Chapter 99: The Battle for a Genius! One More Step Toward the World's Best
Yang Cheng had originally planned to attend the Champions League final in Paris.
But in the end, he decided against it—there were just too many things waiting for him in London.
And maybe, just maybe, because he didn't go, things played out just like in his past life: Wenger's Arsenal lost to Barcelona in the final.
The difference this time? Arsenal lost without putting up much of a fight.
Lehmann didn't get sent off early with a red card, but the Gunners still had no answers for Rijkaard's second-generation Dream Team.
Once again, it proved a truth in football: luck matters, but in the end, strength wins games.
Arsenal's vice chairman David Dein reached out to UEFA, hoping for special consideration.
If the Champions League winner automatically qualified for next season's tournament, couldn't the runner-up get a spot too?
After all, they had made the final.
UEFA was quick to shut that down: absolutely not.
It was understandable.
Even letting the champion back in bent the rules a little. If a finalist got in too, why not the semi-finalists? The quarter-finalists? The round of 16?
That would be chaos.
The impact on Arsenal was massive.
Despite finishing fifth in the league, they missed out on the Champions League, and the financial loss was brutal.
Still, Arsenal had deep roots. They'd be fine—for now.
The day after the final Premier League match, Highbury was demolished.
Everyone was eagerly watching to see how quickly the site would be converted into high-end apartments and sold to recoup some funds—something that could ease Arsenal's financial pressure.
Only Yang Cheng felt pessimistic.
Because he knew: that real estate project would collide with the U.S. subprime mortgage crisis, followed by the European debt crisis.
The UK housing market would plummet.
And then, the very project Arsenal had bet everything on would become a massive burden instead of a lifeline.
That, Yang Cheng believed, would be Arsenal's true crisis.
It would hit between 2008 and 2009.
...
Leaving London matters behind for a moment, Yang Cheng flew to Porto, Portugal, with Mike Rigg.
After checking into the hotel, they headed straight for Estádio do Dragão—Dragão Stadium.
Waiting at the entrance was Porto's sporting director, Antero Henrique.
Most fans probably didn't recognize him.
But Henrique was a real talent—eventually recruited by big-spending Paris Saint-Germain in the future.
"Hello, welcome to Porto!"
Henrique shook hands with Yang Cheng and Rigg before leading them to the offices.
Inside the meeting room, Yang Cheng met Porto president Pinto da Costa, vice president Reinaldo Teles, and one other surprise guest—
Jorge Mendes, the famous Portuguese agent.
Yang Cheng had only scheduled the meeting with Porto.
Mendes being there could only mean one thing: Porto's relationship with Mendes ran deep.
When asked, Mendes smiled and explained:
"I just happened to be in Porto on business. When I heard you were coming, I shamelessly invited myself along."
"I've always wanted to meet Europe's most talked-about young manager."
Everyone laughed, and Yang Cheng didn't press the issue.
Mendes was charming—but calculating.
Still, to be one of the world's top agents, you couldn't just chase profit.
An agent's job was to balance the interests of players, clubs, and themselves.
And Mendes was arguably the best at that.
Still, Yang Cheng didn't like him.
They simply weren't aligned. And when you sit on opposite sides of the table, it's hard to form a positive impression.
Once the formalities were over and everyone sat down, Yang Cheng got straight to the point.
"We're here to talk about Pepe."
Everyone in the room reacted—some surprised, some intrigued, some nodding.
Clearly, they'd been speculating about Yang Cheng's real intentions.
Porto had plenty of stars worth chasing.
Portuguese wing wizard Ricardo Quaresma, Argentine international Lucho González...
Diego, Pepe, Anderson, Benni McCarthy, Postiga, Bosingwa, Ricardo Costa, Raul Meireles, Hugo Almeida, Vítor Baía...
On the transfer market, the two most in-demand players were Diego and Anderson.
Diego had long been considered one of Brazil's top talents, the twin star of Robinho.
But he hadn't performed well at Porto.
Especially under new Dutch manager Co Adriaanse, who wasn't fond of traditional Brazilian No.10s.
Anderson, nicknamed "Ronaldinho II," was another hyped player.
In Yang Cheng's past life, he joined Manchester United for big money—only to be turned into a box-to-box workhorse under Ferguson.
But the one Yang Cheng had his eye on was Pepe, Porto's first-choice center-back.
Even then, he'd only just completed his first season as a regular.
He originally played for Marítimo, moving to Porto in 2004 for €2 million.
Last season, he was a rotational option. His breakout came in the seventh round of this season's league, against Benfica.
Before that, Porto's center-back pairing was Pedro Emanuel and a rotation of Bruno Alves and Ricardo Costa.
Pepe was fourth choice.
But when Pedro Emanuel was injured, Alves and Costa paired up—and Porto lost 0–2 to Benfica.
That infuriated Adriaanse.
He benched Alves, dropped Costa to the bench, and promoted Pepe, who partnered the recovered Emanuel.
From then on, Pepe shined.
In the 27 league matches he played this season, Porto only conceded 10 goals, losing just twice.
The 2005/06 season was his biggest leap forward—his coming of age.
Yang Cheng had high hopes for the Brazilian defender.
Not just because he'd coached him in his past life, but because he truly believed:
Among all center-backs born in the 1980s, Pepe was easily top three—maybe the best.
Sergio Ramos was an elite one-on-one defender—but his height disadvantage was fatal against target men.
That's why he often committed fouls against big strikers.
Vidic was also excellent—especially in physical duels.
He could go toe-to-toe with Drogba, after all.
But the Serbian was heavy-footed, slow to turn, and struggled against fast forwards like Torres.
Piqué had underrated physicality due to his passing skills.
Overall, he was a world-class center-back.
But he lacked aggression—often too soft in key moments.
Thiago Silva was extremely balanced, but more of a sweeper than a front-foot defender.
Now, neither style—sweeper or stopper—was inherently better.
But anyone who's played the game knows:
The most precious defenders aren't the ones who sit deep and clean up.
They're the ones who, in the big moments, dare to step up under pressure and win the ball.
Pushing up to press is the right thing to do—fail to win the ball, and it's a fatal error.
Some might ask, if the risk is so high, why press at all?
Well, if everyone just sits deep and waits, aren't you handing initiative to the opponent on a silver platter?
That's exactly why aggressive, front-footed center-backs are so valuable.
Just look at David Luiz—despite all his errors, the top clubs still line up for him. Even Guardiola spoke highly of him.
It's like passing:
A certain captain in a team-that-shall-not-be-named once explained why his level looked so different between club and country.
"Because in the national team," he said, "when I want to pass, everyone around me is hiding from the ball. They're too afraid of messing up. No one wants to receive."
That's where the phrase "the ball is lava" comes from.
On defense, whether you succeed in pressing is a matter of ability.
But whether you dare to press at all—that's attitude.
Of course, fielding two all-out aggressive center-backs isn't ideal either.
Take early Pepe and Ramos at Real Madrid.
Pepe's biggest advantage?
He could do both—press and sweep.
If you ask Yang Cheng, Brazil's biggest mistake was not calling up Pepe sooner and letting him join Portugal.
If they had paired Pepe with Thiago Silva, that center-back partnership might've taken Brazil to the top of the world.
As for Pepe's infamous early-career fouls—especially after joining Real Madrid—and his transformation later into a composed veteran monk…
Yang Cheng believed it was all tied to the team's tactics.
When Pepe first joined Real, he carried the weight of a €30 million price tag.
He was desperate to prove himself, playing every match like a war.
But at the time, Madrid's defense was a mess—completely disorganized.
There was even a well-known story.
In one match after joining, Pepe was paired with Cannavaro.
During one play, he shouted a warning and charged forward.
They conceded.
Frustrated, Pepe asked Cannavaro why he hadn't covered for him.
What did Cannavaro say?
"At Real Madrid, defenders mind their own business. We don't cover each other."
Yes—Cannavaro, Italy's golden defender, said that.
And the fact is, Cannavaro himself was poor at Madrid.
Not just him—Samuel, Woodgate, Cannavaro, Pepe, Ramos…
In those years, no defender looked good at Madrid.
Why? Because there was no defensive structure.
So you got the famous line: Madrid defenders all fend for themselves.
From the Galácticos era through Capello, the system improved slightly, but soon fell apart again.
The real turning point came in 2010, when Yang Cheng took over Real Madrid and rebuilt the entire defensive framework.
From then on, Pepe and Ramos transformed completely.
Which is why Yang Cheng had come to Porto.
...
"Pepe is an extremely important player for us," said Porto president Pinto da Costa, smiling.
Yang Cheng almost rolled his eyes.
He'd heard that line a hundred times.
He nearly said aloud: Mate, can you not steal my lines?
"At the moment, Pepe is valued at €8 million…"
"Correction, President da Costa," Yang Cheng interrupted with a smile. "On Transfermarkt, he's valued at €6 million."
A difference of €2 million.
Da Costa and Jorge Mendes exchanged glances and smiled knowingly.
Yang Cheng cursed silently: Two sly old foxes.
"Alright," da Costa said breezily, "€8 million, and he's yours."
Yang Cheng shook his head.
"That price is far above our expectations."
"Then what price range is Bayswater Chinese FC targeting for a center-back?" Mendes finally chimed in.
Of course—he was Pepe's agent.
"I've got plenty of options at every price point. Let's talk," Mendes added with a laugh.
It sounded like a sales pitch, but it was actually a clever way to gauge Yang Cheng's budget—on Porto's behalf.
Yang Cheng smiled. "From what I know, Porto has four solid center-backs. Pepe's only had one season as a regular, and his form isn't exactly consistent…"
"Your Chimbonda played only half a season and sold for £15 million," said vice president Reinaldo Teles, casually.
Yang Cheng knew full well—Mendes's third-party ownership model and Porto's black market-style transfer philosophy were like secondhand car sales.
It wasn't about the profit per deal.
It was about flipping fast and cashing out.
Take it in, sell high, get out.
Pepe had cost Porto just €2 million in 2004.
"I'll make you an offer," Yang Cheng said calmly.
Everyone turned to look.
"€5 million." He held up five fingers.
"Pounds?" Da Costa's eyes lit up.
Yang Cheng caught the signal immediately.
"Euros."
...
"That's a big gap," muttered Mike Rigg on the way back to the hotel in a taxi.
Yang Cheng had offered €5 million, but Porto was locked in at €8 million.
That €3 million difference was massive in a deal of this scale.
Still, if Bayswater was serious about buying, and Porto truly wanted to sell, it could be worked out.
Just not yet.
"You're underestimating Porto and Mendes," Yang Cheng said, smiling.
With three lifetimes of experience and decades of managing, Yang Cheng knew Porto and Mendes's tactics inside and out.
Just look at what they pulled off in the summer of 2007.
That year, the football world experienced a center-back panic.
It wasn't that center-backs were extinct—but elite ones were rare.
Mendes and Porto capitalized.
They started leaking stories to stir up rumors of a center-back shortage.
Suddenly, transfer headlines were everywhere—teams scrambling for defenders.
At one point, multiple clubs were bidding for Pepe at the same time.
Before the frenzy, Inter Milan had inquired—Porto quoted €9 million.
That was right around Pepe's Transfermarkt value.
But after the media storm?
Pepe's price doubled—€18 million, even €20 million.
That alone was outrageous.
Yet Mendes kept pushing.
The frenzy scared off several clubs.
But there are always a few reckless giants.
Enter Real Madrid—and their brilliant leadership duo:
President Ramón Calderón and technical director Predrag Mijatović.
Some later claimed the two personally profited from the deal—but no one could prove it.
Yang Cheng doubted they were even capable of pulling that off.
Why?
Because Mendes and Porto weren't stupid.
When two rich suckers showed up and wouldn't leave, what do you do?
You fleece them.
When Madrid kept pushing for Pepe, Porto and Mendes locked in, sharpened their knives—
And sold him for €30 million.
An utterly absurd number.
It was even more outrageous than Aaron Lennon's £20 million fee.
At least Lennon had the advantage of being English and young.
From €9 million to €30 million—in just one transfer window.
Of course, Yang Cheng didn't tell Mike Rigg the story from his past life. Instead, he walked him through how Porto and Mendes operated, including some of their more... creative tactics.
As Bayswater Chinese FC's Chief Talent Officer, Rigg would have to deal with these types often in the future.
"When negotiating with people like this," Yang Cheng warned, "you can't let your guard down. Hold your line—no matter how high they start, don't waver. Worst-case scenario? We walk away."
He compared it all to used car dealerships.
The logic behind Porto and Mendes's approach was exactly the same.
"Professional football is a people-based business. It's a unique industry. No one knows what will happen in the next match."
"Especially with young players—one injury and their whole career could be over."
"That's why their model is about fast turnover. Buy cheap, hype, sell high. If they wait too long and get stuck, they lose everything."
There were countless examples of this.
And if next summer Porto was only asking Inter for €9 million, there was no way they could justify asking Bayswater for €8 million this summer.
Yang Cheng knew from memory: Pepe's performances next season would be even better.
Porto's results were solid too—they'd won both the league and domestic cup.
Mike Rigg was left stunned.
There was so much going on behind the scenes—so many layers he had never heard of, let alone dealt with.
Now, hearing it from Yang Cheng was like opening the lid on football's black box.
"How do you know all this, Yang?" Rigg asked, half in awe.
Yang Cheng froze for half a second.
Three lifetimes of watching, managing, and studying—how could I not know?
"Over the last few years, I've handled most of our transfers. I meet a lot of people, I listen, I observe, I collect data, I analyze. You do that long enough, and things start to click."
Rigg nodded in realization.
If he wanted to succeed as Chief Talent Officer, he'd need to learn from his young boss.
They hadn't reached an agreement with Porto, but it wasn't a wasted trip.
Yang Cheng had gotten something far more valuable—from Mendes himself:
Pepe was applying for Portuguese citizenship.
And there was a high chance it would be approved before August.
That meant that when the new season started, Pepe could register as an EU player, and wouldn't require a Special Talent Visa from Bayswater.
Yang Cheng had been struggling to choose between two Brazilian targets.
But now that Pepe wouldn't take up that special slot, the dilemma was resolved.
He had arrived in Portugal back in 2001—now it was 2006.
Perfectly aligned with the Portuguese naturalization requirement.
Yang Cheng was sure—Mendes was telling the truth.
"Mike."
Yang Cheng didn't hesitate.
This was a golden opportunity.
He wanted to make a move for another world-class talent.
"Don't fly back to London with me. We'll split up in Lisbon. I need you to head to South America—do two things for me."
As club vice chairman and head coach, Yang Cheng had too much on his plate.
Especially with all that was still ahead—
Wembley Stadium.
The new stadium project.
The Brent training base.
The satellite academies.
And don't forget the upcoming Asian tour.
There were just too many things to juggle.
...
After returning to the UK, Yang Cheng dove straight into work.
He spent several days with Xia Qing and Chris Hunter, inspecting the three satellite academies the club had recently acquired.
Looking at a map, these three sites weren't just in well-connected areas with dense populations.
More importantly, they were 90 to 120 minutes from the Brent base.
Just right for building a youth development network.
Chris Hunter had his own plan: to focus next on a larger-scale academy in the southeast suburbs, roughly three hours from Brent.
That would allow players from the smaller satellite sites to graduate into the bigger one—creating a pipeline toward the first team.
Yang Cheng had full confidence in Hunter's ability.
After acquiring the three local academies, Hunter had worked with local councils to preserve subsidies and policies, reducing the financial burden on Bayswater.
Each of the three clubs already had youth teams. Now, Bayswater was working to integrate and restructure.
The next step was a full software and hardware upgrade—training, facilities, and staff.
When Yang Cheng visited, local officials welcomed him warmly.
After all, Bayswater's rise had been meteoric over the last few years.
Now they were investing in youth development? That was a godsend.
If these academies had folded, local governments would've taken the heat.
After finishing his satellite tours, Yang Cheng went to inspect the Brent base.
And there, he had to salute Xia Qing.
The club's finances were impeccably managed.
Whatever they needed, she made sure they had it.
Phase II of the construction was in full swing.
On the north bank of the Brent Reservoir, the entire site was buzzing with activity.
Yang Cheng walked through the site personally and was pleased with the progress.
Of course, this was by UK standards.
If it were, say, a "certain country" known for its breakneck infrastructure speeds...
Well, never mind.
Yang Cheng had seriously considered hiring a Chinese construction firm for the new stadium.
But Adam Crozier talked him out of it.
One reason?
The stadium was tied to the Queensway redevelopment project.
There was no way the UK government would award that to a Chinese firm—especially with the London Olympics on the horizon.
If word got out, the public backlash would be intense.
Even without Queensway or the Olympics, it'd be hard.
Local jobs were at stake.
If a Chinese company took the contract but left jobs in the UK, it might be tolerable.
Otherwise—no point.
Instead, Crozier suggested a different approach:
Play the Olympics card.
Since they were already spending a fortune—might as well lean into it, ride the publicity wave, and earn goodwill from British fans.
"We're spending over a billion to support the London Olympics. You think we shouldn't be allowed to say that out loud? To gain some positive PR?"
"So what if the club's Chinese-owned?"
"We're here for genuine friendship, for UK–China cooperation, and to invest in British football."
"Don't believe us? Look at the money. That's proof enough."
This was all part of brand marketing and public image.
Crozier's logic was simple:
In London, most fans who could actually afford tickets weren't mindless nationalists.
On the contrary, most were rational—they just wanted to know:
What's in it for me?
So—what could China offer?
There was no better answer than real investment.
Reputation and image were all about how you packaged it.
Yang Cheng couldn't help but be convinced.
As June arrived and the fires of the World Cup in Germany were about to ignite, Adam Crozier—who had been in continuous coordination with both the London and Westminster governments—brought Yang Cheng an important update about the new stadium project.
They had officially received approval to begin the local public consultation process.
At the same time, they were instructed to prepare a preliminary proposal to submit to the Westminster Development Control Committee for review.
As for the stadium's architectural firm...
"After multiple rounds of coordination," Crozier said, "I think there's one person no Brit could possibly object to."
"Who?" asked Yang Cheng.
"Norman Foster."
Yang Cheng knew the name well. One of the world's most acclaimed British architects.
"Most stadium designs come with controversy, but with Foster backing it, I believe much of that can be avoided. And you heard what Ken Livingstone said the other day."
Yang Cheng nodded.
Livingstone probably wasn't playing political games—it was likely just a practical move to minimize criticism.
If the most prestigious British architect designed the stadium and Queensway's redevelopment, people might still debate aesthetics, but not the political optics.
"Norman Foster doesn't take on many projects himself anymore," Crozier noted. "Most of the work is done by his firm. Getting him personally involved won't be easy."
Yang Cheng had heard the same. But if they could get him to design the stadium, it would be a global sensation.
"However," Crozier continued, "if we package both our stadium and the Queensway redevelopment together and present it to him as one unified project, I think he'll be very interested. It would be one of the most important urban projects in the UK."
"Of course, his design fees might be... steep."
Crozier looked at Yang Cheng with a questioning expression.
"How steep?" Yang Cheng asked.
"For a project of this scale, design fees typically range from 3% to 5% of the total budget. For someone like Foster, it'll be closer to 5%."
That meant, with a £1 billion budget, they'd be paying £50 million in design fees.
Yang Cheng nearly choked.
He immediately recalled a news story from his previous life—Foster suing an Indian city for $600 million in unpaid fees.
"Damn... the real money's in architecture," he muttered in awe.
£50 million?
Pay it!
Of course, that wasn't an upfront lump sum. It would be paid in phases throughout the project, which would span several years.
So Bayswater could handle it—for now.
Still... it stung.
...
The 2006 World Cup in Germany kicked off with a thunderbolt goal from Philipp Lahm.
All in all, the tournament proceeded pretty much as Yang Cheng remembered.
The strengths of each team were more or less as expected.
His butterfly effect hadn't changed the landscape much.
Take Germany, for example.
Neuer went as the third-choice goalkeeper, behind Lehmann and Kahn.
Barring injury, he'd likely spend the whole tournament on the bench.
A natural passing of the torch for the German national team.
Poland, meanwhile, brought along Piszczek, who played as a right-back and did decently.
But adding one defender didn't shift the team's fortunes.
Instead of losing 0–2 to Ecuador like in Yang Cheng's previous life, they now lost 1–2.
Still outclassed.
It reminded Yang Cheng of playing Football Manager: even if you reloaded ten times, some matches you just couldn't win.
England had a similar story.
Leighton Baines made the squad, but was backup to Ashley Cole, so chances of a breakout were slim.
The biggest change?
France.
In Yang Cheng's past life, Ribéry's World Cup debut was marked by nerves.
He underperformed.
But this time?
Ribéry was France's sharpest blade.
In France's opening match, he didn't just look calm—he was their best player.
And he scored the only goal of the game.
In the 69th minute, after Henry, Vieira, and Zidane had all squandered chances—
Ribéry took matters into his own hands.
Zidane slipped him a brilliant through-ball.
Ribéry darted into the left side of the box and slotted the ball home with his right foot.
That goal secured France's win.
They topped the group with three wins from three, and Ribéry was widely hailed as one of the breakout stars of the group stage.
Still just 23 years old, he was on a mission—
to showcase his talent on football's biggest stage, and let the world's biggest clubs take notice.
Less fortunate was Modrić.
Though he earned a starting role, Croatia failed to get past Brazil and Australia, crashing out in the group stage.
One other player caught Yang Cheng's eye:
Antonio Valencia of Ecuador.
The future "Not-Crossing-Nani, No-Dribbling-Young, Can't-Shoot-Valencia" meme aside, Valencia was a standout performer in this World Cup, helping Ecuador advance to the knockout stage.
Truth be told, all four of those infamous United wingers had real talent.
Their issue wasn't ability—it was usage.
They weren't superstars who could carry a team, but if you got the tactics right, they were excellent support players.
Just look at another example: Di María.
Much more talented than Valencia or Nani, but even he struggled when asked to be the main man.
Yet when positioned properly—as a complementary piece—he thrived.
At Real Madrid, Argentina, even PSG, Di María was brilliant.
Why didn't he work out at Manchester United?
Because the core of the team was weak, the tactics were poor, and the coach wasn't up to it.
...
After the group stage, not much changed from history.
Some scorelines were different—but the favorites still advanced.
France, for example, kept marching forward.
Dangerous, but never reckless.
Raymond Domenech's 4-2-3-1 wasn't easy to watch, but it was brutally effective.
Makélélé and Vieira as the double pivot, anchored by a rock-solid backline.
Up front: Ribéry's searing pace, Henry's skill, and Zidane's orchestration.
Yes, the squad was aging—but their strength and cohesion were frightening.
Contrast that with Brazil.
On paper, they were the strongest team in the tournament.
Ronaldo still had fire.
Ronaldinho was a Ballon d'Or winner and Champions League hero.
Adriano, Roberto Carlos, Kaká—superstars everywhere.
But their biggest flaw?
They played too casually.
It reminded Yang Cheng of a joke:
"Brazil at the World Cup is like a big beach party—grilling meat, dancing samba, and maybe winning a trophy along the way."
The fun part? True.
But as recent tournaments proved—when Brazil actually won, it was always thanks to discipline and collective defending.
With their attacking talent, they never needed to worry about goals.
But holding that much ego together was another matter entirely.
So in the end, despite being the bookies' favorite, Brazil lost to France.
And deservedly so.
In this version, the score wasn't 1–0 like in Yang Cheng's past life.
It was 2–0.
In the second half against Brazil, it was Ribéry—running onto a pass from Henry—who broke through and scored again.
In the end, France, powered by the deadly trio of Henry, Ribéry, and Zidane, marched all the way to the final.
But alas, in the final, they came up against an Italy side backed into a corner by the Calciopoli scandal.
Marcello Lippi's Italy built an impenetrable wall, holding firm at 0–0 all the way through.
Then, in the dying moments, Zidane lost his cool, exchanged words with Materazzi, and headbutted the Italian defender—earning a red card.
A tragic end to a legendary career, and one of the most iconic moments in World Cup history.
Italy eventually edged out the shaken French side on penalties.
...
The moment the World Cup ended, the European transfer market erupted.
Especially when it came to players who'd shone on the world stage.
After Shevchenko's record-breaking £35 million transfer to Chelsea, Henry officially announced his move to Barcelona.
With two superstar forwards on the move, the market caught fire.
And right at the center of it—23-year-old Franck Ribéry.
After a breakout campaign with France, every major club in Europe wanted him.
Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan—
All had him on their radar.
Just weeks earlier, Ribéry had finished the 2005/06 season with a double-double in goals and assists in the Premier League.
He had 17 league goals, was MVP of the UEFA Cup Final, and arguably the tournament's best player.
And now, at the World Cup, he had once again proven his world-class potential.
As Kicker magazine in Germany wrote:
"Ribéry is already over the age limit for FIFA's Best Young Player Award. Otherwise, there would be no debate."
"Franck Ribéry isn't just a future star—he's already one of the best players in the world."
As soon as the World Cup ended, Arsenal became the first club to submit an official bid:
£25 million.
It was a surprise figure—considered high.
But Bayswater Chinese FC didn't even hesitate. They flat-out rejected it.
£25 million?
They didn't even bother replying.
As soon as Arsenal made their move, other top clubs jumped into action.
And with that, the Ribéry transfer saga officially kicked off.
...
While Ribéry stole the headlines, another main character of the summer was Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo.
His now-infamous clash with Wayne Rooney at the World Cup—leading to Rooney's red card—made him public enemy number one in England.
Angry fans even smashed the windows of his house in Cheshire.
The backlash was so intense, Ronaldo didn't even dare return to England.
Spanish media reported that Ronaldo wanted to leave United and join Real Madrid.
The football world held its breath.
But Sir Alex Ferguson stepped up.
Even before United's preseason camp had started, he cut his holiday short, contacted Ronaldo through agent Jorge Mendes, and flew straight to Lisbon.
There, he met with Ronaldo in person, convinced him to stay, and promised to make him the centerpiece of United's attack.
That meeting didn't just patch things up with Rooney—it also ended the internal debate over who United's attacking core would be:
Cristiano, not Rooney.
Ferguson followed it up by offering Ronaldo a new contract—£100,000 per week, a club-record wage.
From World Cup villain to United's golden boy—it took just ten days.
But with Ronaldo staying, Van Nistelrooy's fate was sealed.
Shortly after, both United and Real Madrid confirmed that Ruud van Nistelrooy would transfer to Madrid for £10 million.
Madrid's new president, Ramón Calderón, was ecstatic, calling Ruud one of the world's best goal scorers.
"With Ruud and Ronaldo," he said, "we have every reason to expect a world-class strike partnership that will deliver goals aplenty."
And he wasn't done.
Calderón announced to the press that Madrid's transfer window was still open.
Before signing Ruud, Madrid had already landed Fabio Cannavaro and Emerson from Juventus.
The Calciopoli scandal had blown Juve apart.
Coach Fabio Capello, along with Cannavaro and Emerson, had joined Real.
Vieira and Ibrahimović went to Inter, while Zambrotta and Thuram ended up at Barcelona.
Spanish media soon broke the next piece of news:
Madrid's next target?
Franck Ribéry.
Even Zidane publicly endorsed him—calling Ribéry the most gifted French player of the next generation.
Madrid technical director Predrag Mijatović said,
"We hope Ribéry can fill the void Zidane left behind. He will be a key piece in our tactical blueprint."
And then came a bombshell from Marca.
Everyone had assumed Barcelona would join the bidding war for Ribéry.
They had shown interest early on.
So why were they now silent?
Marca revealed a stunning twist:
Barcelona had reached out to Bayswater and inquired about Ribéry.
Bayswater's counter-offer?
They asked for Messi, plus cash.
That ended the conversation.
Barcelona backed off immediately.
Coach Frank Rijkaard made it clear—it was a non-starter.
...
Amid all this chaos in the transfer market, Bayswater Chinese FC dropped their own official announcement:
For £4 million, or €6 million, they had signed Brazilian center-back Pepe from Porto.
In a summer full of star signings, the move was low-key.
The fee? Relatively modest.
At the same time, Bayswater also confirmed the sale of fourth-choice defender Roger Johansen to newly promoted Sheffield United for £2.5 million.
Then came two more big moves.
£1 million for Brazil U17 international Marcelo from Fluminense.
And £1 million for Argentine youngster Ángel Di María from Rosario Central.
According to The Sun, both players had just started to break into their senior teams and were still mostly bench players.
But Bayswater scouts had already spotted their talent.
To sign Marcelo, the club would use its Special Talent exemption.
Di María held an Italian passport, so he would easily obtain a work permit.
And then, just as Bayswater completed their double swoop of youth prospects—
Real Madrid made their move.
The Galácticos submitted a £30 million (€45 million) bid for Franck Ribéry.
The entire transfer market exploded.
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