After Gao Shen took charge, Paris Saint-Germain conducted an internal evaluation of the club's overall operations and concluded that they were very satisfied.
This satisfaction stemmed not only from PSG's remarkable progress in both Ligue 1 and the Champions League but also from the club's newfound stability. The first team was operating efficiently, with each department and every employee performing their duties in an orderly fashion.
It was worth noting that since the Qatari consortium took over PSG, the French champions had never been as stable as they were in the past six months. Even Gao Shen's old acquaintance, Laurent Blanc, spoke highly of him, and so did members of other departments when they reported to Nasser.
The management team also benefited from the seamless coordination between the first team and the youth academy. With fewer internal problems, everyone's workload became smoother and more efficient.
Fans and media only saw PSG's dominance on the pitch, unaware that the true reason behind their resurgence was Gao Shen's complete restructuring of the club.
Naturally, people across European football took notice. As a result, several clubs had already reached out to Gao Shen in hopes of securing his expertise.
The Qatari consortium, having tasted success at PSG, wanted to continue their collaboration with Gao Shen in their new ambition: acquiring Manchester United. That was why Nasser had personally raised the matter with him.
They needed expert insight on what it would take to restore Manchester United to its former glory.
"Our team has already completed an on-site assessment in Manchester," Nasser explained. "Renovating Old Trafford would require a massive investment, so it's likely we'll maintain the current structure. However, that also means there's limited potential to increase matchday revenue."
He shared the findings candidly.
Anyone who has seen Old Trafford from above or visited the stadium would know the problem lies with the South Stand. It is built right next to a railway line.
The East, West, and North stands have all been expanded, but the South Stand has remained untouched for years. It's not because Manchester United doesn't want to expand—it's because they can't.
The railway line runs just beyond the South Stand, and not far to the west of the stadium lies the railway depot. That makes any major renovation extremely complicated.
There are two theoretical options.
The first would be to build a new South Stand extending over the railway line, allowing trains to pass underneath—similar to the design of Ajax's Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam.
But even hearing about such a project gives a sense of how difficult and costly it would be. Setting aside the complex legal and engineering challenges, the cost alone would exceed one billion pounds, especially given current construction and labor costs in the UK.
And that's just for one stand.
"We also studied another option," Nasser continued. "The west and north sides of Old Trafford are parking lots. The space is too small, but if we could buy the surrounding warehouse land, we could build a completely new stadium next to the existing one, then demolish Old Trafford afterward. That, however, would cost more than two billion pounds."
Gao Shen looked up, startled.
So even among the wealthy, there were levels.
Fortunately, Nasser's next words were more measured. "We're cautious. The investment is too large to commit to lightly."
Even Middle Eastern investors, known for their vast resources, found the cost daunting. It made Gao Shen realize how difficult Manchester United's stadium situation really was.
"Our team envies Leeds United," Nasser admitted with a sigh. "That new stadium of yours is world-class, like something out of a dream. Some of my people even joked that we should just buy Leeds United instead."
He said it half in jest, but Gao Shen could sense the sincerity behind it.
If he had shown the slightest interest in selling, Nasser would probably have drafted an offer on the spot.
Over the years, many had approached Gao Shen with similar proposals, but he had always refused.
He had poured his heart and soul into Leeds United. Selling it was out of the question.
Besides, Leeds United was now profitable and sustainable. Why would he ever let it go?
"I think whether to rebuild or renovate Old Trafford can be discussed later," Gao Shen said, steering the conversation away from Leeds United. "But if you want to restore Manchester United to the top, there's one thing that must be done first."
"You mean, build a new training base?" Nasser guessed immediately.
The media and fans had been calling for that for years.
"Not necessarily a new one," Gao Shen replied. "Carrington is large enough, but its facilities are outdated. It needs a major upgrade. That will still require heavy investment."
Nasser nodded. Compared to rebuilding Old Trafford, renovating the training ground would cost much less, but it was still a significant project. Otherwise, Manchester United's management wouldn't have ignored public calls for so long.
"Acquiring Manchester United will be challenging," Gao Shen warned. "The club's entire culture has changed dramatically in recent years, especially since Ferguson left. The Americans have run it like a corporation—focused purely on capital and profit."
As someone who owned Leeds United, had a close friendship with Ferguson, and had once managed Manchester City while living in Cheshire, Gao Shen was well-qualified to make that assessment.
Two well-known stories about Zlatan Ibrahimović illustrated how far Manchester United's internal culture had fallen.
When Ibrahimović first joined, he had to stop his car, roll down the window, show his ID, and sign in every single day just to enter the Carrington training ground. This continued for over a month before he was finally granted free access.
It sounded absurd, yet it was true.
Even more ridiculous was another incident. During an away trip, Ibrahimović grabbed a bottle of juice from the hotel room mini-fridge. A trivial act in any other club.
But the following month, he found that one pound had been deducted from his wages.
At first, he thought it was a joke. But when he asked around, his teammates confirmed it was standard procedure. Every player had to pay for whatever they consumed—even on official trips.
The explanation? Simple. "Everyone must pay for their own expenses."
From a corporate management standpoint, it seemed logical—why should the company pay for personal consumption?
But football isn't a corporate office.
If players are treated like employees instead of valued members of a team, how can they give their all on the pitch? How can you expect them to fight for the badge when the club nickel-and-dimes them over trivial matters?
The absurdity didn't stop there.
Every Manchester United player's contract contained a clause: if the club failed to qualify for the Champions League, their total income—not just bonuses—would be reduced by 25 percent.
The reasoning was that missing out on the Champions League reduced club revenue, so the players should share the loss.
On paper, that sounded fair, like a performance-based evaluation. But football is a collective game. When everyone's pay depends on results yet the club shows such stinginess, how can you build unity or motivation?
The result was inevitable. Players stopped caring.
When your employer treats you like a statistic, you stop playing with heart.
Many fans and media outlets had asked the same question: why had Manchester United declined so sharply?
How could they spend so much on big-name signings and still play so poorly?
The answer lay within their own system.
A club obsessed with corporate control and cost-cutting had lost its soul. The locker room fractured, and team spirit vanished.
When a team can't function as one, no amount of talent can bring victories.
...
Nasser listened intently, clearly unsettled by what he heard.
Much of this information was unknown to outsiders. Only insiders or players could know such details, and most wouldn't dare speak publicly until years later in their memoirs.
Even now, Manchester United still carried the reputation of being one of the greatest football clubs in the world.
"Before finalizing the acquisition, think carefully," Gao Shen advised. "Manchester United's culture runs deep. Changing it won't happen overnight. Be prepared for a long struggle."
The Qatari consortium would undoubtedly proceed—they saw owning Manchester United as their cultural gateway into European football.
But after Gao Shen's warning, they would at least have a clearer understanding of the challenges ahead.
Some things can't be fixed with money or ambition alone.
Rome wasn't built in a day.
And the Crimson Empire didn't collapse in a day either.
(To be continued.)
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◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)