Werder Bremen's offer for Ashley Fletcher had been accepted, and it didn't take long for that to take over the previous discussions.
The German club had proposed a deal worth £30 million, with a further £5 million available in add-ons.
It was a substantial offer for a forward who had spent a considerable amount of time at Wigan, and the agreement suggested that Fletcher could be heading towards the exit.
This time, the reaction among supporters was less comfortable.
Fletcher wasn't necessarily the first name on everyone's team sheet, but he was a familiar face who had contributed to the club's progress.
His hat-trick in the FA Cup against Bolton was still fresh in supporters' minds, and many felt that losing him during the middle of the season would leave the squad short of an important option up front.
The fee was difficult to dismiss, particularly when the club had other attacking players available.
Yet supporters weren't looking at the deal in isolation.
