So it looks like bailing on the Verdu pursuit couldn't have gone any better for us. According to this article he is desperate to stay with Espanyol now that they should be able to stay in the top flight. We would have had to way out-bid his current club, not only to pry him away but also to beat out European suitors. It looks like he will be that girl athlete we always look at from afar but never get to play with.