Manchester United infamously scouted 804 right-backs before they settled on Aaron Wan-Bissaka in the summer transfer window three years ago. It begs the question, where did Tariq Lamptey rank below him?
Even at the time, Crystal Palace starlet Wan-Bissaka didn't see the obvious choice. He was, and still is, one of the best defensive full-backs in European football, but United's own metrics seem to be out-dated in that they weren't identifying a player who fits the modern mould.
Man City, Liverpool and Chelsea all deploy full-backs who supplement their own attacking threats. All three are a gulf above this United side, in part because they all adopted a trend that has become more prominent in elite football over the past decade.
In order to ever dine at the top table of English football again, United will need to revolutionise their approach on and off the pitch, not only catching up with the sides who are more advanced than them but by finding a way to harness that forward momentum and actually overtake them too.
United's pursuit of a new full-back is even further amplified by the recent news Wan-Bissaka will miss the midweek trip to Brentford and is a doubt for the weekend home match against West Ham too.
It means he will have missed three matches in eight days, something which has thrown replacement Diogo Dalot into the firing line and provided him with his own reality check.
Amid the dwindling displays from Wan-Bissaka, his Portuguese understudy was always viewed as a solution. He has showcased refreshing alternative in regards to his attacking output but many of his performances have also been blotched by unconvincing defensive work.
As is the issue with so many areas of the pitch, United's better option is still not good enough. It is perhaps no more apparent than with Wan-Bissaka, who has struggled throughout his two-and-a-half years at the club but has continued to hold onto his role as the first-choice right-back.
United had looked at signing a new attack-minded full-back last summer with Kieran Trippier the top target, but after his move to Newcastle this month, they will have to rely on someone else to help solve their defensive shortcomings.
Lamptey is a player admired by club officials and his case is helped by the fact that he is Premier League experienced and has the ability to play as either a full-back or a wing-back, which future-proofs him for any potential formation change under a future manager.
The flying full-back shone in Brighton's draw against Chelsea on Tuesday night as he terrorised his former employers with a joyous display on the right flank, at times acting as a right winger who relished the chance of causing an upset.
One moment, in particular, caught the eye as Lamptey raced back to end a dangerous Chelsea attack, winning the ball cleanly off Callum Hudson-Odoi.
He was then faced with the prospect of three opponents standing in his way.
In a moment of pure improvised brilliance, he dropped his shoulder, taunted the Chelsea players with the loose ball, before unleashing an electric burst of pace and racing past the trio with the ball still in possession.
With the flick of a switch, Lamptey had turned a worrying defensive situation into a promising attacking one. It was the type of game-changing brilliance that has rarely been seen from United's full-backs this season.
A move to a bigger club would bring with it greater responsibility and, as has been seen countless times before, the pressures of such a stage can often restrict creativity, no matter how bright they have shone elsewhere.
It might seem like a glaring mistake now, but there is obviously a reason why Chelsea sold him for just £4million two years ago and a reason why he has been able to perform so highly at a club where there is far less scrutiny on your weekly performances.
However, even if he isn't the finished article yet, Lamptey clearly has a lot to offer, and he is a player who could offer the ideal alternative to those already at the club.
Three years after shortlisting 804 right-backs, this summer they might only need to consider one.
