September 18, Leeds Amazonas Stadium.
In the first round of the Champions League Group B, defending champions Leeds United hosted Belgium's Genk.
Right after kick-off, Leeds United took advantage of their home ground and launched a fierce offensive. Haaland, starting up front, was especially active.
Just one minute into the match, after an attack down the left flank failed, the team recycled the ball and reorganized.
After stabilizing possession, Jonahan spotted a gap and threaded a pass to Sancho near the edge of the penalty area.
After controlling the ball and shaking off his marker, the English winger slipped a through ball into the box before the defender could react. Haaland arrived right on time and calmly poked the ball past the goalkeeper to give Leeds United a 1-0 lead!
Leeds United continued launching wave after wave of attacks on Genk.
In the 33rd minute, Leeds intercepted the ball in midfield. Sancho dropped back to receive it and sent a long ball over the top.
Valverde sprinted forward, jostling with the defender. Just before going to ground, he poked a cross-field pass into space.
Haaland burst through the middle like lightning, surged forward, took the ball in stride, and calmly slotted it into the net with his left foot. 2-0!
That was his second!
Shortly afterward, Leeds United regained possession in the attacking third. Bruno Fernandes delivered a brilliant pass to set Haaland up for a one-on-one finish, making it 3-0!
Hat trick!
In the 34th minute, Haaland received the ball with his back to goal in the final third. He turned and chipped the ball behind him, right into Sancho's path. Sancho broke free and slotted the ball into the net for 4-0!
Just before halftime, Grealish broke down the left side of the penalty area, suddenly stopped and curled a right-footed shot to the far post.
Haaland met the ball at the far post with a calm header. 5-0!
A four-goal celebration!
The Amazon Stadium erupted in a deafening roar.
...
"Haaland! Haaland!"
The chants rang out through the stadium.
As the halftime whistle blew and both teams walked off the pitch, the entire crowd at Leeds United stood up to applaud the young forward and chant his name in unison.
It was deafening. Absolutely breathtaking!
Gao Shen, Su Qing, Lucas, Borrell, and others were all seated in the stands, watching Haaland interact with the fans.
The tall Norwegian center forward had delivered an astonishing performance tonight.
Gao Shen stared at the pitch in disbelief.
A four-goal celebration!
He was only 19 years old.
Back in August, when the Champions League draw paired Leeds United with Borussia Dortmund, Olympiacos, and Genk, Gao Shen had recalled that in his previous life, Haaland's first Champions League match was against Genk—and he had scored a hat trick.
Was history about to repeat itself?
To Gao Shen's surprise, not only did history not repeat itself, it became even more dramatic.
Four goals and an assist!
"Tell me, should we be happy now? Or…" Gao Shen smiled bitterly.
Although, it wasn't exactly a bitter smile. He was still smiling quite happily.
Because it was simply unexpected.
But alongside the joy, there were some concerns.
This kid is developing way too fast!
Gao Shen really hadn't seen it coming.
Four goals of different styles—a complete display. Both feet and a header.
"When Rooney made his Champions League debut, he scored a hat trick and had an assist. Although this isn't Haaland's first Champions League appearance, four goals and an assist puts him among the best U20 players ever," Borrell laughed.
Those around him nodded in agreement. It was a fact.
In Champions League history, very few U20 players had managed a hat trick. To score four goals was likely a first.
Even more impressively, Haaland scored all four in the first half. That was even more remarkable.
If you think about it, not just at the U20 level, even among seasoned professionals, Gao Shen couldn't recall anyone else doing that.
Given Leeds United's current form, Gao Shen could already imagine how much praise Haaland would receive after tonight's match—but that might not be a good thing for the club.
Haaland had been with Leeds United since he was nine, a true product of the academy. After his breakout last season, the club quickly renewed his contract and raised his salary, but now it seemed that might still not be enough.
This kid's progress is too fast. He's like a gifted troublemaker reincarnated.
It was entirely predictable that he'd start drawing attention from top clubs. Some might even try to poach him outright, which was something Leeds United had to be prepared for.
As the celebrations continued, Gao Shen's expression drew attention.
Su Qing and the others, who knew him best, quickly understood what he was worried about.
Jack Ma once said that the reasons people leave their jobs can be complex, but the two most honest ones are: they're not paid enough, and they feel unappreciated.
In the end, it all comes down to one thing: they're not happy.
The same is true for today's footballers.
The better a player performs, the higher the price a club has to pay to keep them.
"Haaland cannot leave!" Gao Shen said firmly after a moment's thought.
Su Qing, Lucas, and Borrell were momentarily stunned, trying to catch up with his leap in logic.
But then they understood.
Leeds United wasn't what it used to be.
They were now Champions League holders, ranked in the top five in Premier League commercial revenue, but they still lacked a true star to lead the club's branding.
Haaland was undoubtedly the best candidate right now.
Based on his current performances, give it another year—or maybe just six months—and he could replace Vardy. At that point, he would be Leeds United's cornerstone.
The club could build its commercial empire around him.
The better Haaland performed, the more Leeds would gain in return.
More importantly, Leeds United had changed their strategy.
After selling so many players this past summer, they weren't planning on selling anyone easily anymore. If they could hold on to Haaland, it would send a clear message to the world: Leeds United was no longer a feeder club.
Even if you have money, don't even think about poaching Leeds United's players!
And what better way to show that than with action?
"Understood. I'll set up a meeting with his agent," Lucas said.
Gao Shen shook his head. "Make an appointment with his father. Tell him I want to meet him."
Haaland's father had always lived in Leeds to be with his son. While his agent handled most affairs, his father had enormous influence on him.
More importantly, Gao Shen had a strong relationship with the family.
Back then, it was Gao Shen who discovered Haaland in a small Norwegian village and brought him to Leeds—leading to the player's rise today.
Both Haaland and his father had publicly expressed their gratitude to Gao Shen. Haaland had even once said that, aside from his family, the person he trusted most was Gao Shen.
Under such circumstances, Gao Shen's personal involvement would better express the club's sincerity.
Of course, the club couldn't rely on gratitude alone. That would backfire. Over time, it would create resentment and distance in the relationship.
So they had to show real sincerity, and even be proactive in offering more.
"Since he was promoted to the first team, we've sold over 300,000 jerseys," Su Qing suddenly said.
That showed Haaland had immense commercial value.
A crucial point: Haaland was white, which was a significant market advantage.
He might not be traditionally handsome—in fact, some might even call him a bit odd-looking—but he had a likable personality. With the help of his team and some smart marketing, his public image could easily be enhanced.
Remember, even someone like Ronaldinho generated huge commercial returns. Haaland would have no problem doing the same.
"Real Madrid is focused on building up Mbappe. We'll push Haaland," Gao Shen said with a smile.
"The new legendary duo?" Su Qing asked.
"Understood!" Lucas nodded.
After all, the so-called "greatest duo of all time"—Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi—was a result of clever marketing.
Not to say they weren't worthy, but the massive advertising and promotion played a big role.
From Real Madrid and Barcelona to La Liga, UEFA, and FIFA, everyone had marketed them. Even the global media and fans had embraced the rivalry.
Now, with Ronaldo and Messi aging, world football needed a new generation of idols.
Neymar, pushed by PSG, wasn't quite ready. Ligue 1 wasn't an ideal platform either.
Erling Haaland (Premier League), Kylian Mbappe (La Liga).
Just saying it made the concept sound more refined.
"Prepare a business plan. The technical team should also create a detailed training program, and integrate the physical development plans that Buenaventura and Pintus designed for him."
Leeds United was providing Haaland with top-tier treatment.
Gao Shen even saw him as a future super center and was working to mold him into the perfect player.
He was left-footed, but his right foot was solid. Heading used to be a weakness, but he'd improved significantly.
The only thing still lacking was his back-to-goal play.
Haaland still played more like Adriano or Lukaku—charging forward head-on. But that wouldn't be enough.
As a center forward, without the ability to play with your back to goal, your ceiling is limited.
Gao Shen wanted to use this opportunity to help him develop that skill.
There were also his sprinting mechanics. Buenaventura observed that Haaland leaned forward and bent low when sprinting.
That had benefits: a lower center of gravity, quicker steps, faster acceleration.
Just like professional sprinters, whose bodies lean forward.
But it also came with downsides: more pressure on the knees and a higher risk of hip flexor injuries.
Currently, the Leeds United medical team, led by Buenaventura, was conducting a full evaluation of Haaland's condition.
If it could be corrected and improved, all the better. If not, they'd have to adjust his sprinting form, which might reduce his speed due to his size.
But even so, it was still better than dealing with frequent injuries.
Gao Shen believed this would be a key point to persuade Haaland and his team.
It was important to note that in all of European football, Leeds United was second to none in injury prevention and rehabilitation.
(To be continued.)