As they left the meeting and stepped into the lift, Hugo Viana couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"Ten million euros is a lot of money - are you sure about that?" he asked Sporting president Frederico Varandas.
It was March 2020, and Sporting director of football Viana was referring to untested manager Ruben Amorim's Braga buyout clause.
Varandas had no doubts whatsoever. And neither did Viana, who will replace Txiki Begiristain as Manchester City's director of football next season.
Viana thought it was his job to raise the question though, considering Amorim's lack of managerial experience in senior football.