Do Sheffield United look back on July 1 and now perhaps think Bournemouth underpaid for David Brooks?
Brooks was a breakout star for the Blades in 2017/18 and the Premier League club subsequently came calling for the academy graduate.
Brooks has since started all but one of their league matches, scoring three goals, to help Eddie Howe’s side to sixth in the table.
This has also helped establish the 21-year-old in the Wales team. There is every chance Brooks will start when they host Denmark in the Nations League tonight.
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Since the midfielder made the switch to Dean Court he has played a part in all four of his country’s international fixtures, starting two.
In June 2017 Chris Wilder cancelled a proposed loan move to Chesterfield. Brooks’ development since then has been nothing short of remarkable.
How much is Brooks worth?
Bournemouth almost certainly wouldn’t accept £11.5m for the Welshman now. So should United have driven the price up in July?
When looking at others signed from the Championship by top flight clubs this summer, Brooks’ fee is similar to that of Cardiff City duo Bobby Reid (£10m) and Josh Murphy (£11m). Neither has made such an impressive impact as the former Blades man.
Then there is the £18m Wolverhampton Wanderers paid for Adama Traore and the £20m Leicester City sanctioned for James Maddison. Surely based on how the season has played out Brooks is more in their category?
Hindsight is a wonderful thing, of course, but then the hierarchy at Bramall Lane weren’t completely clueless about his potential either.
What makes the whole saga more galling is that, according to the Sheffield Star, Chris Wilder received “substantially less” than the £11.5m Brooks fee to spend on new players.