Fulham left regretting collapsed signing of player who's just smashed Lionel Messi record
Fulham had the chance to sign Franco Mastantuono on loan from Real Madrid this summer but ultimately lost out.
Connections with new appointment Alvaro Arbeloa, who left the Spanish giants this summer, allowed the Cottagers to sign Gonzalo Garcia, Cesar Palacios and Manuel Angel.
But the 19-year-old, who arrived from River Plate for around £34million last summer, joined Fiorentina instead and made his presence known by netting a hat-trick against Venezia on Friday.
Mastantuono struggled in his first year at Real Madrid, but his talent is no secret and it is expected that he will one day be a key player for Los Blancos.
It has been a difficult start to the season for both Fulham and Arbeloa, with three consecutive defeats coming in the Premier League.
And with clashes away at Liverpool and against Manchester United coming up, it does not get any easier for the Cottagers.
Franco Mastantuono makes history
Oscar Bobb features on the right of the attack for Fulham and has done a generally good job, but Mastantuono showed a different level against Venezia.
The Argentine youngster's first goal saw him drive inside and power the ball into the near post to put his team on terms.
The second was another great finish and while the third involved luck, with the ball bouncing up off the keeper, onto Mastantuono's face and in, it still saw him make the type of run that Fulham have lacked.
And that was not all to the winger's display. He also made five recoveries, was fouled twice, won six duels, created four chances -more than anyone else - and completed three successful dribbles.
Staggeringly, Mastantuono has become the youngest Argentinian player to score a hat-trick in Europe's top five leagues - beating Lionel Messi's record by over 200 days.
What did Alvaro Arbeloa say about Mastantuono?
Arbeloa was reportedly very keen to bring Mastantuono to Fulham this summer, and it is easy to see why.
The winger clearly has bags of ability, and Friday's hat-trick may see him finally start to unleash that potential.
"Mastantuono, I think, is a kid who has arrived at Real Madrid at a very young age," said Arbeloa in February. "He has tremendous potential, with the ability to play out wide and take on defenders, but also to play inside.
"I think he has great power, dribbling, and above all, a tremendous work ethic. He’s giving us a lot with the intensity he brings to the game. Obviously, we hope he continues to improve,
"Joining Real Madrid is not the easiest thing in the world, it’s a very demanding club, but when you see Franco play, you see the abilities he has and the great player he is. Personally, I am very happy with his work, his commitment, and what he’s giving us on the pitch. I’m sure he will only get better."