Manchester United's pursuit of Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong might be the ultimate case of transfer market brinksmanship, and the window has only been open in the Premier League for four days.
On paper, it looks like a simple deal to do. United want to sign De Jong and Barcelona want to sell De Jong, but in the world of football transfers, it's rarely as simple as that.
United have made the 25-year-old their top target for Erik ten Hag's midfield rebuild, but sources have insisted they won't solve Barcelona's financial problems for them and are keeping lines of communication open over other targets.
READ MORE: United willing to walk away from De Jong transfer as alternatives considered
That is the crux of the issue as talks over a potential deal continue. United know Barcelona are in desperate need of the money a transfer would bring and at the moment they're the only suitors for an asset Barca are willing to sell. For their part, those in power at the Nou Camp know how much United - and Ten Hag - want De Jong.
With the window only just open that leaves us with this game of brinksmanship, or as Dr Rob Wilson, a football finance expert from Sheffield Hallam University, puts it, "pistols at dawn" between United and Barcelona.
Barcelona are under tight salary controls from La Liga as a result of their significant debts and that has led to issues in signing players and some creative ways of getting around that burden on wages.
This summer they are set to sign Andreas Christensen and Franck Kessie on free transfers, but with just two weeks until their deals at Chelsea and AC Milan expire, Barcelona still cannot register them, despite the departure of Philippe Coutinho to Aston Villa.
"It was really grave last year," Wilson said of Barcelona's financial position. "Losses extended to about €1billion in the end, La Liga imposed this salary control and in January Barcelona’s reduced in January to just under €100million a year.
"When (Pierre-Emerick) Aubameyang went in January part of that deal was a much lower monthly salary but a bigger bonus at the end of the season if they managed to solve some of their financial irregularities.
"They’ve got two players going in this summer that they haven’t been able to register because of the issues they have around the salary control, which I guess in a way points to the financial pressure they’re under, so they have to sell and they have to get wages off their books before they bring anyone in.
"The longer you get into the window the more pressure that will put them under. I think that means there are a bit of pistols at dawn over De Jong. United know that Barca can’t do anything until they’ve removed some of these salary costs from their books.
"Barca have to move people out in order to bring people in. United need to rebuild significantly and they’ll see this as an opportunity to lowball them in order to keep their budget open for other players."
Speaking last month, Barcelona president Joan Laporta spoke of the need to sort the club's finances by the end of June, which would give them greater leeway with La Liga and more room to manoeuvre in the transfer market.
“We were in a very tight financial situation and that is the priority now. We have clearly worked very hard this year. If we can sort out the club’s finances before June 30, and I think we will, then we will be able to undertake all the operations we have planned," said Laporta.
Part of that plan involves the potential sale of sales in Barca Licencing and Merchandising and Barca Studios, but key to it as well will be easing the pressure on the wage bill and raising funds where possible in the transfer market.
While there has been some talk that United's pursuit of De Jong could drag on all summer, some Old Trafford sources haven't ruled out the possibility of a quick deal if all parties can come to an agreement and Laporta's intention to get the finances on an even keel by June 30 could give further hope to that possibility.
Barcelona have been linked with moves for Robert Lewandowski and Bernardo Silva, but at the moment they are unable to even register Christensen and Kessie. Under those salary controls, Barca need La Liga's permission to be able to bring those players on board.
That could also mean Barcelona's need for a deal for someone like De Jong becomes more pressing as the transfer window progresses.
It all points to a compromise being struck at some point and Wilson can see the negotiations eventually coming down to the structure of the deal.
"I think the point of real contention between United and Barca will be the add-ons. I think Barca will want a bigger upfront fee because it gives them more flexibility in the market and United will be saying we want a lower upfront fee and will build the add-ons into that," he said.
"I’ve seen reports that Ten Hag said it’s this week or we’ll move on to new targets. It’s a case of how much of that is a bit of posturing to Barcelona."
Sign up to our United newsletter so you never miss an update from Old Trafford this season.
