Jadon Sancho would have been involved in the Manchester derby had things gone differently, but United's loss is Chelsea's gain.
Sancho looks like the winger who tore it up for Borussia Dortmund again and it already feels like a no-brainer to convert his move into a permanent deal.
There is no point in Ruben Amorim dreaming 'if only'. Even if the new United manager had joined sooner, too much had already happened at Old Trafford for Sancho to turn around his fortunes.
I love seeing young players overcome adversity and Sancho has been a joy to watch this season. England's World Cup qualifiers start in March and if he continues his current form, don't be surprised if he is called up by new manager Thomas Tuchel.
A fit and confident Sancho is an asset to any club. He has beautiful balance that allows him to glide across the field. His versatility is an added asset in the modern game; he can beat a man on the right or the left.
By the time United decided to keep Erik ten Hag last summer, Sancho's head was already out the door as he faced so much negativity and criticism at Old Trafford. As a former player I can see the difference in his body language now that he is wearing the blue of Chelsea. He is fitter, has more energy and it is as if a weight of expectation and pressure has been lifted from his shoulders.
United had finished just shy of second place when he signed in 2021, but the false position disappeared over the cracks of a disjointed club.
Sancho became the poster child for all their shortcomings and later both Ten Hag and the fans turned against him. He could have handled some things better, but young men who quickly achieve fame and fortune sometimes need help, and he didn't get it.
This is a new beginning. Chelsea is a club on the rise and he feels loved and appreciated. Enzo Maresca has given him belief and he is in a young team who are all on the same path, which gives them the feeling of a bond of brothers.
Sancho's numbers as a teenager at Dortmund were fantastic. He declined at United but showed his willingness to take a pay cut to join Chelsea. That is not the action of a young flashy Harry who only thinks about money.
At 24, his best years are ahead, and they should be at Chelsea.
He will be in the starting line-up again on Sunday evening against Brentford as they continue an unlikely title challenge. Considering he will only cost £25million next summer, it's a brilliant move.
Looking back on his United slump, it is almost inevitable for a player of Sancho's age that ego will take over and he will become too big for his boots at times.
At a club like United he should have been guided through that, just like at Liverpool by Gerard Houllier, to whom I will always be grateful.
I'm afraid Ten Hag has let Sancho down in that regard, but Maresca's style suits the winger. He wants him to be brave and try to beat people; shooting the ball over the feet of defenders and going past them like he did as a teenager in Germany.
A number of other factors also helped. Chelsea paid huge sums for Enzo Fernandez (£106m), Moises Caceido (£115m) and Mykhailo Mudryk (£88m), so not all eyes are on Sancho.
Either way, the control is not the same as at United, one of the biggest clubs in the world.
What Sancho needs to do now is continue what he started. Then we can say that he has found the house he was looking for in Chelsea.
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