Luke Freeman holds all the aces in QPR's bid to sign him from Bristol City.
As it stands, the talented winger has a new Robins contract offer put to one side.
Rangers had one known bid for the 24-year-old rejected last Friday, and there are now reports of a pre-contract arrangement that sees Hoops eventually sign him in the summer after his current deal at Ashton Gate runs out.
These then are the options over the next two and a bit weeks - if it goes that far.
And here's another convincer.
Freeman signs for City after all
If he were to sign for Rangers, there is a chance he might be a League One player next season if in the catastrophe of all catastrophes, Hoops were relegated.
Bristol push their own cause before the window closes - sign for us or we need to sell you
Firstly, Robins would demand commitment from Freeman for the rest of the season rather than worry if half his mind was already elsewhere.
If he does leave in the summer, allowing a player who cost them £500,000 from Stevenage in 2014 to walk for free would be a financial disaster.
Better take what money you can while it's on the table, might be the City mindset.
Rangers get a pre-contract agreement, but...
Freeman comes to them for nothing at the end of the season, or as he's about to sign, City offer Rs a cut-price deal and they get him now for the second half of the campaign.
Ian Holloway claims he has other fish to fry
This might bode well to hurry along a contract now or six months down the road.
"Yeah, I'm interested in him, but it's difficult when you're talking about someone else's player," the QPR manager said.
"There are a lot of players that tick my boxes, but if the club won't sell them then they're not available."
Freeman signs for no one
Chances are he can then take his pick of offers in June and July, and is freed, no pun intended, from worrying whether either City or Hoops get relegated.
Bristol might not like it, but there's not a lot they can do.
Which Freeman option is the most likely?
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