If we're talking about the hottest right winger in European football right now, it has to be Sancho from Leeds United.
This English winger has shone brightly in both the Premier League and the Champions League this season, earning the recognition and affirmation of fans around the world, along with high praise from professionals across European football.
Sancho not only possesses the speed of a traditional winger but also has excellent ball control and playmaking ability.
This made him one of the best players for both Leeds United and the Premier League over the past season.
Unlike Bruno Fernandes, the Portuguese player who is already 25, Sancho is only 20.
His homegrown status further boosts his value.
Teams including Manchester United, Manchester City, and Chelsea, all looking to strengthen their right flank, are targeting Sancho.
Real Madrid is no exception.
However, Real Madrid is cautious because of his price tag.
After last season's big spending spree, the club needs to be more prudent with transfers this season. No matter how wealthy they are, they can't afford to splurge every year.
Gao Shen naturally wouldn't recommend Sancho to Real Madrid.
Leeds United also prefer to keep him to maintain the stability of their midfield attack and prepare for the new season.
Ferran Torres.
That was Gao Shen's answer.
A promising young Spanish player from Valencia, only 20 years old, a true member of Generation Z.
Despite his age, Ferran had already made his La Liga debut for Valencia at 17. He was the first player born in the 2000s to appear in the Spanish league, and the second to score a goal.
After two seasons as a substitute to gain experience, he finally became a regular starter last season and established himself as Valencia's main right winger. He made 34 appearances, including 26 starts and 8 substitute appearances, scoring 4 goals and providing 5 assists. A very respectable performance.
Ferran is a relatively traditional Spanish winger, with excellent speed, explosiveness, and outstanding dribbling and crossing ability. Last season in La Liga, his ability to create chances from the right wing was second only to Di María.
Of course, calling him excellent might be an exaggeration.
For example, as a winger, he averaged only 1.6 dribbles per game, ranking eighth among right wingers in La Liga, and just 0.7 key passes per game, ranking 20th.
In addition, his overall passing accuracy was not high, only 78 percent. Breaking it down: 74 percent in the attacking third, 79 percent in midfield, and a relatively high 87 percent in the defensive third, although he rarely passed there.
Thanks to his 1.84-meter height, he was solid in aerial duels in the attacking third, averaging 1.2 successful duels per game, ranking fourth among right-wingers in La Liga.
In 34 games totaling 2,258 minutes, he committed 63 turnovers, averaging one every 35.8 minutes.
However, most of these errors came in the midfield and attacking zones, which isn't a major concern for an attacking player. Especially considering he's only 20, it's understandable.
In his previous life, Ferran transferred to Manchester City and performed well overall, securing a place in Guardiola's system. Later, seeking more regular playing time, he moved to Barcelona.
During the high-level journey, he continued to perform well and was selected for the Spanish national team, where he played admirably.
There's also news that his girlfriend is Luis Enrique's daughter.
So, there's a theory that Ferran transferred back to Barcelona from Manchester City because of his girlfriend.
But who knows what's really going on with young people?
...
When Gao Shen recommended Ferran, he had already discussed it with Zidane and submitted all relevant scouting information for Zidane's review.
Zidane was no stranger to Ferran, who had been the best right winger in La Liga this season.
Real Madrid currently has a number of right wingers, but in reality, few are truly reliable. If Di María gets injured, Zidane would be left with a serious headache.
Vázquez, Asensio, Jesé, and others can all play on the right, but they all share one trait.
They are effective when used off the bench in specific situations. But if you expect them to carry the team as starters, they can't consistently deliver.
Marcos Llorente is a good player, but his profile doesn't fit that of a breakthrough-type winger.
So when Gao Shen recommended Ferran, he and Zidane were immediately in sync.
Ferran had already been selected for the Spanish national team and was set to participate in the European Championship. If he performed well, his market value could rise even further.
Gao Shen provided a detailed analysis of the current transfer market.
Unlike in his previous life, the European Championship was held as scheduled since there was no pandemic incident.
No one knows how the tournament will unfold, not even Gao Shen.
"Currently, Ferran's market value is 45 million euros, and no club has shown clear interest yet."
At this point, Gao Shen changed the subject. "Our advantage is that Valencia is in serious financial trouble, hundreds of millions in debt. They desperately need to sell players to raise funds. I believe we can negotiate the transfer fee."
Since Singaporean Peter Lim took over Valencia in 2014, the club's management has been chaotic and financially unstable. It is heavily in debt, and there are even reports of players receiving IOUs in place of wages.
In this situation, if Real Madrid wants Ferran, Valencia would likely be very willing to sell.
Of course, the price still needs to be carefully negotiated.
"What do you think of this player?" Florentino asked seriously.
Real Madrid has always had a strong interest in domestic talent.
"Right now, I'd say there's a gap between him and Di María in terms of both ability and talent. But to be honest, among the players born in 2000, Ferran is one of the best right wingers. The price is reasonable, so he's worth signing."
Given the current circumstances, if Ferran performs well after being signed, even if a better player appears in the future, they could keep him as a rotation option or sell him for a profit.
There's definitely a shortage of right wingers, and Gao Shen was very confident in that judgment.
"What about the transfer fee?"
"A 20 to 30 percent discount shouldn't be a problem, right?" Gao Shen chuckled.
If a financially stable club buys a player like Ferran at market price, it would already be a great deal. But considering Valencia's financial situation, they'll likely have to accept a lower offer.
Why?
Because they're desperate for cash.
"Of course, my personal suggestion is to act quickly before other teams realize it and get involved. It would be best to finalize things before the European Championship," Gao Shen advised.
Florentino and José Sánchez exchanged a look and nodded in agreement.
As Real Madrid's technical director, Gao Shen was clearly a valuable asset. His insights and information were incredibly sharp, giving him an upper hand over the competition.
Just like with Valencia, he had clearly done all the homework beforehand.
"Luckily, you're our technical director now, and we're not planning to buy anyone from Leeds United this summer," Florentino joked.
The room burst into laughter.
Signing players from Leeds United is never cheap.
...
After addressing the right winger position, Gao Shen turned his attention to the center forward role.
Benzema is still performing well, but Džeko's age is a concern.
At the moment, there aren't many outstanding center forwards in European football.
Players like Lewandowski, Cavani, Ibrahimović, and Harry Kane are either too old or indispensable at their current clubs.
Leeds United treat players like Haaland as treasures.
Gao Shen recommended two young Brazilian players, both 23 years old: Richarlison from Everton and Gabriel Jesus from Manchester City.
Each has his own strengths and weaknesses.
Jesus excels in ball control and passing but is relatively short and struggles in physical duels. He's also not strong in aerial battles.
Richarlison, although less technically refined than Jesus, makes up for it with relentless pressing and a higher work rate.
Last season, Richarlison averaged 1.9 tackles per game, ranking first among attacking players in the Premier League. He also averaged 1.1 clearances per game, showcasing his commitment.
Now playing for Everton, who are no longer the force they were under Moyes, Richarlison stands out in a mid-to-lower table team.
His ability to create clear-cut chances is among the best for his position in the league. He averages 2.1 successful aerial duels and 1.7 dribbles per game, ranking third in his position.
He also averages 4.7 ball recoveries per match, making him a true defensive-minded forward.
His chance conversion rate is an impressive 62 percent.
For comparison, Haaland's is 63 percent.
Of course, Haaland is younger and has much higher expectations at Leeds.
Richarlison's current profile fits Real Madrid's needs. He's a disruptive force in the attacking third, capable of winning aerial duels, pressing the back line, and scoring goals.
The only major downside is that his technique is a bit rough. His overall passing success rate is just 67 percent, and in the attacking third, it drops to 61 percent.
However, Gao Shen and the technical staff believed that while Richarlison's technique wasn't top tier, it wasn't bad either. The poor stats were more a result of the weak players around him at Everton, which left him doing all the work.
So between the two, Gao Shen actually preferred Richarlison. He believed the Everton striker was underrated and that, with proper development, he could become a well-rounded and effective center forward.
Good players always come at a price.
Jesus is currently valued at 60 million euros, and even that might not be enough to convince Manchester City.
Richarlison's move from Watford to Everton in 2018 cost 40 million euros. His current market value is around 60 million.
This is the going rate in today's market.
Spending about 100 million euros on these two players would be a small, targeted investment for Real Madrid.
(To be continued.)