David Barnard has been a part of Chelsea Football Club since 2002, serving as the Director of Football Operations. During his time at the club, he has overseen the signing of over 3,000 players, ranging from young talents to world-class stars. However, one transfer deal in particular stands out as the most memorable for Barnard – the capture of Oriol Romeu from Barcelona in 2011.
In those days, before the advent of online contract signing, all deals had to be completed in person. Negotiations for Romeu’s transfer began while Barnard was in Malaysia, and continued while he was on a pre-season tour in Thailand. However, due to the time difference and the slow pace of negotiations, the deal was not completed until Barnard arrived in Hong Kong.
After wrapping up the deal, Barnard flew back to London to collect the paperwork. However, Romeu was playing in the U20s World Cup for Spain in Colombia at the time, so Barnard had to fly to South America to get the midfielder’s signature. When he arrived in Bogota, he was met by two armed guards who escorted him into his hotel. Later that evening, while watching TV in his room, Barnard saw a disturbing news report about bodies being thrown into a river. Fearing for his safety, he barricaded himself in his room and ate all the snacks from the minibar.
The next day, Barnard caught another flight to Manizales, where Spain U20s were playing, to finally get Romeu’s signature. Despite all the effort that went into securing his transfer, Romeu only played 33 games for Chelsea before leaving the club in 2015. He has since enjoyed a successful career with Southampton and currently plays for LaLiga side Girona.
Barnard’s story highlights the lengths that football clubs will go to in order to secure the services of a talented player. In the modern era, with online contract signing and instant communication, deals can be completed much more quickly and efficiently. However, the thrill of the chase and the satisfaction of finally getting a deal over the line are still as strong as ever.