[Beckenham. Tuesday 7 August 2018.]
Bzzz.
Dougie rang at 7. I had been in that office since 10 past 6.
"Right. Before you say anything to me about a Brazilian."
"Dougie."
"18 million pounds."
I put a coffee down with a lip that had gone purple overnight.
"Say the name."
"You know the name, son. You have known the name since about 4 o'clock this morning, and I have known you were going to say it since Sunday night, and I have been on the phone to Milan since half 7 yesterday so that I could say a number to you before you said a name to me."
"18."
"They will take 18 and they will take it this week."
"Dougie, that man has got a 54 million pound clause in a contract he signed 11 months ago, and Manchester United had 40 on the table for him last summer and Inter pushed it to 50 at the last minute and killed it. Why is it 18?"
"You know why it is 18. Everybody in Europe knows why it is 18."
"21."
