Gabriel Sara's star-studded display against Southampton underlined the importance of Norwich City keeping him this summer.
One stunning goal, a pinpoint assist and more impressive underlining data epitomised how pivotal he has become to David Wagner's operation at City.
Alongside Kenny McLean, the Brazilian is a real driving force and strong in transition in attacking moments. His ability to spring forward and athleticism to join attacks are crucial to how City want to play this season.
His box-to-box qualities are accompanied by a technical foundation that gives him an edge in most matches at this level. The quality of his body swerve before driving a shot from a seemingly impossible angle into the top corner past Gavin Bazunu sublime.
But it wasn't just the quality of the strike; it was the lung-busting runs, the cute proving passes that set Norwich away on transition and the constant threat he provided throughout the contest. Those all made this another eye-catching performance.
No Norwich player made more progressive carries or created more shot-creating actions than Sara. Only Dimitris Giannoulis had more touches than the Brazilian. He was a creative presence throughout the chaos at St Mary's.
There was even a robustness to his display. Whether it was winning tackles, positioning himself well within the wider defensive or contesting aerial duels.
Last week's display against Hull, which was equally as impressive, seemed to fly somewhat under the radar. This was a headline-grabbing performance from Sara.
No player in the Championship has created more chances or played more key passes than Sara in the opening two weeks. That is without the luxury of a full pre-season campaign after an issue with his appendix.
With each game that passes, the reality is becoming clearer - Sara is showing that he has the qualities to be a Premier League player. He will earn Norwich a considerable amount of money in the future.
Given the manner in which Sara ended the previous campaign and the levels that he has started the new one, there is an element of surprise that the transfer chatter has been minimal throughout the summer.
Sara was watched by a host of clubs throughout last season. A buzz surrounded his performances even though City themselves struggled for form and faded without a trace.
Stuart Webber described the 'big interest' that was already arriving in Sara earlier in the summer. The way his performances proliferated throughout last year alerted countless recruitment teams.
The midfielder is still seen by some as a risk too big to make. Others want to see a bigger sample of his work in the Championship.
With over two weeks remaining of the transfer window, Norwich will be desperate to ensure no team recalibrates their view based on his early season displays. If they can get to September 2 with Sara still in the building, that will be arguably the biggest success of the window.
Given how Wagner wants to play and the role that Sara occupies, it is not a stretch to describe the 24-year-old as indispensable to what City are trying to do this season.
It would take a mega offer to force them into a sale - there has been confidence throughout the summer that they could retain Sara's services, not least because he is content to remain in Norfolk.
Underpinning his move to Norwich was the desire to play Premier League football eventually. Sara wants to see if that is possible with his current employers first.
He is also happy and settled. There hasn't been a moment of consideration on his part over moving away from the club this summer. It would only have happened if the financials involved reached a level impossible for Norwich to turn down.
By his own admission, Sara is still settling into life at Carrow Road. There is no coincidence between the quality of his performances increasing as his time spent in the country has also.
There is an expectation that is more growth to do and that another full campaign in England will help discover another level to his performances.
When you consider that Sara is still working his way back following an operation on his appendix earlier this summer, that should only serve as a warning to the rest of the Championship as to the heights City's midfielder could hit.
VERDICT: A quality performance from City's Rolls Royce. A cracking strike to make the game 2-2 but his all-round play was exceptional. A real driving force in their midfield engineroom.
RATING: 8 out of 10.
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