When the transfer window is open, we’ve all took the opportunity to peer through it and seen a multi-million pound superstar footballer lying on an hospital bed hooked-up to all kinds of electronic gadgetry monitoring everything from pulse rate to brain waves and all points in between. It’s the pre-transfer medical. Smile on the face and thumbs up signal all is fine and dandy. Tomorrow morning the news is confirmed that your club has a new star player and the season ahead looks there for the taking. Sadly however, sometimes it doesn’t work out quite like that.

Even with an athlete supposedly in peak physical condition, a medical can reveal some kind of deep-rooted injury, or even worse an illness that would make any signing perilous at best, a disaster at worst. The medical is failed. Doctor, rather than computer, says no. The deal is off. Months of work and intricate negotiation are suddenly deposited in the nearest bin. There’s no arguing however. Doctor knows best.

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