COMMENT: It's utter humiliation for Florentino Perez and Real Madrid. How could you claim otherwise?
On local radio, there he was, all this week, banging on about naive Manchester United. It was Ed Woodward and his team of kids who cocked up the David de Gea deal. They were 'too inexperienced' to handle such an operation. And the ultimate slap in the face - this would never have happened with Sir Alex Ferguson and David Gill.
Florentino, knowing full well the heat Woodward was facing over United's blundering final days of the market, really turned the screw. The implication being this was men against boys. The pros against the amateurs. Why would De Gea want to stay with such an outfit when he could be turning out for the world's biggest club?
Even Louis van Gaal copped it. Sources inside Real pushing the line that it was the United manager who ultimately fumbled the deal, insisting on last minute 'good behaviour' clauses being agreed with Keylor Navas. The Costa Rican was due to move in the opposite direction, but Van Gaal's late, late demands (apparently) delayed the whole operation even further.
This is the line Florentino and Real have pedaled ever since midnight last Monday - with the assumption being that De Gea would leave these bumblers to join them some time in 2016.
Yet, this morning we wake to photos of De Gea, his agent Jorge Mendes and even family members at United's Carrington training complex yesterday. That new contract tabled earlier this year is due to be signed. £140,000-a-week - making the Spaniard the highest paid goalkeeper in the history of the game.
He could've walked out on United in June. Real Madrid were waiting with a big signing on bonus. Yet, the former Atletico Madrid keeper has turned his back on Florentino. Cristiano Ronaldo didn't. Gareth Bale couldn't. But Real just isn't as big a lure for De Gea.
There was no transfer request. There was no downing of tools. It was Van Gaal's choice not to select the Spaniard. De Gea's behaviour was exemplary throughout the saga. His family kept it buttoned. Mendes never spoke out. The only sign of frustration we could find was from girlfriend, Edurne Garcia. But even then it was a hot mic moment.
So often, Florentino has relied on the player's camp pushing the club to sell. Indeed, the Real president would proudly boast they'd never make a 'hostile' approach. Any negotiations, insisted Florentino, would only kickoff when a player made a public gesture about wanting to move to Real.
But De Gea refused to play ball - leaving Florentino to negotiate with Woodward without that card up his sleeve. United set their price. They never declared De Gea was not for sale - Van Gaal's actions made sure of that. Yet, when it came to the crunch, Real refused to go that extra mile for a goalkeeper destined to become the best in the world. Real's contract offer was also almost a third less than what United had offered for De Gea to renew.
Florentino relied on the pull of home and the prestige of Real Madrid. But events over the last 48 hours show this wasn't enough. De Gea wanted the move. As did his family. But Florentino's unwillingness to do what was needed has left De Gea feeling let down.
And Sergio Ramos' comment last week only exacerbated the frustration. The Real captain, who found himself in a similar situation earlier this season, basically told De Gea to 'move on'. "Nobody died," was Ramos' reaction to the deal's collapse last week. Words that left his Spain teammate smoldering - and further strengthening United's hand.
That's not to say all is rosy at Old Trafford. De Gea and Van Gaal's relationship has never been the best. The Spaniard knows his manager wanted to dump him for Navas last summer and has never forgotten.
But De Gea also knows Van Gaal isn't at United for the long-term. The manager is almost halfway through his three-year stay and again name checked Ryan Giggs as his successor at a supporters' function this week.
Where Sir Alex Ferguson still regrets announcing his retirement in 2002, Van Gaal's insistence that this will be his final contract has worked in United's favour. De Gea, no matter his differences with the manager, knows the situation won't last forever.
Florentino and Real are sure to try again. But the prospect of De Gea being Giggs' No1 keeper for season 2017/18 appears a lot more likely than a week ago.
