The warning sign was there for Loren Moron.
In late September, with just two weeks left before the transfer window closed, Real Betis tried their best to find a club willing to take Loren Moron off their hands (La Razon).
Perhaps Los Verdiblancos were expecting the offers to flood in. After all, the £17 million-rated Moron wasn’t short of admirers.
Mundo Deportivo reported Sheffield United, Newcastle and West Ham were all fans of a late-blooming centre-forward who reached double figures in La Liga for the first time in his career last season.
Tottenham, meanwhile, had been watching Moron since 2018 and, thanks to some less than subtle hints from Jose Mourinho, everyone in Europe knew Spurs were after a striker capable of providing competition for Harry Kane.
But when push came to shove, it was Carlos Vinicius rather than Moron who arrived in north London in the hope of dispelling the curse of Vincent Janssen.
Sheffield United, meanwhile, turned to Rhian Brewster. Newcastle and West Ham went for tried and trusted rather than expensive foreign import, putting their faith in Callum Wilson and Michail Antonio.
Now, with just seven weeks to go before this accursed year comes to an end, it’s becoming clear why Betis were so keen to sell last season’s 12-goal top scorer.
Manager Manuel Pellegrini might insist he trusts Moron to make a difference this term but, clearly, the rangy Spaniard is third in Betis’s pecking order.
While Borja Iglesias and Toni Sanabria have shared starting duties between them, all four of Moron’s La Liga appearances have come from the bench, totalling just 92 minutes.
The winter window can’t come soon enough for a man who has gone from top scorer to a £17 million afterthought at Betis.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
