The message went out last Boxing Day.

One reporter to another, from one laptop in Brighton to another in the Netherlands.

It went to a trusted contact with a good track record on transfer stories dating right back to the days of Roland Bergkamp.

The request, or advice, from this end was to keep an ear out in Holland for any suggestion that Davy Propper would be heading back their way during the January window.

It seemed to make sense.

He had not been playing for Albion and it appeared both his own efforts and the Seagulls’ money could be put to better use if he moved on.

Like a return to the league where he made his name.

Nothing happened and Propper actually started a couple of games, albeit when Graham Potter was rotating his squad, although more impressive was his performance off the bench in the 3-3 draw against Wolves.

It turns out, though, it was all just a matter of time.

His return to the Philips Stadion was confirmed last night.

The first tip-off that PSV would look to take him back this summer came our way two months ago.

Propper goes home with 99 Prem starts under his belt along with eight games off the bench.

All eight of his outings as sub came under Graham Potter.

He only started two of the last 40 league games, with illness and injury making him unavailable for several of those fixtures.

Those two starts came for midweek fixtures when Potter was using his full squad at a busy time.

There was the home game against Arsenal and the trip to Manchester City.

Both were 1-0 defeats and he left the action on 68 minutes each time.

His much reduced influence was reflected in a deal of which terms are officially undisclosed but which, according to Dutch sources, is effectively a free transfer for now, rising to about £2 million if all goes well.

So how will Propper be remembered?

As a classy player on the ball, certainly, in midfield alongside Dale Stephens.

As someone who could keep and pass the ball or underpin the work of more eye-catching colleagues.

As an automatic pick, for three seasons, when he was available.

But also as someone from whom it always felt like there was just a bit more to come.

Especially in an attacking sense.

As someone who could maybe dictate play a little more than he usually did.

As has been the case with other Dutch signings, it sometimes looked like the tempo of the game was a challenge.

In that respect, Eredivisie to Premier League or, in some cases before that, the Championship has often seemed a big step.

But Propper played a full part in landmark years for the club and there is excitement in Eindhoven about getting him back.

Joel Veltman’s old mates at Ajax have powered ahead, winning the title by 16 points last season.

But PSV, with new investment, have made a host of recent signings in a bid to close the gap.

They have Champions League football to look forward to although a qualifying round draw against Galatasaray was not kind.

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Among a handful of signings, Propper will team up again with Marco Van Ginkel, with whom he played for both PSV and Vitesse Arnhem.

Propper left the Netherlands and accepted the challenge at the Amex in the immediate aftermath of a Europa League qualifying round defeat to Osijek back in the summer of 2017.

“I knew it was my time to go,” he said.

His first big date back home could be in a similar two-legged fixture against the Turks.