Chapter Four: An Old Injury Worth Eight Million

“A lawsuit is your right. Signing you is our football judgment. One is not payment for the other.” At midnight, Harborbridge sent Northcastle a revised offer: no fee, no sell-on share, and Northcastle would cover Ndiaye's past eighteen months of rehabilitation costs. In exchange, neither club would discuss the medical dispute in the transfer announcement. The player retained his independent right to seek compensation. Vale refused. Ten minutes later, Su sent the independent report number to Northcastle's board audit committee and informed them that it would be filed with the players' union at nine the next morning. Vale called at one in the morning. “You're blackmailing a major club.”