Cheshire, England.
Since signing a professional contract with Leeds United, Haaland had rented a house in Cheshire and moved his entire family in. After renewing his contract, he simply bought the house.
At this moment, in his home study, Haaland sat opposite his father.
On the desk between them lay a stack of documents that the elder Haaland had brought back from the AXA Center.
The blond youth sat with his legs crossed, staring at his father with a defiant smile that carried a hint of arrogance.
After hearing his father's serious words, Haaland replied without hesitation, "I want to try."
Old Haaland looked at his son in surprise. He had expected him to at least think it over.
But Haaland grinned, bit his lip slightly, and said confidently, "There's no need to think about it. So many players dream of this opportunity, so I have to give it a shot."
The young Norwegian clasped his hands together in front of his chest, his legs trembling slightly. "A super center, that's tempting, isn't it?"
Haaland Sr. knew his son too well. He had already guessed what his choice would be.
Many people thought Haaland was cheerful, humble, and easygoing with his teammates, but deep down, there was an extremely strong competitive fire in his heart.
He never believed he had lost to anyone.
Sometimes, Haaland even wondered if Gao Shen's words from back then had pushed him forward or even changed him completely. Otherwise, why would he be so determined to become the best?
Take Mbappe, for example.
The world praised Mbappe endlessly. Even last season, Haaland played with him often, passing to each other and exchanging praise in the media.
But privately, Haaland had said more than once that he would never lose to Mbappe.
Many people were surprised by Haaland's five consecutive goals in the Premier League, but his father wasn't.
Because he knew how much Haaland had sacrificed behind the scenes.
"This path is difficult and demanding. You know this style of play often leads to injuries."
Haaland seemed to recall something and let out a long sigh, trying to pull himself together.
"For professional athletes, injuries are part of the game. Minor injuries aren't a problem, but serious ones are dangerous."
"What's there to worry about? We have the best medical team and injury prevention system in the world," Haaland said, shrugging.
"Last season, I injured my ligament, and you were worried for a long time. But in the end, Lorenzo handled it, and it was fine, right? I feel great now, even better than before the injury."
That had happened at the end of October last season. Lorenzo Buenaventura personally oversaw Haaland's recovery and got him back on the pitch within two weeks. He then designed an intensive training plan tailored for him.
Haaland knew that was true.
In this respect, Leeds United was absolutely second to none.
"You have to believe me, I don't want to just drift through life. I want to become the best player in the world, and right now, I don't think there's a better platform for me than Leeds United."
Old Haaland looked at his son, feeling both familiar and distant.
Haaland had always been strong-willed, becoming more independent as he grew. Once he set his mind on something, he would see it through, no matter how hard it was.
He wanted to be the best in the world, and he would give everything for it, even if it meant getting bruised along the way. If one day Leeds United could no longer meet his ambitions, he would move on.
But for now, he wanted to stay.
That suddenly reminded the elder Haaland of his own childhood.
When he played football in his small hometown, he often faced older and stronger opponents without fear, fighting against them and sometimes knocking them down.
Most of the time, he was defeated.
But each time, he got back up.
From that moment, he knew he was born to be a winner.
He might be knocked down, but he would never stay down.
Haaland Sr. sighed deeply, the memories still vivid in his mind, as if they had just happened yesterday.
...
"Transfer to Manchester United?"
The next day, after training, Leeds United arranged for Haaland to be interviewed by The Sun.
When asked by reporters, the young Norwegian laughed. "That's not in my plans."
"I've never thought about leaving Leeds United, not before, not now, and not in the foreseeable future. As for the distant future, I don't know. The world is always changing."
Haaland said he was very grateful to Leeds United because he had been there for ten years.
"I joined Leeds United when I was nine years old. I grew up here and trained here. I'm like a child of Leeds United. I'm very thankful to the club and the fans for everything they've done for me. So now I just want to win more for Leeds United to repay them."
"I still have a long contract with the club, and I'm not leaving."
Haaland's firm declaration spread quickly through The Sun.
Meanwhile, Leeds United CEO Fernando Lucas gave an interview to the BBC, stating publicly that Haaland would definitely stay and play for many years to come.
"I met with his agent, and he promised there won't be any trouble. Right now, the best option for Haaland is to stay at Leeds United because he believes he can win everything here."
Lucas emphasized that all transfer rumors about Haaland were false, and the club had no intention of selling him.
"I've said it many times, and I can say it again: he will definitely stay at Leeds United."
"Now we just hope he won't be affected by the rumors and can stay relaxed and in top condition."
Lucas also responded to questions about Sancho.
The young Englishman had been outstanding this season, mainly due to his change in role and tactical position, which had directly led to his breakout.
Lucas revealed that this was fully within the club's expectations.
"In fact, we were mentally prepared for this before the season started. He's an exceptional player."
As a homegrown talent with remarkable performances this season, Sancho had caught the eye of many top clubs. But Lucas made it clear that Leeds United would not let him go.
"We'll tell them, no."
Haaland's father also spoke to the media in an interview arranged by Leeds United, saying that he and his son had discussed not only his future but also the club's direction.
"As the double champions of the Premier League and the Champions League last season, Leeds United is undoubtedly one of the best teams in the world. The grass isn't greener anywhere else."
"I told him that when you're in a good environment, when your teammates, coaches, and everything around you make you feel comfortable, that's a sign of success and something worth keeping."
"Without a doubt, Leeds United now has all of that."
With statements coming from the club, the player, and his father, along with reports from The Sun, BBC, and the Yorkshire Evening Post, public opinion quickly shifted in Leeds United's favor. The rumors of Haaland's transfer were completely silenced.
In the following days, Leeds United released several training videos on their official accounts and website.
Through these videos, everyone could see Haaland's positive interactions with teammates during training. They not only reflected the joyful atmosphere within the club but also strengthened the belief that he was determined to stay.
Even more importantly, the videos showed Haaland putting in extra sessions at the gym.
Haaland himself posted a gym photo on Twitter, along with a recipe, writing, "I heard this is Cristiano Ronaldo's recipe at Real Madrid. Give me a little more time!"
Not satisfied with that, he photoshopped a shirtless Cristiano Ronaldo, showing off his muscular physique, into his own profile picture and posted it again.
"A real man!"
Gao Shen retweeted it, added a smiling emoji, and attached several pictures.
Kid Buu, Fat Buu, Skinny Buu, and finally, a picture of Giant Buu with a thumb down, mocking Haaland.
This immediately set off heated discussions among fans.
Earlier, several media outlets had reported that Gao Shen had nicknamed Haaland "Majin Buu," which became his current label.
By posting those pictures, Gao Shen jokingly confirmed the nickname, reinforcing Haaland's mischievous image.
Cristiano Ronaldo also joined in, retweeting both posts, adding the original images, and commenting, "Get ready to receive my lawyer's letter!"
Fans went wild, sharing and commenting non-stop, turning it into a viral topic.
Within hours, the story was picked up by media outlets around the world.
At that moment, everyone realized that Leeds United and Haaland had reached a clear understanding. They would continue to work together, with no barriers between them.
Haaland's gym sessions symbolized his determination to improve and push his limits.
According to the combined advice from Buenaventura, Pintus, and the Leeds United team, Haaland should bulk up to 95 kilograms, the same as Ibrahimovic.
The key was not just adding weight but strengthening specific muscle groups.
The most important part was ensuring his speed and agility were not affected while increasing strength and reducing injury risk.
That was the new challenge for Leeds United's coaching and medical staff.
As the transfer saga finally died down, the mischievous and untamed child began to unleash his energy.
(To be continued.)