"If Rodrygo can fetch 70 million euros, how much would Haaland be worth?"
At his home in Cheshire, Gao Shen was stunned when he heard the news of Manchester United's transfer.
How rich, how loaded, and how clueless must someone be to pull this off?
Rodrygo is a decent player, but definitely not worth 70 million euros.
A perfect example of comparison is Ferran Torres, also a Valencia player, whose transfer market value is 45 million euros, 10 million more than Rodrygo's.
Just before United signed Rodrygo, Real Madrid secured Ferran Torres for only 35 million euros.
What does that say?
Valencia's star player was sold for just 35 million, but Rodrygo went for a staggering 70 million.
This isn't just a case of rich people being wasteful. This is pure stupidity.
Absolutely dumb, off-the-charts dumb.
"They were completely inexperienced and panicked. I heard they didn't even dare to negotiate in the transfer market," Fernando Lucas added, amused.
Especially in times like these, United needed to stay composed.
If you panic, you're just asking to be taken advantage of.
"Over 200 million euros, and they bought Van de Beek, Rodrygo, and that guy... oh right, Telles." Gao Shen couldn't help but burst out laughing. It really felt like sweet revenge.
It felt amazing.
Ratcliffe probably wasn't having such a great time.
For no reason at all, he suffered a massive loss. Even though the payments were in installments, over 200 million euros was still enough to give him a serious headache.
More importantly, United's reputation had now spread far and wide. Going forward, if they wanted to buy players, unless they were willing to pay above market value, they could forget it. Every team would jack up the price when dealing with them.
That's the transfer market.
Many people oversimplify it, thinking that money can solve everything.
Ratcliffe has become a lesson for everyone.
Once the market knows you have money and are desperate for reinforcements, you become the perfect target.
Even a club like Valencia, drowning in debt, can fleece Manchester United, let alone the others.
"They were completely dazed after this combination of punches," Borrell laughed.
First, Leeds United appealed, then the FA and Premier League hit them with penalties, and then UEFA joined in. This string of punches would leave even seasoned veterans stunned, let alone Ratcliffe's team of rookies.
Of course, Leeds United hadn't stepped over any line. They simply filed an appeal, nothing more.
Even Gao Shen hadn't taken advantage of the situation.
But Ratcliffe's biggest mistake wasn't just the incident itself. His previous boycott of the Qatari consortium had also raised alarms among other foreign investors in the Premier League.
As foreign investors, who wouldn't worry about their future?
"You should've seen it. At the chairman's roundtable, the Manchester United representatives were left speechless by the questions. I can still picture it vividly," Lucas joked.
No matter the reason, Ratcliffe's approach had crossed the line and seriously disrupted the transfer market's balance.
Rules are rules.
Good or bad, at least they exist.
If the transfer market loses its rules and everyone starts using shady methods to lure players, nobody wins.
Worse still, it's incredibly difficult to establish rules and reach mutual understanding. But breaking them can happen in an instant.
"Any updates from UEFA?" Gao Shen asked with concern.
"Barring any surprises, the original verdict will stand."
Gao Shen nodded. That was expected.
If neither the FA nor UEFA took this seriously, then European football's rules would be on the verge of collapse.
"Failing to sign anyone in the next two windows... I'm actually curious to see what Manchester United will do."
This season's Premier League was shaping up to be more intense than ever. The rumored "Big Eight" had already taken shape.
After failing to acquire Manchester United, the Qatari consortium quickly turned its attention to Tottenham Hotspur and completed the takeover while Todd Boehly's American group hesitated.
Now, the Qatari consortium had begun managing Tottenham Hotspur and confirmed they would launch the new stadium project soon. This would be a massive £1 billion investment, including urban redevelopment in North London.
Since Tottenham had already cleared the government approvals, the Qatari consortium could start construction immediately after taking over. Spurs fans were thrilled.
What does it mean to be truly rich?
Getting fleeced in the transfer market doesn't make you rich. That just makes you a fool.
The Qatari consortium made an instant impact. That's what real wealth looks like.
In addition, the Saudi consortium had successfully acquired Newcastle.
The acquisition had been delayed due to UK government concerns about funding sources and political motives. But after the Saudi government issued a diplomatic statement to clarify the situation, the deal went through.
Gao Shen also helped facilitate the Saudi consortium's successful acquisition of Newcastle.
Now, with both Premier League clubs under new ownership, they had entrusted management of their first teams to Gao Shen's company.
This meant Gao Shen currently held first-team management rights for three Premier League clubs—Leeds United, Tottenham Hotspur, and Newcastle United—and two European giants—Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.
In addition, clubs like Manchester City, Liverpool, and Bayern Munich had also signed contracts with Gao Shen's company to purchase services.
Clearly, the success of Leeds United, Real Madrid, and PSG last season had convinced everyone of Gao Shen and his team's capabilities.
Now, Gao Shen was eager and full of ambition.
"Ratcliffe thought transfers would be easy, but United made a mess of it. They spent over 200 million, and just look at the players they got."
Gao Shen sneered, clearly unimpressed.
He had confidence, and more importantly, he had the capability.
"Next, let me teach our dear Lord how to operate in the transfer market."
This time, Gao Shen would personally oversee the squad-building for both Tottenham and Newcastle.
The reason was simple. Once the management structure was set and functioning properly, everything else would fall into place.
...
"Ha, José, it's great to see you!"
After the morning meeting in Cheshire, Gao Shen had already arrived in London by lunchtime.
He met with Tottenham manager José Mourinho at a high-end restaurant near Hyde Park.
It was honestly a bit sad to see. Mourinho, sitting across the table, was now completely gray-haired.
The pressure of being a head coach was enormous.
Gao Shen was beaming, but Mourinho looked bitter.
Back when he was at Inter Milan, Mourinho had been full of energy and confidence, clearly ahead of or at least equal to Gao Shen. But now, he had become Gao Shen's subordinate.
Damn it, I treated you like a brother, and you treat me like a slave.
"Alright, stop acting like you've been wronged. Don't I know you?" Gao Shen teased.
He knew Mourinho too well. The guy was just throwing a little tantrum.
"I brought you here today to help solve your problem," Gao Shen said.
Mourinho looked up, a bit suspicious. "Really?"
He was worried Gao Shen might be dragging him down with some crazy idea.
"See? You don't trust me anymore?" Gao Shen laughed. "To show my sincerity, I guarantee that the center-back position will be reinforced. How about Thiago Silva?"
Hearing that, Mourinho immediately perked up.
"Hey, don't joke about that."
"Who's joking with you?" Gao Shen said, looking as if he knew this would get Mourinho's attention.
Mourinho gave up pretending and laid his cards on the table.
"Can we really get Thiago Silva?"
"From PSG to Tottenham, isn't it like moving from one hand to the other?" Gao Shen responded.
Even though they were different companies, everyone knew who was behind both clubs.
The main reason PSG wanted to let Thiago Silva go was because he was blocking the development of younger players like Kimpembe. With Varane, Marquinhos, and Benatia all in the squad, Silva could be released.
Rather than sending him elsewhere, it made more sense to let him stay in the Premier League and help Tottenham.
Mourinho loved experienced veterans who could deliver immediately.
"He's in great shape right now. If you want him, I'll make it happen."
Mourinho gave a faint smile.
Since taking over last season, he had rebuilt Spurs' defense, but the personnel was still lacking.
If not for the defensive issues, Spurs wouldn't have struggled so much last season.
Besides the center-backs, midfield and striker positions also needed work.
In particular, the signing of Harry Kane by Gary Sloan had left the center-forward position weak.
"Center forward, right winger, attacking midfielder, center-back. That enough for you?" Gao Shen asked in a rather indulgent tone.
What are the Portuguese best at?
Taking advantage while the iron is hot.
"I want Bruno Fernandes."
"You're pushing it!" Gao Shen immediately frowned.
Mourinho burst out laughing. "Come on, don't act like I don't know you. Bruno Fernandes was almost sold to Manchester United. Don't tell me you weren't involved."
That was the downside of dealing with someone who knew your entire background.
"Alright, I'll have them talk to you. I've addressed all the weak spots you mentioned. But you have to promise me the team's performance next season will improve. Also, control your temper. Stop causing me headaches!"
Mourinho was casual. "As long as the squad is strong and we keep winning, what trouble could I possibly cause?"
Gao Shen wasn't too worried.
Mourinho was now 57, clearly past his prime, and his temper had mellowed quite a bit.
Many people said his management style was outdated, and there was some truth to that. But Mourinho was still the most suitable manager for Spurs at the moment.
Not just because he was a big-name coach, but because firing him would be expensive and damaging to the club's reputation.
Mourinho was a madman, but he knew people management inside out.
(To be continued.)