With Everton in desperate need of attacking reinforcements in January, it would be no surprise if the club's recruitment team took a look at the Qatar World Cup for potential solutions.
Some of the game's finest attacking talent will descend on the Middle East over the next month and while those at the summit of the sport will be out of the Toffees' reach - Kylian Mbappe is after a move though, isn't he? - , a few tiers below there might be a trove of talent to tap into.
Ecuador have already proven themselves to be an intriguing side, winning 2-0 on the opening day against the host nation.
In that game, a familiar name seized the headlines. A player who has 13 goals and four assists from just 12 outings in the Turkish top flight this season. He is Ecuador's all-time top scorer and a striker Everton actually could have signed for less than £12million back in 2017.
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Enner Valencia initially moved to the Premier League after three goals at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, with West Ham United paying around £12million to bring him in from Pachuca. But after two seasons in which he scored just eight goals, he made a move to Everton on loan in 2016 looking to reignite his career in England.
While Valencia was far from prolific at Goodison, his contributions from the bench became key for Ronald Koeman in his first season as manager, as the forward showcased a natural understanding with star forward Romelu Lukaku in short bursts.
After a slow start to his loan, Valencia scored his first Blues goal in the 3-0 win over Southampton on January 2.
"You either bring Enner straight in or wait until late in the game," said Koeman after that win. "He was one of the players who changed the game and created difficulties for Southampton. It’s good to have him, he can play different positions and gives me the possibility to change systems, but it’s still too early to make a final decision about his future."
From there, he settled into a niche as Everton's go-to man off the bench.
"In 2017 Valencia has spent 169 minutes on the pitch in Premier League action, during which time 11 goals have been scored - or a goal every 15 minutes," wrote Dave Prentice in the Echo in April 2017. "The very essence of an impact sub."
Arguably the forward's most memorable moment that season came in an Ecuador jersey, though. During his national team's World Cup qualifier against Chile, Valencia - who had complained of altitude sickness during the game - was at the centre of some remarkable scenes as he was carted away wearing an oxygen mask with Ecuadorian police were in hot pursuit. It later transpired the forward was in debt to his ex-wife over unpaid alimony, with allegations of a $17,000 outstanding amount.
It was also claimed that Valencia's team-mates had helped sneak him into the stadium for the fixture to avoid authorities, who then preceded to wait until he was withdrawn from the contest before he made his getaway.
Despite his eventful temporary stay at Everton, Valencia was not signed permanently, even though the club possessed an option in the loan deal. There were suggestions that a fee of £14.5million would need to be paid, although Phil Kirkbride reported for the ECHO that the actual amount would be under £12million.
The decision to walk away from a transfer split fan opinion, especially given what followed that summer. The sale of Lukaku prompted a rejig of the Everton attack, with Wayne Rooney, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Davy Klaassen, Sandro Ramirez and Nikola Vlasic all arriving in the same window. All have since left, with Rooney, Klaassen and Sandro lasting a year or less at Goodison Park.
Meanwhile, Valencia left West Ham to join Mexican outfit Tigres, where he scored 34 goals in 118 outings, before making a return to European football aged 30 with the Istanbul giants.
In his first two seasons with the club Valencia netted a respectable 13 goals in all competitions, a mark his prolific play this term has already seen him surpass. The 33-year-old has clearly formed a strong bond with enigmatic manager Jorge Jesus, recently interrupting a press conference being conducted by the coach to say farewell before he headed off to Qatar for the World Cup.
And on Friday against the Netherlands, Valencia will once again have a chance to show he belongs at this level, with two goals already notched. Virgil van Dijk will be quaking in his boots.
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