Dan Wootton, Executive Editor of The Sun.
As a veteran figure in British media, he was highly respected.
Not to mention his past achievements, in recent years every major project at The Sun had been tied to him.
For example, in 2017, during American singer Taylor Swift's promotion period, he launched a fierce attack on her, causing a huge stir that dominated headlines.
In April 2018, he published a report titled The Wife Beater, which pushed Hollywood star Johnny Depp into infamy, shocking the world and further solidifying Dan Wootton's influence in European and American media.
He was well known for his ability to chase trends and fabricate sensational stories.
Ironically, he also wrote humor columns for The Sun.
Dan's multiple roles gave him great influence in the media landscape. Many people exchanged information with him or used him to expose certain stories. This made his information network exceptionally strong.
In the past two days, a friend had revealed something to him.
...
Manchester United were secretly contacting Vardy.
As soon as Dan arrived at the office, he immediately called a meeting with his senior staff.
He had a strong instinct this would become a huge story.
Sure enough, everyone in the meeting room immediately started discussing it.
Jamie Vardy, last season's Premier League Golden Boot winner, was one of England's most popular players.
Especially in recent years, with Leeds United's packaging and promotion, he had become a symbol of English football, a successor to traditional English fighting spirit, with huge influence and commercial value in the UK.
He was also very well known outside England.
And Manchester United needed no introduction. Billionaire James Ratcliffe had just completed his takeover of the club. The tycoon had been making headlines everywhere recently.
Some even claimed he burned through the transfer fee of at least one England international just to beat a Middle Eastern consortium in acquiring Manchester United.
Not to mention, Leeds United and Manchester United, one a rising Premier League force and the other a traditional giant, were both global football brands. Leeds United had become the number one online phenomenon in the sports world, fully understanding the power of popularity.
In this landscape, if such news broke, it would undoubtedly become the global focus.
In the meeting room, these top reporters from The Sun were like paparazzi ready to pounce, their eyes lit up with excitement.
"Based on the intel I received, focus on these people."
Dan displayed several photos on the large screen. "They are key members of Ratcliffe's acquisition team, and some of them contacted Vardy and his agent in private."
"Did Leeds United know?" someone asked immediately.
What was The Sun best at?
Digging up transfer stories.
After the flying boot incident at Manchester United, The Sun was the first to break Beckham's move to Real Madrid. They even photographed José Sanchez meeting with Peter Kenyon.
When it came to insider deals and poaching, if The Sun claimed to be second, no one dared claim first.
"We don't care about that. But if Leeds United find out, they'll definitely retaliate," Dan said with interest.
Everyone nodded.
As journalists, they did not care about truth, consequences, or who got hurt. They only cared about traffic.
"Ratcliffe's team is really unprofessional. Their previous offer to Leeds United backfired, and now they've created another mess. If Leeds United take this seriously, they're in big trouble."
What would be the worst outcome?
A fine would be too light. A transfer ban would be severe.
"After the Champions League final and before the Euros start, we cannot let the news cycle cool down. Everyone, move quickly. Find sources, gather information, and get the first article out within three days."
After speaking, Dan clasped his hands in front of him, then opened them like an explosion.
"It will ignite the entire world of football."
The room instantly buzzed with excitement.
If they pulled it off, the bonuses would be huge.
"Alright, move out! Our competitors will definitely be chasing this too!" Dan urged.
The group responded enthusiastically and dispersed.
...
The Sun's newsroom was like a news factory.
When it locked onto a major story, its efficiency was unmatched.
Dan originally planned to finish within three days, but he only needed two. On the third day, The Sun ran the story on its front page: Manchester United had violated regulations by secretly contacting Leeds United captain Jamie Vardy.
At that moment, the England national team was training intensively for the Euros.
The news immediately shook English football.
What age were they living in?
Who would break the rules so blatantly?
Had Manchester United gone mad?
The Sun quickly uncovered more details through various channels.
How Ratcliffe's assistant obtained the phone number of Vardy's agent, David Ornstein, when the call occurred, how long it lasted, and what was said.
What stunned all of European football was that Ratcliffe's people openly asked Ornstein to persuade Vardy to "rebel," promising a huge commission if successful, plus double the weekly wage and a signing bonus.
The Sun even mocked Ratcliffe's assistant, saying he lacked basic confidentiality awareness, making the call in an upscale restaurant with surveillance cameras.
Since Ratcliffe took over Manchester United, he had dominated headlines.
And now, they were caught secretly instigating a rival's player to rebel. It was absurd.
The news stunned European football.
Dan Wootton's second move followed right away.
David Ornstein was cornered by a Sun reporter. Faced with solid evidence, he admitted he had received a call from a stranger.
The person claimed to be part of Ratcliffe's core team and indeed offered generous terms.
"But both Vardy and I made it clear we had no intention of transferring to Manchester United."
Ornstein reiterated that Vardy was happy at Leeds United.
"He has played for Leeds United for many years, fighting his way to where he is today. He cherishes everything the club has given him and will not leave, especially not in this way."
"This is not who Vardy is."
Vardy also spoke to reporters at the national team training camp, confirming that his agent had informed him.
"But I refused immediately and made it clear it was against the rules."
He said his focus was on the Euros and performing well for Leeds United next season. He had never considered a transfer.
Vardy repeated, "If I ever leave Leeds United, it will be because I'm retiring."
"It will be my honor to retire at Leeds United."
Leeds United also issued a statement supporting Vardy, saying they refused to sell him and that their captain was an irreplaceable part of the team.
They condemned Manchester United's behavior, calling it "a serious violation."
In an interview with The Guardian, Fernando Lucas said that after learning of the incident, the club immediately contacted relevant parties, gathered evidence, and submitted it to the FA, Premier League, and UEFA.
"We will never allow any club to poach our players like this. It must not be tolerated. It seriously damages European football and the transfer market."
Fernando Lucas's words pushed the matter to its peak.
It was no longer just media reports. It had escalated into a direct confrontation between Leeds United and Manchester United.
And Leeds United had completely crushed Manchester United.
Manchester United only denied everything, offering no strong explanation or counter-evidence.
The FA and Premier League both released statements saying they would investigate and punish those involved if the allegations were true.
A UEFA spokesperson said they had received the materials submitted by Leeds United and had formed an investigation team.
"This seriously disrupts the transfer market. It cannot be tolerated."
The Sun continued covering the story aggressively, making it front-page news for several days.
After UEFA's statement, FIFA also expressed concern.
Since the launch of its transfer system in 2010, nearly all transfers went through FIFA's monitoring, showing its determination to regulate the market.
Manchester United's behavior had put them in a difficult situation.
Many speculated that if the claims were confirmed, Manchester United could face heavy fines.
James Ratcliffe had suffered setback after setback since acquiring Manchester United.
First, Leeds United publicly made a fool of them with the failed transfer offer. Now they were exposed for illegal poaching. If punished again, it would make an already bad situation even worse for the club.
(To be continued.)