Upon Nicolas Pepe's arrival at Arsenal in the summer of 2019, many viewed the transfer as one that would take the Gunners to the next level.
The club-record £72million signing formed one part of an attacking trio that also consisted of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette. Hopes were high the three of them could help propel Arsenal back to the heights they once reached under former boss Arsene Wenger, but things failed to play out as expected.
Three years later and all three of them are gone. Aubameyang was actually the first to leave, though some would argue he somehow jumped while being pushed out the door at the same time as a result of various misdemeanours during his time as club captain.
Despite his off-field issues, Aubameyang's exit came as a surprise to many and it marked a startling decline from how optimistic the Gabon international was over Arsenal's future when Pepe first touched down in North London.
Lining up with all three of Aubameyang, Lacazette and Pepe in attack, many claimed Arsenal were now a match for title challengers Liverpool and their own then-notoriously lethal trio of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and the since departed Sadio Mane.
The former Gunners skipper himself may have got caught up in all the hype, as he told reporters three years ago: "As we've seen from last season, Liverpool play with three up front and they play very well. Why not us? I think we can do it.
"They are great players. They always try to go forward and try to get goals and assist each other. They are one of the best trios in the world.
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"I see a lot of similarities. Pepe and me, we are quick players like Mane and Salah, while Laca is a player who can keep the ball and is really good with his feet like Firmino. So yes, we can say we are close enough."
While the Anfield trio helped fire Liverpool to a Premier League and Champions League title, the 2020 FA Cup was as much as the Arsenal equivalent could muster and while that feat is nothing to be scoffed at, it undeniably underwhelms when factoring in the original expectations.
In Pepe's case, as his loan move to OGC Nice is confirmed boss Arteta reveals that the winger had fallen so far down the pecking order this was actually a move that was in the works for months.
"It’s been three years since he joined the club and he’s had some very good moments and some where he hasn’t contributed that much to the team in terms of minutes, and we have decided that for every party it was the best decision to allow him to go," the Spaniard added.
"He needs minutes and needs to play football, and was really adamant to do that, and we decided it was the best thing for everybody."
As one door closes, another opens and the current front three of Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka look to have far more chemistry than the three that came before them.
