KYLE WALKER'S move to Manchester City took a while and broke the world transfer record for a full back.
But on the evidence of Walker's display against his old club Tottenham at the Nissan Stadium in Nashville he's worth the money.
Pep Guardiola and City will get plenty of value out of the 27-year-old England star who is at the peak of his powers.
Walker's only been at City a couple of weeks but he already looks at home in his new surroundings.
And this was his best performance of the three games he's played on tour in America.
You'd expect quality and class when you invest £54 million in a defender – and that's exactly what City have got in Walker.
It's still an outrageous fee for a full back – but Walker is more than that.
He's an extra attacker and his speed down the right flank and hunger to start and join in attacks will mean he'll play a key role for City when the season kicks-off.
Guardiola has clearly given him licence to push on – not that he needs any encouragement.
City's gain, though, is Tottenham's loss even if they have banked a kings ransom for the Three Lions star.
Spurs chief Mauricio Pochettino felt comfortable letting Walker move closer to his Sheffield roots in the North because he saw Kieran Trippier as an ideal replacement.
Trippier needs to grow into Walker's role and on this evidence he's still got work to do.
With City in their stride in Nashville Trippier was on the back foot most of the game as Guardiola's men produced a fluid , fast attacking style which caused Spurs plenty of problems.
It's early days for Trippier – but City will feel they've got the real deal in Walker.