On floor 22 of the Pan Pacific Hotel in downtown Singapore, as Eddie Howe spoke for the first time about his want-away star striker Alexander Isak, it felt like the reality of the situation for Newcastle United and their supporters was crashing all the way to the gilded lobby below.
You see, for Isak to stay at Newcastle, he will need a fat new contract as a minimum.
‘As far as I'm aware, I don't think there are any contract talks taking place at the moment,’ said Howe.
The penny was by now hurtling towards the lobby.