Douglas Luiz never made an appearance for Manchester City yet, even now, there remains a sense for Pep Guardiola that he is the one who got away.

Last summer Douglas was in line for a promotion to City’s first-team, with a genuine chance to stake a claim as Fernandinho’s long-term successor after Jorginho’s £50 million move to Chelsea.

After work permit issues the previous season, Guardiola had even recorded a special five-minute video for the Football Association to demonstrate just how highly valued the young Brazilian - signed from Vasco da Gama for £10.7 million in 2017 - was by the Premier League champions.

But just days before the transfer window closed, City and Guardiola were left “sad and disappointed” after Douglas’s application was again rejected by the FA.

It is a saga which still rankles with Guardiola, with Douglas now wearing the claret and blue of Aston Villa.

Dean Smith, Villa’s head coach, recalls: “I met Pep at the League Managers’ meeting earlier this month and he spoke to me about Douglas then. He was very disappointed they couldn’t get that work permit.