Ligt. Though to be fair, the former Juventus and Ajax defender has seen it all before. But there will be disappointment inside his camp with United's opening attempts to reach agreement with Bayern. Two offers, the last being €30m, falling short of Bayern's €50m valuation. Like Branthwaite, United's bids being made as they were striking personal terms with the Dutchman.
A former Ajax captain. A deal to 2027. And at 24 years of age. At £40-45m, for this column, Bayern are being more than fair with United. Give De Ligt a regular run for three months. With a manager and staff who respect and admire him. That fee will quickly double, if not more. The Bayern spell has been rocky. But get De Ligt playing consistently at his best and United will have a world-beater on their hands. The sooner they can get him through the Carrington gates, the better.
Certainly Erik ten Hag believes so. The United manager eager to be reunited his former Ajax captain. Though he has been insistent that De Ligt was an idea to come from United's newly-formed transfers committee, and not the Dutchman himself.
"It remains to be seen whether De Ligt will come," Ten Hag stated last week. "But the great thing is: during my holiday I was away from the process for three or four weeks. During that period it was really the club, the newly set up scouting and recruitment department, that has brought in these players.
"The fact that there are also Dutch people among them is in fact a coincidence. Primarily these were players who were brought in by our organization. But of course I support them, let that be clear. And we still make the choice together.
"I know Matthijs well, of course, I'm not going to deny that," Ten Hag continued. "I wanted to sign him two years ago, but he was already very far with Bayern Munich. But believe it or not: he did not specifically come up with me in this process."
Credit Ashworth. If he's driving this deal, it'll be one rival clubs will envy. A player to lift the quality of the team's spine. At €50m, De Ligt is a bargain. But the haggling needs to be dispensed with - especially with a spurned Real Madrid hovering. It's not just inside Everton where feelings are running red-hot. Real Madrid so angry with Yoro's snub that they're ready to cut all ties with agent Jorge Mendes.
Meanwhile, Florentino Perez, the Real president, needs to find a replacement for his former captain, Nacho Fernandez. And at Bayern's asking price, if Ratcliffe can't recognise a bargain, then Florentino and his No2 Jose Angel Sanchez certainly can.
The sooner United's new management team accept their reality, the better. And they now have an opportunity to beat Real Madrid twice in two weeks for a topline signing. For United, the message is simple: Just pay the premium and get De Ligt through the door.