As Erik ten Hag sat down for his news conference at Manchester United's Carrington training ground on Wednesday afternoon, he told reporters he wasn't in a position to talk much about prospective new €95 million signing Antony until the paperwork was completed.
His smile, though, said everything. By that point, he already knew he had his man and that his personal battle to get the deal over the line was won.
It has been a largely positive summer window for Man United, and their new manager is the big winner. The club have never spent more -- upward of £225 million (€261m) -- in a single summer and, crucially, Ten Hag has been backed to bring in his players.