"I feel like the direction of English football has changed a lot in recent years."
In the stands, as Gao Shen, Lucas, and Borrell discussed the news of foreign capital trying to acquire Manchester United, they found themselves increasingly puzzled by the current situation. Many issues had become more complex.
Without the mask incident from Gao Shen's previous life, the inflow of foreign capital into the Premier League would have only accelerated, and the trend would have become even more obvious.
Now, the Qatari consortium and a British local tycoon were bidding for Manchester United, the Saudi consortium was eyeing Newcastle, the American consortium was attempting to acquire Tottenham Hotspur, and there were numerous other examples of foreign capital already entrenched in the Premier League.
It could be said that the Premier League was now largely under the control of foreign investors.
British local fans still had plenty of dissatisfaction about this.
Of course, this depended on the specific situation.
For instance, at Leeds United, fans had a very high opinion of Gao Shen, practically treating him as a savior.
While a few fans had voiced concerns and even called for regulatory bodies to investigate Leeds United's financials over the years, including the whereabouts of income from player sales, this group was a very small minority.
Overall, Leeds United supporters were overwhelmingly welcoming of Gao Shen.
Similarly, Manchester City fans supported the Abu Dhabi group, Leicester City fans approved of the Thai consortium, Wolves fans backed the Chinese ownership... and even Chelsea fans embraced Roman Abramovich.
Most of the criticism came from Manchester United fans toward the Glazers, Liverpool fans toward Fenway Sports Group, and Arsenal fans toward owner Stan Kroenke. The frustration stemmed mainly from poor team performance or overly stingy ownership.
These were traditional powerhouses, with deep roots and strong fanbases. Expectations were high, and with the increasing competition, when performance declined, dissatisfaction naturally followed.
In contrast, a team like Leeds United, which was on the brink of bankruptcy and playing in the Championship when Gao Shen arrived, had seen a dramatic turnaround under his stewardship. Fans were pleased with the direction the club had taken.
Some might ask, if it had been any other owner, could they really have done better than Gao Shen?
But now, the general trend in the UK was turning against foreign investment.
The most typical example? Brexit.
A true black swan event, and also a major indicator of change.
"According to the intelligence we've received, the Saudi consortium quickly reached a consensus with Newcastle, and even Newcastle fans welcomed the takeover. But they were blocked by the government."
At this, Lucas shook his head and sighed. "One of the biggest reasons the Premier League became attractive to foreign capital is the UK's open investment policy. But now, there are signs the government may begin tightening its grip on football."
In the UK, football has always been more than just sport.
Back in the 1980s, Margaret Thatcher's government severely damaged British football. Her policies effectively banned English clubs from European competitions, which caused the collapse of England's dominance during the Liverpool dynasty.
Back then, English football nearly swept all of Europe.
But after being cut off from European competition, English clubs fell behind, especially after the Bosman ruling, which allowed other European leagues to rapidly develop and pull away.
Many fans might forget that in those days, the Premier League ranked lowest among Europe's top four leagues.
In the 1990s, Serie A was at its peak, called the "Little World Cup." The Bundesliga was also thriving. While La Liga had Cruyff's Dream Team and, later, Real Madrid's Galácticos, it still wasn't quite at Serie A's level.
Meanwhile, the Premier League was like a desert when it came to tactical football.
When players like Vialli, Gullit, Zola, and Hasselbaink came to England, it was dubbed "technical poverty alleviation."
That remained the case until Arsène Wenger joined Arsenal and revolutionized the Gunners. Around the same time, Sir Alex Ferguson began transforming Manchester United, reaching a peak in 1999 and into the early 2000s.
Then came the wave of foreign capital, foreign managers, and top foreign talent, which gradually reshaped the Premier League into the powerhouse it is today.
But sometimes, it's not just about football.
The current sentiment within British football circles has moved beyond club control.
If the government truly changes its stance and tightens regulations on foreign investment, the Premier League landscape will shift once again.
"Al Jazeera reported that the Saudi consortium is requesting the Saudi government to officially confirm that their acquisition of Newcastle is independent and has nothing to do with the state."
Borrell shared the latest intelligence. "If that's proven, then their acquisition of Newcastle should go through. But right now, all eyes are still on Manchester United."
The UK and US have always been closely aligned.
Todd Boehly's consortium's bid for Tottenham was mostly stalled due to price disagreements.
But Manchester United was a different story.
"Ratcliffe is subtly framing himself as the local candidate. He's guiding media and public sentiment to paint the Qatari consortium as outsiders, intruding on British soil."
"Frankly, that's not a good sign."
Lucas sighed again, a mix of resignation and frustration.
If things kept going in that direction, it would be seriously disadvantageous for foreign investors.
"How are we doing?" Gao Shen asked, somewhat concerned.
"In the past while, we've been in contact with several local fan groups, and the feedback has been generally positive. We've also communicated with the government, and they're quite satisfied. As for the media, we've strengthened our cooperation."
Lucas looked slightly relieved. "In recent years, we've kept our promise not to raise ticket prices. We've actively contributed to the city and the community, and we've promoted local talent, developing many national team players."
Leeds United was indeed an outlier among foreign-owned clubs.
Unlike most investors who chase international stars, Leeds had produced a host of English internationals and actively supported the FA's youth development reforms.
Today, if you walk into FA headquarters, Leeds United's youth academy is showcased prominently.
Leeds was essentially the poster child of English youth development.
Moreover, the club maintained a strong relationship with its local fanbase. A major reason was that ticket prices had remained unchanged since the Championship days.
That was almost unheard of in the Premier League.
Take Tottenham, for example. To fund their new stadium and training complex, they raised ticket prices several times.
Other promoted clubs did the same, hiking prices once they reached the Premier League.
Why?
Market economics.
But Leeds had bucked that trend, building a fiercely loyal fanbase in Leeds and throughout Yorkshire.
As for government relations, Su Qing had always handled them well. With the club also paying large sums in taxes each year, there was no reason for the government to be unhappy.
The only uncertainty lay in the wider UK environment.
"Keep a close eye on everything. Pay particular attention to changes in the situation," Gao Shen instructed carefully.
If something as unpredictable as Brexit could happen, who knew what else might be coming?
"Between the two Manchester United bidders, who has the edge?" Gao Shen asked.
Lucas and Borrell exchanged glances and both shook their heads.
"Financially, Qatar has the upper hand. They're also willing to spend," Lucas said.
"From the intelligence we've gathered, Qatar has been acquiring assets across the UK in recent years—Knightsbridge, Harrods, The Shard. Some people even joke that Qatar is the landlord of London."
Gao Shen and Borrell both laughed.
But it was true. Middle Eastern consortiums had become increasingly aggressive with acquisitions in the UK.
At the same time, this kind of buying spree had sparked backlash from many British citizens.
It wasn't enough to say, "Well, it's a free market."
Before, it was just buying properties. Now, Qatar was trying to buy Manchester United—the most English of all football clubs. That gave some Brits the sense that foreign investors were trying to buy their culture.
"I have to say, Ratcliffe is playing a very clever game. He can't outbid Qatar, so he's playing the local card. If the government steps in—not even overtly supporting him, just putting up some roadblocks—Qatar's chances drop significantly."
Gao Shen agreed with Lucas.
The key wasn't the Glazer family's choice, nor who offered the most money. It was whether the government got involved.
"Based on the current climate, I think the possibility is quite high," Lucas added.
In other words, Lucas believed Ratcliffe had the edge in acquiring Manchester United.
Not because he was richer or had a better offer, but simply because he was British.
"If that happens, he'll definitely push hard for local talent. That's always been part of Manchester United's identity," Borrell reminded Gao Shen.
Historically, United had emphasized developing homegrown players. After Ferguson retired, especially post-Rooney, that tradition faded under managers like Van Gaal and Mourinho.
But if Ratcliffe won the club by playing the local pride card, he'd have to wave that flag proudly.
And where were the most promising English talents right now?
No need to search far. They were all at Leeds United.
Thinking of this, Gao Shen couldn't help but curse under his breath.
Just when I'm finally trying to build something lasting and keep my players, something like this comes along?
"Then bring it on!" Gao Shen said, a fire lit inside him. "I'd really like to see just how much this so-called local British tycoon is willing to spend on Manchester United."
Currently, both Qatar and INEOS had promised that no acquisition-related debts would be passed on to the club. They also vowed not to draw funds from club operations, and both committed to renovating the training base and even Old Trafford itself.
If either also committed to major transfer spending, it would require an enormous outlay from the new owners.
And that would be the ultimate test of whether they were true Manchester United fans.
(To be continued.)