Some transfer negotiations end with a compromise, maybe a handshake.
And some end with directors walking straight out of the room.
That’s exactly what happened in Barcelona last night.
And the details of how it unravelled are extraordinary.
Anthony Gordon to Barcelona set to collapse spectacularly
According to Gerard Romero, Newcastle United directors flew to Barcelona for a formal meeting with Barcelona officials to discuss a potential deal for Anthony Gordon, leaving in fury after the conversation descended into something nobody at Newcastle could have anticipated.
The British delegation presented their valuation of €80 million.
The room erupted into laughter.
Barcelona officials reportedly couldn’t believe what they were hearing.
But before the meeting could recover any semblance of professionalism, things took an even sharper turn.
According to a follow-up report, Newcastle’s directors took significant offence at jokes being made around the table by Barcelona officials.
Many of which were directed at the 7-2 Champions League defeat Newcastle suffered at Camp Nou back in March.
One Barcelona official was quoted directly.
“You are lucky it wasn’t 12.”
That was the line that ended the meeting.
Newcastle’s directors stormed out.
And just like that, one of the most anticipated transfer conversations of the summer window became one of the most spectacular collapses in recent transfer memory.
The backdrop to all of this matters enormously.
Gordon has been Newcastle’s standout performer this season; their top scorer with 17 goals across all competitions, including ten in the Champions League alone.
It’s that European output that brought Barcelona to the table in the first place.
However, there’s an enormous gap between what Barcelona are willing to spend and what Newcastle are demanding.
And last night, that gap became a chasm.
Newcastle hold all the contractual leverage, as Gordon has four years remaining on his deal.
But after last night, Barcelona will have to do an awful lot of bridge-building before those talks can resume.
Walking out of a negotiating table is one thing.
Being mocked about a 7-2 scoreline while you’re sitting at it is another.
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