Football fans have become accustomed week in, week out to seeing David Beckham in the red shirt of Manchester United.
But as the Beckham transfer saga rumbles on, there is the distinct possibility that the England captain will wear the colours of one of continental Europe's top clubs next season.
Whether it will be either of Spain's big two or one of the three giants of northern Italy is less clear even if Barcelona are the early front-runners.
United announced yesterday they had accepted an undisclosed offer from Joan Laporta, who is running for the presidency of Barcelona in an election on Sunday.
For Beckham to fetch up on the Mediterranean, however, Laporta must win the election and then agree personal terms with the player, a long drawn-out process at the best of times.
Beckham's agents said he was disappointed by United's statement and he had no plans to meet Laporta who will give a news conference at 11:30 (Irish time) to map out his plan of action.
One of last season's four Champions League semi-finalists - AC and Inter Milan, Juventus and Real Madrid - look more capable of fulfilling Beckham's ambitions as a player than Barcelona, who may not even make it into the UEFA Cup.
The relationship between Beckham and his father-figure Alex Ferguson, the United manager with whom he has shared a string of successes, appears to have run its course.
Ferguson, like Beckham on holiday while the transfer saga unfolds, has not complained at the possibility of losing his most famous player. The estimated Stg£30 million deal would provide welcome funds for team renewal.