One of Comunio's greatest pleasures

The perfect signing exists, and it costs exactly his market value

There are little pleasures in life that can't be explained. Finding 20 euros in a pair of trousers, dreaming you've shat yourself and then realising it was only a dream, or a nice cold beer in July.

But for a proper Comunio addict, nothing beats opening the market and discovering that Comunio, you've signed that player you wanted so badly for his market value. NOT A PENNY MORE!

Because you'd already made your mind up. You'd studied his stats, his recent matches and even what he had for breakfast on Tuesday. You were ready to pay two or three million more, but you decided to take the risk and bid exactly his price.

And the miracle happened.

At that moment you feel like a mix of Monchi, Florentino Pérez and Warren Buffett. You've just pulled off the biggest robbery in the market without committing any crime.

Signing him is good, but rubbing it in your rivals' faces is even better

Because landing such a bargain is brilliant, but announcing it in the community WhatsApp group is practically a moral duty.

First you send the screenshot with a modest comment:

"Well, another little signing at market price. Not bad 😂".

The group goes quieter than an eight-seater table when the waiter asks if the bill is going together.

Best of all is when the usual rival pipes up and says: "He's a donkey".

That's when you know it's hurt him. And that's priceless.

From Ballon d'Or to -2 in a single matchday

Of course, your signing hasn't even played a minute yet and you're already doing the sums.

"This lad is nailed on to start." "Six points a matchday guaranteed." "He'll be worth double in two weeks."

But the weekend comes round. Your new star starts on the bench, comes on in the 83rd minute, loses two balls and picks up a yellow card.

Result: -2 points.

And then the WhatsApp group, which had been suspiciously quiet for two days, springs back into life.

"Was this the bargain? 😂". "When are they giving him the Ballon d'Or?" They're firing off GIFs straight away and nobody had replied in the group about your signing.

And you reply with whatever dignity you've got left: "You have to be patient, it's a long-term investment".

Even though you're already checking how much the market will offer you for him.

Because winning Comunio is all well and good, but signing a player at market price when you'd have happily paid a fortune for him, and being able to boast about it in front of your mates, is one of those pleasures that keeps us hooked on this blessed game.

And you, what's been your biggest market-price bargain? Did it end up being a brilliant signing or did you sell him two weeks later?

Personally, that happened to me not long ago with Pablo García...