Leeds United had been scouting Ben White for 18 months and had identified him as a replacement for Pontus Jansson ahead of his Elland Road exit, according to The Athletic's Phil Hay.
It was something of a surprise in the summer when Jansson was sold to Championship rivals Brentford for a fairly low fee of £5.5 million.
The Sweden international had been a key man at the heart of the Whites' defence for the last three seasons – featuring 120 times during that period.
There were suggestions at the time that the sale was made to aid the club's financial position but it is understood that the decision to offload the defender came from Marcelo Bielsa, who had come to view him as "a disruptive influence".
In a Q&A for The Athletic, Hay revealed more details surrounding Jansson's exit and the plans that had been put in place for it.
He said: "The good thing with White was that Leeds had been scouting him for 18 months. So when it came to the point where Bielsa decided to cut Jansson loose, they knew who they were going to go for.
"Had it come to a head with Jansson without a replacement lined up, that could have gone badly wrong.
He added: "(The signing of White is) a good example of how targeted, committed scouting can pay off."
Jansson has had an impressive impact since joining the Bees, helping them to sit fourth in the Championship as things stand and for a long period have the best defensive record in the division.
That is now held by his former side, who are also in a commanding position at the top of the table with nine games to play.
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The Verdict
It's interesting to hear just how long the club had been scouting White and it provides an insight into the confidence they had in the player.
That will surely have been a big factor in Jansson's exit, which at the time looked a huge risk.
White has been phenomenal this season and at this point, it seems Bielsa is close to securing a Premier League promotion that would more than vindicate the decision.