In football, the success of a side is so often attributed to a club's proficiency in the transfer market. With Tottenham Hotspur, such a notion is no different.
The Lilywhites have been chasing elusive silverware for years now to no avail, with their persistence with regard to big-money signings admirable, but ultimately costly.
Such an innate focus on one sole objective has arguably muddled the core beliefs of this fine institution, and somewhere along the way they have lost what made them great. Mauricio Pochettino marked a fine example of taking great strides back towards where they will feel they belong, but impatience and once again that desire for silverware saw Daniel Levy dismiss the Argentine, thus kickstarting the torrid period that would follow.
Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espirito Santo and Antonio Conte all failed to provide what their chairman sought, and now the task falls onto Ange Postecoglou, with far less pressure following those last few torturous years.
Whilst these dreadful appointments all mark some of the worst decisions in the club's history, it could be argued that just before their arrival they made one which they are set to forever regret.
After all, Kylian Mbappe is already on the path towards immortality with both club and country, and yet there is a reality where he could have been a Spurs player. Those managerial missteps certainly marked blunders, but in failing to sign the legendary forward, the club will now be forced to watch his rise with gritted teeth.
Did Spurs nearly sign Kylian Mbappe?
Whilst The Athletic sought to outline the many failed transfer sagas across the Lilywhites' illustrious history, few stand out more than the 24-year-old Paris Saint-Germain monster who has been tearing it up ever since breaking through with AS Monaco.
In fact, the opportunity that the north London outfit had to bring him to White Hart Lane actually appeared before he enjoyed his true standout year, as a scouting mission began after they faced the French outfit in the Europa League.
Despite enjoying an emphatic victory over the Red and Whites, in which Erik Lamela's first-half hat-trick secured their 4-1 victory, it was a 16-year-old Mbappe who emerged from the bench to capture the eye, registering an assist for the visitors' only goal of the game.
Pochettino clearly took note, and years before the two would link up at the Parc Des Princes, interest in the striker had been piqued.
However, as The Athletic continued to note, despite the fact the Lilywhites scouted him, it reportedly became obvious that he was out of their reach. European powerhouses like Real Madrid had already begun sniffing around, and with Spurs yet to reach that point, they could barely compete. What makes this saga even more frustrating is that had he chosen against signing a professional contract in Monaco, the 71-cap superstar would have become available for just £450k in compensation.
In the end, his desire to remain in his homeland ruled above all, and the English outfit have since been left to watch his blistering progress from afar. Had they just pushed harder at the time, perhaps that rapid success earned by the Frenchman might have been enjoyed in north London instead, certainly spearheading a push towards the elite honours Levy seeks.
How many goals has Kylian Mbappe scored?
Everyone knows where the story went following that fateful failed transfer venture, with Mbappe enjoying his breakout year with the Monaco outfit before moving to the French capital in a mouth-watering deal worth £166m.
Although few transfer fees of this ilk can ever be value for money, the return they have enjoyed has certainly been close.
After all, with a tally of 220 goals and 98 assists across his 267 games with the outfit, the 2022 claims of Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti certainly ring true: "Mbappe is the best player in European football. Mbappe is unstoppable."
However, such form was not reserved solely for his club, with that greatness transferring into the international scene too. Already the young forward boasts a World Cup to his name, having scored five in Russia including a strike in the final to win the ultimate competition.
Then, as if his accomplishments could not reach greater heights, he would register ten goal contributions in just seven games at the recent 2022 World Cup, including an unprecedented hat trick in the final, where they would eventually lose on penalties.
There are few like him on the planet, and alongside Erling Haaland, the two are expected to dominate world football for at least the next decade. During that mesmeric run back in November, Statman Dave would rush to brand him "generational". It's fair to say that such a statement has been justified.
To have had this kind of trophy-winning determination wrapped in the body of a goalscoring machine in north London would certainly have proven pivotal in turning the tide when it comes to avoiding silverware.
Given the funds Levy has ploughed into managers and players to achieve such a feat, perhaps had he focused more on Mbappe back in 2015 he could have expunged all those meaningless fees, given how the PSG superstar continues to take sides on his back and lead them to glory.
How much is Kylian Mbappe worth now?
In an effort to further emphasise the growth of the 5 foot 10 speedster, it is also worth noting the growth in valuation since that £450k blunder made nearly a decade ago.
After all, it is fair to say that the figure bestowed upon him has grown since that period in his early career, given he now boasts a trophy cabinet adorned with some of the game's finest trophies, as well as a host of personal accolades too.
CIES Football Observatory seeks to hand him a befitting value, which aligns with his complicated and ever-changing contractual situation too.
1
Erling Haaland
36
2
Harry Kane
30
3
Kylian Mbappe
29
4
Alexandre Lacazette
27
5
Victor Osimhen
26
As such, they suggest that the France international is worth a huge €150m (£130m), marking a 28,788% rise from that compensation fee Levy could have potentially paid.
Not only this, but in an effort to showcase their financial power and the pull they now hold, Saudi Arabian outfit Al Hilal even made a world record bid of €300m (£259m) in the summer, which was subsequently rejected. This only serves to emphasise Spurs' failure, as one of the greatest ever 'what could have been' stories.
