I stood at my window and looked at pitch 2, where 2 of the academy lads were doing crossing on their own at 4 in the afternoon with nobody watching them.
"No," I said. "I would not."
"Then that is your answer and I will ring Lisbon in the morning."
"Ring them tonight," I said. "And Dougie, be polite. September is still September. I have still got 20 minutes with the boy and his father and I am still going."
"Right," Dougie said. "Now the good one, and you are going to have to trust me for about 90 seconds."
"Go on."
"Rodrygo Goes."
"Santos."
"Santos, 17, and before you say it, yes, Real Madrid agreed a deal for him on the 15th of June and it was announced and it was 45 million euros."
"So he is Madrid's."
"He is not anybody's until it is signed," Dougie said, "and it is not signed, and it has not been signed for 7 weeks, and I have spent 5 days finding out why."
I sat down.
"Why?"
