Chapter 74: Worth Every Penny!
Money or survival?
That's been the golden rule of Premier League relegation battles for years.
Want to keep your money? Get relegated.
Whether you're buried in debt or just stingy, the Championship is waiting for you.
Want to survive? Then show us the cash.
Spend big. No exceptions.
When it comes to survival instincts, West Ham United might be the most seasoned.
Just days after clinching promotion via the playoff final, the Hammers wasted no time.
They splashed £11 million on 21-year-old English striker Dean Ashton from Norwich.
Ashton had scored 17 goals in 24 Championship matches for Crewe last season before Norwich snapped him up for £6 million in the winter window.
He quickly found his footing in the Premier League, scoring 7 goals in 16 matches.
Unfortunately, that wasn't enough to save Norwich, who were relegated alongside Crystal Palace and Southampton.
Their final points tally?
33, 33, and 32.
West Brom narrowly survived with 34.
So it's no surprise that the Baggies were the first to send in a bid for Dave Kitson after the season ended.
They knew the rules of the game.
And they were playing for keeps.
Meanwhile, West Ham weren't done.
They signed Yossi Benayoun from Racing Santander for £4 million.
Paul Konchesky from Charlton for £2.5 million.
Danny Gabbidon and James Collins from Cardiff for a combined £4 million.
The transfer window hadn't even officially opened, and they were already loading up.
Reports say West Ham were planning to invest £20 million this summer.
Big money. Big ambition.
...
If West Ham were the "buy your life" type, then Sunderland were the budget shoppers.
After earning promotion, the Black Cats had been cautious in the market.
So far, their only move was signing Jonathan Stead from Blackburn for £2.5 million.
Stead had completely fallen out of favor after Souness was sacked and was in dreadful form.
He'd played 28 Premier League matches last season—scoring just twice.
But for Sunderland, that kind of deal made sense.
Low cost, potential upside.
Irish manager Mick McCarthy described Stead as "a £10 million striker."
"Yes, he's struggled recently," McCarthy said, "but if we can get him back on track, we'll have a powerful homegrown forward."
It wasn't a bad strategy—just very Sunderland.
...
Of the three promoted clubs, two were actively building.
Only Bayswater Chinese were facing potential player exodus.
Clubs like Middlesbrough, Charlton, and West Brom were all sniffing around Dave Kitson.
The tall, physical striker had just won the Championship Golden Boot with 28 goals.
At 25, he was entering his prime—and with a strong record over the past 18 months, he was hot property.
And he wasn't the only one.
Tom Huddlestone, a rising star and England U19 and U21 regular, had made headlines with that thunderbolt in the League Cup final.
Clubs like Tottenham, Newcastle, and Birmingham were circling.
There were even rumors of Liverpool being interested.
And of course, as The Sun gleefully reported, Chelsea were also watching.
"José Mourinho won't forget that wonder goal anytime soon."
Meanwhile, things weren't exactly calm inside Bayswater's walls either.
Kevin Foley, who'd lost his starting role during the second half of the season, had his agent request clarity on his future.
At 21, Foley needed regular minutes.
Bayswater chose not to respond.
And while the other promoted clubs were busy raiding the market, Yang Cheng and Brian Kidd boarded a train northbound to Wigan.
...
Wigan chairman Dave Whelan is something of a football legend in England.
At 68, he'd played for Blackburn and Crewe, then turned to business after retirement—founding JJB Sports.
In 1995, he bought Wigan Athletic, then still in the fourth tier.
Ten years later, they were among the Championship's best.
And if it hadn't been for Bayswater Chinese, they probably would've gone up.
Before the trip, Yang Cheng had already reached out to arrange a meeting.
Also present? Whelan's grandson, David Sharpe.
Yang couldn't help but be amused: Grandpa's name is Dave Whelan, and the grandson is David Sharpe?
But he didn't ask.
Instead, he got straight to the point.
"I heard several clubs are interested in Nathan Ellington?" Yang said with a polite smile.
The silver-haired Whelan, seasoned and shrewd, didn't try to guess Yang's angle.
He just smiled back.
"Yes, a few clubs—West Brom among them—have shown interest."
Then, raising his voice slightly with that characteristic old-man pride, he added:
"But we're not looking to sell."
"You sure you can keep him?" Yang asked casually.
"We don't need the money. Our family is worth over £300 million. I've already promised Paul Jewell that if we get promoted, he'll have a £20 million transfer budget."
"That money's already sitting in the club account.
So tell me—do we look like a club that needs to sell?"
Gotta admit, the old man had spunk.
His voice was booming, his confidence unshakable.
If Yang didn't already know the real numbers, he might've actually been convinced.
Back when Wigan Athletic were still lingering in the lower leagues, few clubs paid them any attention, and they had little interaction with the rest of the football world.
But once you step into the Premier League, everything changes.
The Premier League has its own board, and clubs meet regularly each season. Clubs are allowed to voice opinions on league matters—and as Yang Cheng knew from his past life, once Wigan made it to the top flight, Dave Whelan's big mouth became a regular feature.
The problem? He wasn't just loud—he was old, loud, and absolutely fearless when it came to talking big.
The summer they first reached the Premier League, he famously declared a £20 million transfer budget, and claimed they were going to sign Michael Owen from Real Madrid.
Let that sink in. Michael Owen.
Legend. Ballon d'Or winner.
Was it bold? Yes.
Was it stupid? Also yes.
How did that go?
Wigan ended the summer spending less than £10 million total.
They became a laughingstock.
"Not necessary," Yang Cheng nodded in agreement.
That made Whelan beam with pride.
"You came all the way up here for Ellington, didn't you? I heard a lot of clubs are chasing Kitson." Whelan chuckled with a knowing glint in his eyes, the kind that said Kid, nothing gets past me.
"Was interested. But after hearing you talk, I'm not sure we can afford him."
Whelan nodded, satisfied.
"Promotion does mean more revenue, but you still have to spend responsibly."
He leaned in like he was giving advice from the mountaintop.
"You lot were fantastic in the Championship—really eye-catching. But let me warn you—the Premier League is a different beast. I've played at the top level, you know…"
And so began a legendary rant.
Whelan launched into tales of his playing days—his glory years.
Yang Cheng tried to be polite, but he couldn't help feeling awkward.
Has Wigan ever even played in the top flight?
Still, he stayed in character—the good-natured sidekick who nodded and chuckled at the right moments.
Worst part? He couldn't just say, Oh, piss off, old man.
And so Whelan rambled on. From Blackburn to Manchester United, from war stories to what felt like bedtime fairy tales.
At one point, Brian Kidd nearly lost it.
The best (or worst) moment?
Whelan looked Kidd in the eye and said:
"You came up a bit later than me. Back when you were still in the youth ranks at United, I was at Blackburn—
Might've seen you as a ball boy when we played your lot!"
Yang Cheng saw it.
Brian Kidd's soul left his body.
He regretted everything.
Why had he agreed to come here?
Finally, when Whelan had run out of breath (and stories), he asked Yang Cheng why they'd really come.
At that point, Kidd looked like a man in mourning.
Whelan had no idea what was coming.
Yang Cheng smiled and said calmly:
"We'd like to offer £1 million for Leighton Baines."
Whelan blinked.
His grandson, David Sharpe, blinked too.
They were both stunned.
They'd been sure Bayswater were there to offload Kitson and bid for Nathan Ellington.
All that hot air had been for nothing.
"Leighton Baines is one of our top academy products—an England U21 international. £1 million?" Whelan's voice rose in indignation, playing the part of the offended party.
Yang Cheng wasn't buying the act.
After all, he did his fair share of acting too.
"That's our max offer. If that's too low, we'll go for Dan Harding from Brighton. Same price. Already got a quote from them."
The message was clear.
£1 million—take it or leave it.
If Wigan wanted to hold out, fine.
Yang Cheng would buy Harding instead.
On paper, Harding and Baines weren't far apart.
Harding was a year older, also an England U21 international—and a starter. He'd been instrumental in Brighton's promotion from League One.
He was 1.83 meters tall, more physically dominant than Baines, and had excellent ball-carrying ability down the left flank.
At this point in their careers, Harding might've even had the edge.
And with no other buyers on the table, Wigan had no leverage.
Of course, they could refuse to sell.
But if they failed to get promoted next season?
Would they keep Ellington?
If so, they'd have to pay him more—big money.
If not, who would they rely on for goals?
Whelan liked to talk big, but Yang Cheng had already sized him up.
He wasn't nearly as rich as he pretended to be.
That's why Yang Cheng made the trip.
Whelan and his grandson leaned in and whispered to each other.
They were clearly recalculating.
"During the winter window, United, Arsenal, and Everton all inquired about Baines," Whelan finally said. "We didn't sell—we renewed his contract."
Yang Cheng nodded. He already knew.
None of those clubs had made serious offers.
"With his form this season, £1 million is an insult."
Then came the stare.
Whelan's eyes locked onto Yang Cheng's.
"£2 million."
Double.
For a Championship left-back, that was a steep price.
Yang Cheng didn't flinch.
He clapped his hands and grinned.
"Deal!"
Whelan and Sharpe blinked.
They hadn't expected that.
But Yang Cheng didn't hesitate for a reason.
Because in his mind, that wasn't just any left-back.
That was Leighton Baines—future England international.
One of the best full-backs in the Premier League for the next decade.
And he was worth every penny.
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