Everton's financial difficulties have seemingly boiled over of late, with the club having now been referred to an independent commission to investigate their alleged breaches.
Whilst the result of that and the subsequent penalty is yet to be decided, it is clear that the Toffees have made huge efforts to try and cut down on their spending in recent years whilst offloading some of their top talents.
Anthony Gordon made his exit in January for £45m, nearly six months after Richarlison had left for £60m in the summer, yet despite the playing squad being overhauled somewhat, it was only really Amadou Onana who ended up costing a significant fee.
Arguably of all the managers who was most hamstrung by this lack of investment was Rafa Benitez, who was forced to operate on a stringent budget during his one summer in charge.
Although not being able to spend is inherently a disadvantage, it does almost force clubs to work a little harder on their recruitment. As such, it can bear fruit.
With the acquisition of Demarai Gray, that was certainly the case.
How much is Demarai Gray worth?
Unsurprisingly, the former Bayer Leverkusen wide man has seen his value skyrocket since his initial move back to England. That was hardly a difficult task, as somehow the German outfit were tempted to part ways with him for just £1.7m.
Just three goal contributions in ten Bundesliga games was hardly sparkling, but it remained a sensational coup for a player already boasting Premier League experience with Leicester City too.
He has since gone on to play 68 times for the Merseyside outfit, contributing with 12 goals and six assists, including his curling free-kick against Crystal Palace that was met by Dominic Calvert-Lewin, to secure their place in the division last season.
When on his day the forward is truly unstoppable, with his speed and quick feet leaving full-backs with no chance. Journalist Scott Saunders even noted that he was "absolutely electric" earlier this year.
Gray remains the club's top scorer in all competitions too, further outlining his ever-growing importance to the various managers who have held the manager's position at Goodison Park.
Therefore, from that initial fee, his value has shot up in just a short period. Transfermarkt already rates him at €20m (£17.6m), marking a 935% rise in just two years.
These financial implications are far from a positive thing for the club, but they have forced them to finally be a bit more intelligent with their spending. Should it continue for the next year or two, whilst hardly exciting, it could spell a few more bargains in the offing akin to this one.
