Two days news came through via many sources, such as The Guardian for example, that Jordan Rhodes was on the move from Blackburn Rovers to Middlesbrough, a fee reported to be in the region of £9m changing hands for the in-demand striker.
Rhodes travelled to Teesside with Blackburn’s express permission, missing Rovers’ 3-0 defeat of Oxford United in the Fourth Round of the FA Cup.
It all seemed so cut and dried a deal; fee agreed, both clubs happy, player travelling for a medical, it seemed that nothing could go wrong. Come Monday the newspapers woulkd have Jordan Rhodes proudly wearing the red shirt of Middlesbrough and fans on Teesside rejoicing at the fact that Boro had a proven and bona fide goalscorer to push them towards the heady heights of the Premier League and a share of the £5bn riches of the new TV deal starting next season.
Except it wasn’t to be.
Around an hour ago, media sources, such as Sky Sports, began to report that the ‘nailed on’ transfer of the Blackburn hitman was not going to be and that Jordan Rhodes was destined to be still a Blackburn player come next week. Rumours quickly began to fly as to the whys and wherefores of what could have gone so wrong that the plug was pulled by Middlesbrough, something that the Gazette shine an explanatory light on in one article by Anthony Vickers.
In his article, Vickers opens up rather plainly with the simple fact that Boro had “dramatically” pulled the plug on the deal “after the price rose too high.” The fee of £9m wasn’t the problem, so it seemed, nor was the length of contract with Middlesbrough willing to take on his “lucrative” deal at Blackburn – which included an automati pomotion pay rise – and were even prepared to add on a further year to the deal Rhodes had with Blackburn.
The problem came with the thrashing out of personal terms with Rhodes and his representatives. When all was considered, what with “wages, built in pay-rises and bonuses,” the costs spiralled out of control and “the deal on the table grew too expensive for chairman Steve Gibson to sanction.” Vickers adds that the deal that was being demanded would have meant that Boro would have to “invest a figure heading towards a total of £30m” over the duration of what would have been a four-and-a-half year deal for the striker.
That was it. Jordan Rhodes suddenly became too expensive for Middlesbrough, if a deal had gone through it would shatter the club’s pay structure, and returned to Lancashire still a Blackburn player.
In situations like this, a barometer of football fans’ reactions is always found over on Twitter where relief, bewilderment and sarcasm sit neatly next to each other just awaiting opportunities like this one.
Some Rhodes lead to nowhere as deal falls through with Middlesbrough
This Middlesbrough fan leaves very little to infer and is brutally upfront about their feelings on the whole situation.
https://twitter.com/geepjay99/status/693830749628203008
The aspect of ‘greed’ is also supported by other football fans on Twitter.
https://twitter.com/EdwardHall24/status/693830736168747008
For some Blackburn fans, there is a seething sense of anger at the fact that they think their team has been ‘played’ by Middlesbrough.
Thank you @Boro for dicking @OneRovers around. It's often wise to check players wages first. Hope you stay down now #Rhodes
— Simon Sweetman 🇺🇦 (@sjsbrfc) January 31, 2016
Whist other Blackburn fans are more worried about the potential disharmony that might occur as part of the fallout from the failed deal.
We've got an unsettled striker playing for a club he doesn't want to be at under a manager who doesn't want him there. Great. #BRFC #Rhodes
— Chris Martin (@ChrisMartin_93) January 31, 2016
One Blackburn fan thinks that it’s a case of surreptitious and underhand gamesmanship on the part of Boro.
I reckon Boro did this all along just to unsettle a fellow promotion rival in the vital run-in…#Rhodes #Rovers
— Ian Herbert (@ianherbert) January 31, 2016
However, it doesn’t take long for the anger to dissipate and for the sparks of humour to shine through the bitterness and anger of others.
Live pics of Jordan #Rhodes & his agent driving from #Boro back to Lancashire after trying to play Steve Gibson #UTB pic.twitter.com/tkY9vnRrJD
— Andy Gatenby (@andrewgatenby) January 31, 2016
This vein of mirth and merriment is carried on by others who also have a little sarky dig at another player ‘affected’ by the dropped deal.
#lufc Ross McCormack breathes a sigh of relief as Jordan Rhodes' move to Middlesbrough collapses. Sits by his 'phone patiently!
— LEEDS UNITED MAD ⚽ (@LeedsUnited_MAD) January 31, 2016
And even sports presenters on the radio are getting a few sly digs in.
Any truth to the rumour that Rhodes' personal terms included not having to live in Middlesbrough?
— Jake Katborg (@Gotfaceforradio) January 31, 2016
In all seriousness, it appears that the old adage is holding true that it ain’t over until the fat lady sings. Whilst there are no fat ladies singing up on Teesside at the moment, it just goes to prove that nothing is final until the ink is dried on the dotted line.