Shaun Wright-Phillips returned 'home' to Manchester City and immediately set his sights on reclaiming an England place.
After three years at Chelsea, Wright-Phillips has rejoined the club who let him leave for Stamford Bridge, ignoring the old theory you should never go back but following the example of Mark Hughes, who enjoyed phenomenal success in his second stint at Manchester United.
And both Hughes and Wright-Phillips are hoping for similar results that could be good news for England boss Fabio Capello.
"I have no doubt Shaun will be successful here," said Hughes.
"He will have the opportunity to play every week, which he did not have at Chelsea.
"He will have that adrenalin rush leading into games which maybe he didn't have at Chelsea because he never knew if he was playing or not.
"He will benefit from that and eventually so will England because we want him to be back playing international football on a regular basis."
Wright-Phillips won the last of his 19 caps in Capello's first game in charge against Switzerland in February.
However, it is a long time since he was an automatic member of the Three Lions squad, having been axed by Sven-Goran Eriksson for the 2006 World Cup when just 12 months previously he had seemed certain to be in Germany.
"England is a key factor," said the winger.
"But my main aim is to get back playing football.
"I just want a run of games. The rest will take care of itself.
"If I am picked I will be delighted, if I am not I will just work even harder."
Having made 181 appearances during his first stint with City, Wright-Phillips certainly knows the club, even if Hughes, and owner Thaksin Shinawatra, are new faces to the 26-year-old.
Often Wright-Phillips would head up to the north-west as guest of chairman John Wardle. Repeatedly he was asked by supporters when he was coming back, which is why, for all the speculation linking him with Portsmouth and Everton, his decision ultimately proved quite easy.
"I have been stopped a few times by City fans and I always said I wanted to come back," he said.
"I was just never sure when it was going to happen.
"But as soon as I met the manager he made it clear how much he wanted me. That made it pretty easy.
"I feel wanted here. The day I left was pretty emotional. But on the opposite side I have not been able to stop smiling knowing I was coming back. Now I just want to get to work."
Wright-Phillips rejects the notion he has something to prove given what happened at Stamford Bridge.
Jose Mourinho, Avram Grant and now Luiz Felipe Scolari all decided the Londoner was not a player for them.
Yet Wright-Phillips insists he has no regrets and has nothing but praise for Chelsea and their supporters.
"Obviously from the outside you can see it was a tough time," he said.
"But I felt wanted there. I always gave it 110 per cent and when I got my chances, which were admittedly limited.
"I did the best I could and don't have anything bad to say about them. Chelsea is a fantastic club with fantastic supporters."
Indeed, Wright-Phillips feels he is a better player now and hopes to use his experience to bring vitality to a youthful City side that has looked sluggish in their opening games this term.
"Hopefully I can put everything together for the benefit of Manchester City," he said.
"I know there is quality in every position.
"It is a young side that is learning more all the time.
"To be a part of a team with so many players I first saw as young boys when I was coming through is like a dream come true.
"Maybe I can be an idol to them and can learn from what they do as well."
