Next week marks the seventh anniversary of Manchester City's £100m bid for Kaka, their attempts to recruit a global icon dashed when the move collapsed amid the wonderfully emotive accusations from the-then CEO Garry Cook that AC Milan "had bottled it".
In many respects it remains an itch that still has to be successfully scratched for those at The Etihad given the focus is set to switch from blue chip superstars on the pitch to those in the dug-out if the speculation over Pep Guardiola rings true.
Hughes, by way of comparison, has moved on.
To Fulham, that forgettable spell at QPR and, as of now, Stoke where he has carefully pieced together an eye-catching squad which helps promote some other questions: Firstly, when will he be back at a club that sees itself as a main challenger?