Barclays has already this summer demonstrated the emotional detachment required to make the toughest business decisions by selling its beloved asset management arm.
Having waved goodbye to BGI, it now has to contemplate the possibility of the end of a beautiful friendship with England’s favourite cricketer formed way back in 2004.
Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff is midway through his valedictory Test series, doing what he does best – taking on the Australians in the Ashes.
But as he bows out from Test cricket at the end of the series, Barclays Capital may be wondering which England star it could sponsor next.
No one in the England team matches Flintoff’s talismanic status, his charisma and his enjoyment of a refreshment or two. So to help Barclays with its unenviable position, Euromoney runs the rule over the most likely candidates.
A like-for-like replacement could be Stuart Broad, but his bowling is nowhere near as penetrative.
Andrew Strauss would surely be a safe choice, but maybe he lacks sufficient star quality? How about Kevin Pietersen? Well, according to informed sources, it’s unlikely that England’s injured batsman would fit the profile required by BarCap.