Southampton sold underwhelming defender Lyanco a year ago, but he can somehow be playing Premier League football in the coming months.
Every summer, Southampton fans can't seem to catch a break from two undeniable headaches. First, the wave of players rejecting the Saints offers left, right and center, and second, the stubborn list of underperformers that never clears out even if the board is ready to cut their losses.
Right now, the fans can sense who's heading off the door at the moment but last year's mess might be long blurred to correctly recall.
So, former defender Lyanco was one of the most anticipated exits of 2024. Plus, with Mason Holgate turning out to be a fringe signing in hindsight, the notion of the Brazilian flourishing under Russell Martin was beyond consideration.
Hence, the Lyanco bidding search began and concluded with a minimal £4m from Southampton's standpoint. Now, the 28-year-old's St. Mary's stay was thought to see an incredible success instead of an inconsistent one in reality, but the South American's return back to his continent was no short of a fine conclusion.
Lyanco can meet Alcaraz in two different leagues within one year
Despite hailing from a different country, Charly Alcaraz too followed his continental counterpart all the way to Brazil, and then did a Premier League 360. Now, there's no need to even change that future club Everton because Sport Witness (via a Globo Esporte report) suggests that the same English rivals are toying with the idea of another Saint, Lyanco in their roster.
The fans are sure to come in disbelief and their reactions are understandable because how come wantaway players are still desired by top clubs, let alone by those lying above Southampton in the English footballing hierarchy.
Not as a criticism aimed at Russell Martin, but it's fair to wonder if his proven tactical framework unknowingly deprived Saints from witnessing the prime form of several previous stars. Then again, he brought the essential promotion so these ideas fall into the 'what ifs' column at best.