‘Newcastle also provided Duff with a five-year contract and a salary understood to be in the region of £70,000 a week. Indeed Newcastle's renowned generosity when it comes to player remuneration perhaps partly explains why they secured the Irish international's services ahead of several domestic and foreign suitors including Tottenham.'
At his press conference yesterday Duff told journalists at St James' Park: "As a Chelsea player I couldn't have joined Spurs."
More like, "As a Chelsea player I couldn't have joined a club who offered me a significantly smaller salary." A deal with Spurs for Duff, who had one year remaining on his Stamford Bridge contract, was widely reported to have been close to completion just over a week ago.
The price quoted in the press at the time was double what Tottenham actually offered, and what Newcastle eventually signed him for at the weekend.