When Manchester United sold Marouane Fellaini to Shandong Luneng earlier this month it raised few eyebrows.
Under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer United had moved on from the 31-year-old. His playing time was going to be limited, at best, and who could blame him for a move to the cash-rich Chinese Super League.
But the £10million deal that took Fellaini to the coastal Shandong province was cast in a different light on Thursday as Ed Woodward spoke to investors following the release of United's latest financial figures.
Now that deal looks like part of a concerted effort from United to conquer the Premier League's biggest market. In a country where United are already the best supported football club, according to managing director Richard Arnold, the sale of a player who spent five-and-a-half years at Old Trafford into the Chinese Super League looks part of a strategy to dominate that market. United's rivals are playing catch up in China, off the pitch at least.
Luck may have been on United's side with the Chinese interest in Fellaini, but they have capitalised on it. As Woodward began the conference call talking about results under Solskjaer and the recent contract renewals, he also mentioned the departure of Fellaini and reminded investors it was United's first ever deal with a Chinese club.
It seemed an unnecessary aside at the time, but was actually a sign of things to come. When Arnold took the phone his pitch began with a focus on the Chinese market and the world's most populous country rarely left his thoughts thereafter.
China has been a growing market for the Premier League and for football's biggest clubs for a while, but the sudden focus on conquering the territory could be explained by a line from Arnold about how the country was now the "most valuable Premier League broadcast market".
This a country of 1.4billion people, with an increasing disposable income and a desire for Premier League football. It could still be an untapped market. The potential is huge.
Arnold spoke about the partnership with Harves to open Manchester United Entertainment and Experience Centres in China, about how they will "bring Manchester United to life in China" and recreate that matchday experience. If the fan can't get to Old Trafford, then Old Trafford will come to the fan.
Arnold also updated investors on the I Love United events, linking fan parties around the world. The last had been an overwhelming success, he said. A 5,000 capacity venue in Chennai, India - perhaps the next big growth market for the football industry - had been more than two times oversubscribed and during it DHL, one of United's sponsors, had been the number one trend on social media in India. As a sponsor that is the type of exposure you can't get anywhere else.
So popular and successful are the I Love United events that another is planned for March 2. Where? Guangzhou, the biggest city in China, of course.
Former United players Dwight Yorke and Wes Brown were in attendance in Chennai. Perhaps Fellaini will make an appearance on stage in China. The 6ft 3ins midfielder has helped to give United a head start in conquering the Premier League's latest boom market.
