When Gao Shen entered the conference room, he saw Haaland's father, Alf-Inge Haaland, sitting at the table, going through the materials that Leeds United had carefully prepared for him.
"Mr. Gao," the elder Haaland turned around as soon as he heard the sound.
Seeing Gao Shen enter, he immediately stood up and greeted him warmly.
"Hey, I'm so glad you came, buddy."
The two shook hands and hugged like old friends, chatting casually for a while.
Since Haaland joined Leeds United's youth academy, his father had been living in Leeds to accompany his son as he grew.
To further strengthen their relationship, Gao Shen had specifically included him in the list of Leeds United legends, inviting him to all club events to elevate his status within the club's history.
Many people thought Leeds United was giving special treatment to Erling Haaland because of what happened in the past, and because of the injury that Roy Keane's tackle had caused.
Little did they know that Gao Shen had a bigger plan in mind.
That was why the Haaland family was now extremely grateful to him.
"Let's get down to business first," Gao Shen said, gesturing for Haaland to sit.
There was a pile of materials in front of them, including Leeds United's special training plan designed to further strengthen Haaland's condition, as well as preliminary conclusions drawn by Buenaventura and the medical team. Experts from Oxford University had even been hired to conduct in-depth research.
The document Haaland Sr. was reading was from Leeds United, containing the concept of the "era of the super striker" that Gao Shen had mentioned at the UEFA Elite Coaches Summit in September. At first glance, it seemed to be talking about his son.
Haaland Sr. had been genuinely surprised when Gao Shen mentioned the idea of a super striker in his speech, but he admired him greatly and felt a hint of anticipation. As a former professional player who had experienced the traditional era, he understood what that meant.
His era had stars like Vieri, Batistuta, Crespo, Bierhoff, and later Drogba, a constellation of exceptional talent.
However, from Gao Shen's vision, it was clear that his expectations for Haaland went beyond those predecessors. He believed Haaland would create a new era of super strikers that belonged solely to him.
Of course, the text never mentioned anyone by name, but Haaland Sr. felt it was referring to his son.
"At the time, Ceferin called me on short notice and asked me to give a speech. I didn't know what to say, so I just shared some of my thoughts. But those were my true thoughts."
After explaining this, Gao Shen looked at him and said, "I can say with certainty that in today's football world, no one understands Erling's value and potential better than me and Leeds United."
Haaland Sr. was surprised at first but then nodded.
If he hadn't read Gao Shen's speech, he might still have doubts. But after reading it, everything became clearer. Gao Shen truly held his son in high regard.
"You know, Alf, at 19, a professional player's journey is just beginning. He's like a blank canvas. Of course, there are already outlines on that canvas, but every step from here on is crucial."
"It's not just about technical or tactical development, but also about injuries."
Both Gao Shen and the technical team believed that Haaland should continue to improve his heading and refine his finishing with both feet. More importantly, he needed to develop his ability to play with his back to goal.
"You were a professional player during that era, Alf, so I believe you share some of the same feelings. Many players could have developed better, but they took the wrong path."
Gao Shen cited Adriano and Lukaku as examples.
Both were center forwards.
Adriano was known for his monster-like physique, solid fundamentals, and explosive power.
At first glance, he looked quite similar to Lukaku now.
Lukaku was even more unconventional than Adriano, leaning closer to the winger role. He disliked physical contact with defenders, which led to a strange situation at Inter Milan in Gao Shen's previous life.
Standing at 1.91 meters with the physique of a beast, Lukaku played as a second striker and winger, while Lautaro Martínez, only 1.74 meters tall, played as the center forward, carrying the defenders. The sight was simply absurd.
Lukaku's struggles at Manchester United and Chelsea were also connected to his playing style.
Adriano's approach was similar, though he operated more centrally.
Gao Shen had always believed that players like Adriano and Lukaku, who possessed such physical strength, could take their careers to another level if they mastered playing with their backs to goal.
Of course, developing that skill was not easy.
The coaching staff could arrange special training programs and supportive measures, but the key lay with the player himself. If the player resisted, nothing could be done.
Take Lukaku for example. Any coach who had managed him probably tried to make him play as a proper center forward, but he consistently resisted. So there was nothing anyone could do.
Sometimes, this was exactly how conflicts between players and coaches arose.
It was like the disagreements students had with teachers when they were young. The teacher would warn them to study hard, or they would face problems in the future, but the students would think, "You're being too nosy."
Haaland was currently at a similar crossroads as Adriano and Lukaku.
He completely agreed with Gao Shen's point. If he could develop his back-to-goal skills, it would greatly broaden his career and open up an entirely new dimension for him.
With his current ability, once he mastered that skill, he could become a complete forward, nearly impossible to defend.
But that brought another issue.
"What about injuries? Too much physical contact could lead to more injuries and affect his career," Haaland Sr. asked bluntly.
That was a valid concern.
Throughout his career, Drogba had been plagued by injuries.
Almost all physically dominant strikers were prone to them.
That was also why many forwards, like Lukaku, preferred not to play as the main striker.
No one was foolish. If such a physically demanding role had no risks, why wouldn't everyone play it?
Moreover, that style of play was exhausting.
Who wanted to spend an entire match in constant physical battles with defenders?
Who didn't want to play comfortably?
Lukaku preferred running to the wings, troubling full-backs, and padding his stats.
Gao Shen appreciated Haaland's honesty.
Leeds United had top-level expertise in this area, including partner medical institutions, team doctors, rehabilitation and physiotherapy teams, and advanced injury prevention systems. Leeds United's support infrastructure was second to none in professional football, even in global sports.
Gao Shen believed Leeds United could provide Haaland with the most comprehensive medical and injury prevention support to minimize risks.
In fact, blindly pursuing a shock-based playing style could also increase injury risk.
Leeds United had specifically analyzed Haaland's running form and hip flexors and found potential risks. Problems could easily arise over time if left unaddressed.
"I can say without exaggeration that if we at Leeds United can't manage it in terms of medical care and injury prevention, then no other sports club in Europe or even the world can."
Gao Shen spoke with complete confidence.
That was the source of Leeds United's strength.
Should Haaland stay in his comfort zone and become a stronger version of Lukaku?
Or should he step out, challenge his limits, and become a phenomenal star?
That was the question.
Neither Gao Shen nor Haaland Sr. could answer it. Only Haaland himself could.
Gao Shen didn't want to discuss it with Haaland's agent, as he wanted to avoid miscommunication. He trusted Haaland's father, just as the Haaland family trusted him.
"I'll take these materials with me and talk to him when I get back."
Haaland Sr. gathered the documents on the table. "In any case, we'll issue a statement soon, possibly tonight, to reaffirm our commitment to the club."
"Thank you," Gao Shen said with a smile, extending his hand.
After shaking hands, Haaland Sr. expressed his deep gratitude.
He knew that for Leeds United's manager to handle his son's situation personally was the greatest affirmation and a show of sincerity.
If Gao Shen didn't take it seriously, he could have easily delegated it to his staff. There was no need for him to step in himself.
After seeing Haaland Sr. off, Gao Shen returned to his office and immediately held a meeting with Lucas, Borrell, and others.
Haaland was going to issue a clarification reaffirming his loyalty to Leeds United, and the club needed to respond quickly to calm the external rumors.
Sometimes, transfer rumors gained momentum until they became reality.
No fan wanted to see their star player constantly surrounded by transfer talk.
Fans were easily influenced by the media. If the club didn't step up with proper public relations and allowed speculation to spread, it would ultimately harm both the players and the supporters.
That was why, in many cases, the club had to protect its players.
Moreover, calming the situation would also help maintain stability in the dressing room, which was crucial for the team.
(To be continued.)