If you set a deadline for doing a deal, and the deadline passes without a deal being done then you have to walk away. If you don’t then you risk losing all your negotiating authority. So, Corinthians have done the right thing by pulling their offer as it became apparent that the deal would not get done in time.

Now, when and if the deal is revived in the January window, Man City know that when Corinthians negotiate they mean what they say.

The danger for Corinthians is that Tevez gets sold in the meantime during the remainder of the European window. Certainly he is going to be one unhappy hombre back at Eastlands. But where else could he go? He has stated publicly that he wants to go back to South America. So, is a move to another European club likely? Even if he changes his mind on that score there can’t be many clubs who could afford the fee and the wages – Inter Milan? It sounds unlikely. Barcelona? They don’t need him. Real Madrid? Possibly, though they already have a surfeit of expensive attacking players.

So, maybe Corinthians have played this about right. If it gets to the January window, Man City will take what Corinthians say more seriously next time.

For Man City, a good short-term “fix” might be to loan Tevez out to someone until January (say Inter) with a view to a potential transfer in the next window. That would keep him away from the club until the next tranfer window – something that is surely desirable for Tevez. It would be desirable for City too, who get an unhappy player and a huge wage bill off their books, and leave open the possibility of a competitive bid when Corinthians come back in January.