These are the figures at play. The 27-year-old playmaker is contracted to the Eels for $940,000 next season. The Dragons salary cap is so tight for 2019 they can only pay him $510,000, despite releasing Kurt Mann to Newcastle. They can afford to pay Norman $800,000 in 2020. Norman wanted the Eels to pay $300,000 for him to play elsewhere next year and argued this was a fair amount considering the club has been shopping him around for the past five months to other clubs. A swap with disillusioned Warriors halfback Shaun Johnson was mooted, but he ultimately signed with the Sharks instead. Wing man: Dragons fullback Matt Dufty could be moved to the wing in 2019 to make room for Corey Norman. Credit:AAP

The Eels compromised and have now offered to pay $250,000. Norman wants $270,000 and is standing firm. While the Dragons expect Norman to be their five-eighth next year, nothing is going to happen until the stand-off with Parramatta ends. Parramatta head of football Mark O’Neill was not prepared to comment on the finances involved in the deal, but told The Sun-Herald: "As we speak right now, Corey Norman remains contracted to Parramatta.'' Bizarrely, Norman said his farewells to his teammates at training on Friday. Earlier this week, Eels coach Brad Arthur made it clear that Mitchell Moses would be their preferred playmaker in 2019. The Dragons are not commenting because they say the impasse is between Norman and Parramatta, not them. Norman’s manager, Paul Sutton, is on holidays in Bali.