Following speculation in the Spanish press that Reyes is set for a move to Madrid in the summer, a DJ at Spanish radio station Cadena Cope (a kind of equivalent of TalkSport) rang him pretending to be Real sporting director Emilio Butragueno.

The full translation (of what's been published) is below. On the face of it it looks bad for the player, and he's certainly guilty of being indiscreet (at the very least, you'd get hold of a phone number to call back on, surely). But let's put it in context:

Emilio Butregueno is something of a hero in Spain, and Real Madrid are a big club in that country like none other. Most English people can have little concept of what an honour it would be for a Spaniard (a non-Catalan, at least) to have Butragueno and Real interested in them. What's he supposed to do when they call? Put it this way, even if he doesn't want to go there just yet, probably the only people he'd not say that to are Real themselves. And as Wenger points out, Reyes may be down at the moment because he's not playing in every game, and he's missed some biggies.

Possibly the most damaging aspect of the hoax was Reyes' saying that he "plays with some bad people" at Arsenal. Before anyone concludes that Reyes is slagging off his teammates it's important to realise that this is a translation of a Spanish idiom. It's a figure of speech that's there to emphasize how good the Real players are. Hopefully he'll be able to explain this to his Arsenal colleagues!

Reyes is said to be considering suing the radio station, and has sinec issued the following statement through Rodriguez:

"It's obvious I'm angry with the radio station about what happened but I have no other comment to make. I have seen stories in the media linking me with Real Madrid. Of course, it's flattering. But not only am I under contract at Arsenal, I am happy here and committed to helping the team win more trophies."

It's also worth noting that the text that's been published is clearly not the whole thing. The start is missing, for one thing. Note also that Reyes' agent says something incongruous at the "start" about assuming that Real have spoken with Arsenal. It seems fair to assume that Reyes did not go into this believing that he was talking to Real behind Arsenal's backs (see also additional comments below, after the translation).

I'm sure that many Arsenal fans will react far more critically and I understand and respect that. But at a time like this, when the team seem to be starting to rediscover some form, and when the media (and Chelsea) seem more determined than ever to undermine the dressing room and the terraces, it seems to me that we need to do all we can to show that those efforts will be in vain.

Anyway, here's the "full" translation...

DJ (impersonating Emilio Butrageņo): The subject would be that Owen leaves. We want to close the deal now.
Reyes Agent (Jaime Rodriguez): You really have caught me off-side. I've spoken with Paco de Gracia (Madrid's Chief Scout) who's told me that they'll call me if anything needs to be said. I'm assuming that you've spoken with Arsenal. I'll await your call.

The joke goes on as the impersonator calls Reyes. His mother picks up the phone.

DJ: Reyes, how are you?
Reyes: How are you Emilio? I'm really well.
DJ: You know that this is moving forward. You aren't ok in London?
R: We aren't ok here. We've got to say things as they are.
DJ: Our interest for you is clear. We need somebody on the left. Raul has said that it has to be you.
R: I'm happy that he's said that. I get very well with him.
DJ: You interested in Madrid?
R: Oh yeah, I've always wanted to go there. If only I could though.
DJ: If they ask you, deny everything. You happy with that?
R: Very happy. I've wanted to play for Real Madrid since I was a kid. I like the way they play.
DJ: We want to meet in a discreet restaurant, like Txistu. I can imagine you with Zidane.
R: If only. I play with bad people for f*ck sake!
S: You'd bring desire to the dressing room.
R: Desire for sure.
S: London must be a pain.
R: Tell me about it. The family is like...
S: And the food is awful, right?
R: As I have the family here, the food is Spanish.
S: I think that I've made you very happy tonight?
R: For sure, and more (in the background you hear Reyes mum emphasise: Happy for life!!).

This was translated by Julio, who has since found the full audio file. He confirms the feeling that this was a case of city folk taking the piss out of a country boy, and that all the published transcripts we've seen so far are very much edited. For example, in the audio file it appears that the agent is doing things pretty much by the book (although even if he believed that Real had spoken to Arsenal, perhaps he should have got confirmation from Arsenal). Also, quite a lot of the time the hoaxer put words into Reyes' mouth.