SWR: Chapter 878/882

Chapter 878: We Made a Big Profit

Before the European Championship ended, Gao Shen had already received a call from Valdano.

The technical director of Real Madrid wasn't questioning anything profound, just raising some concerns because the board did have some doubts.

Specifically, the players Gao Shen had placed on the transfer list had all performed exceptionally well.

Coentrão, Khedira were all selected in the 23-man squad for the Team of the Tournament at the European Championship.

Among them Khedira received high praise.

Beckenbauer and Sammer from Bayern even specifically mentioned Khedira, saying he was the most dominant and commanding midfielder in European football at the moment, and they were vaguely expressing interest in bringing him back.

"That's great. He'll fetch a good price," Gao Shen said with a smile.

"It's not about the money, Gao," Valdano said with a wry smile over the phone.

"Right now, they're playing well, but Toni Kroos has been average. Some say he was even the worst player in the German national team. You see, this…"

Gao Shen understood exactly what Valdano meant.

Simply put, this kind of operation was bound to raise suspicion.

You're selling the best player of the Euros and bringing in the worst performer? What kind of logic is that?

And this isn't just the view of a few people, but of almost everyone.

That's why the value of players who shine at major tournaments often skyrockets.

Sometimes to the point of being ridiculous.

"Let me tell you, Jorge, just like Modrić's situation at Tottenham, I can say with certainty that both the German national team and Bayern Munich are misusing Toni Kroos."

When Gao Shen said this, it came across as incredibly arrogant, like he was the only clear-headed and intelligent person in the world, while everyone else was a fool.

But it was the truth.

Can Toni Kroos really play as a No. 10?

Putting him there is doing him a disservice.

"I can't explain it, Jorge," Gao Shen sighed.

Valdano nodded, "I understand, Gao. Don't worry, we believe in you!"

...

Beckenbauer and Sammer's earlier comments were more of a goodwill gesture, signaling to Real Madrid that they valued Khedira.

Want Toni Kroos?

Sure, trade him for Khedira!

Right now, the market value of both players is about the same. After Khedira's brilliant performance at the European Championship, his value might even be slightly higher than Kroos.

But Real Madrid's offer this time was to swap Khedira for Toni Kroos.

This offer caused an immediate uproar.

Many Spanish media outlets criticized the move. Khedira had just shone in the European Championship, and now Real Madrid wanted to sell him?

And not just that, they were selling him to bring in Toni Kroos, who had performed poorly at the Euros?

Wasn't that absurd?

Even Alfredo, the editor-in-chief of AS, said the deal was incomprehensible.

"I don't know whether this decision came from the technical team or the higher-ups, but if Real Madrid really likes Toni Kroos, they could've just bought the midfielder outright instead of trading away Khedira, our best player. No matter how you look at it, this is a losing deal."

But no one from Real Madrid stepped forward to clarify.

The only person to speak up was Florentino. At an event, when interviewed, he smiled and said he had faith in the technical team's choices.

"We have the best head coach and the most professional team in the world. I trust them!"

But the media and fans remained unconvinced.

If Gao Shen had come forward, things might've looked better, given his popularity.

But to avoid further complications, Real Madrid didn't let Gao Shen be involved in the transfer dealings.

The reason was simple. If Gao Shen wanted to sign a player, that player's value would immediately shoot up. How would they afford him then?

Take Valencia's left-back, Alba, for example.

After Real Madrid made an offer to Valencia, Barcelona's pursuit of a left-back suddenly stalled.

Later, Alba's agent publicly said it was Gao Shen who had set his sights on Alba.

Good grief! As soon as Valencia heard that, they halted the transfer immediately.

Once the European Championship began, Alba's performances improved game by game. He eventually helped Spain thrash Italy 4-0 in the final and made the Team of the Tournament.

Now, Alba's value had soared past 10 million euros.

Before the end of the Euros, Barcelona made a new offer to Valencia—25 million euros—more than double the previous bid made before Real Madrid's involvement.

But Valencia stood firm and arrogantly rejected the offer.

Not for sale!

If you want him, pay more. Otherwise, we'll sell him to Real Madrid!

What made it worse was that Real Madrid had publicly stated their intention to buy him.

Outrageous!

Barcelona president Rosell publicly criticized Valencia, accusing the club of going against the player's wishes.

"He clearly wants to come to Barcelona, but you insist on selling him to Real Madrid. What's the point?"

Now that things had escalated, they had no choice but to fulfill their promise, right?

Valencia's stance was also clear: you want him, pay up!

Going against the player's wishes?

How righteous that sounds! But where was your righteousness when you were secretly wooing the player and asking him to pressure the club?

Let's skip the rhetoric. We don't want much, just the same fee you paid for Alves from Sevilla.

Look at Alba's performance at the Euros—he's worth every penny!

In the end, Barcelona gritted their teeth, stomped their feet, and paid up!

Forty million euros. Barcelona once again bought a full-back from Valencia at an astronomical price.

Just two days before Alba signed, Real Madrid announced that they had sold their Portuguese left-back Coentrão to Chelsea for 25 million euros.

Real Madrid fans were furious. They had just sold the best left-back of the European Championship, and now they'd missed out on the best Spanish left-back?

What kind of transfer strategy was this?

What the hell were they thinking?

Why sell players performing well?

Was Real Madrid short on money?

Didn't look like it. They just paid a premium of 20 million euros to sign Courtois from Leeds United.

Some tabloids even started spinning conspiracy theories, speculating about deeper motives behind it all.

Everyone knew Gao Shen was the man behind Leeds United.

Was he using Real Madrid's transfers to secretly fund his own team?

Conspiracy theories were always popular.

After selling Coentrão, Real Madrid announced the player swap—Khedira for Toni Kroos with Bayern Munich.

The German media was thrilled.

We made a big profit!

Look at Toni Kroos' performances at Bayern and at the Euros. Where was the form he showed at the World Cup two years ago?

It seemed like he was declining.

And Khedira?

Just 24 years old, in his prime, the best player at the European Championship, praised by Beckenbauer and Sammer, seen as the future leader of Germany and Bayern. This deal was a steal.

After signing Toni Kroos, Real Madrid announced the signing of Italian midfielder Verratti from Napoli for 25 million euros.

This 19-year-old had already played four seasons for Napoli. Everyone knew he was discovered by Gao Shen, and his performances had attracted widespread attention.

Verratti didn't disappoint. In last season's Serie A, he provided nine assists and played brilliantly. Many hailed him as the new Pirlo, and there had even been calls for him to be selected for the national team.

Now Real Madrid had signed him for 25 million euros, and it seemed like he would be reunited with his mentor at the Bernabéu.

Following Verratti's arrival, the deal in London was also finalized.

Real Madrid successfully signed Luka Modrić from Tottenham Hotspur for 15 million euros, along with Adebayor.

The Croatian midfielder had fallen out with Levy and was criticized by Spurs fans, but he withstood the pressure and finally came to Real Madrid.

At the same time, Real Madrid announced that they had activated the buyback clause for left-back Marcos Alonso, who had been sold to Bolton last season.

Speaking of Marcos Alonso, he came from a true Real Madrid lineage.

His grandfather was a key member of Real Madrid during their five consecutive European Cup wins in the 1950s.

His father also came through Real Madrid's youth system but didn't break into the first team. He went on to play for Racing Santander, then joined Atlético Madrid and Barcelona, becoming a Barça legend.

Marcos Alonso, now 20, was a genuine product of Real Madrid's youth system. He joined at the age of nine and had a brief first-team appearance before being sold to Bolton.

However, like with many of their youth players, Real Madrid included a buyback clause in his transfer. Now, they had activated it and bought him back.

Real Madrid fans were happy about the repurchase—he was, after all, one of their own—but they remained puzzled.

Marcos Alonso hadn't performed exceptionally at Bolton, so why bring him back?

Just because he was a Real Madrid product?

Or was it just to appease the fans?

After signing Marcos Alonso, Real Madrid announced that they had transferred central defender Carvalho to Monaco. The transfer fee wasn't disclosed, but AS reported it was a free transfer.

Altıntop moved to Galatasaray for 3.5 million euros.

Sahin was sold to Premier League side Liverpool for 10 million euros.

The Reds had become one of the biggest spenders in the Premier League this summer, second only to Chelsea, who had just changed their manager.

After Mourinho returned to Chelsea, he started spending heavily and scouted for players everywhere.

With strong backing, the Blues announced the signing of Germany's No. 10 from Real Madrid for a sky-high fee of 45 million euros.

The best player of the European Championship had officially left Real Madrid.

At the Bernabéu, Florentino began reflecting on himself.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 879: The Most Luxurious Assistant Group in History

"Tell me, did I not explain it clearly enough last time, and now Gao has misunderstood?"

In the president's office at the Bernabéu, Florentino began reflecting deeply as he read the transfer market report Valdano had just submitted.

Because he realized that Real Madrid had actually broken even in the transfer market.

Yes, it was that outrageous.

If one day you find that Real Madrid is no longer spending money in the transfer market, don't be surprised. That day is now!

José Ángel Sánchez, Valdano, and Butragueño all exchanged looks.

Zidane had stepped down from his role as presidential advisor after agreeing to become an assistant coach.

This summer, Real Madrid had sold Khedira, Coentrão, Adebayor, Carvalho, Özil, and Sahin. In return, they had signed Toni Kroos, Modrić, Verratti, Courtois, Marcos Alonso, and others.

Just two days ago, Gao Shen had asked Valdano to sign 20-year-old Brazilian youth international Casemiro from São Paulo for 5 million euros.

Even with that signing, Real Madrid had still made a profit in this summer's transfer window.

This prompted Florentino's serious reflection.

Because back in Cheshire, he had once told Gao Shen that Real Madrid had been spending heavily since 2009, leaving the club's finances in a not-so-great state.

But in truth, what he meant by "not particularly well-off" was that they could afford any player except the very top-tier superstars.

Now, they were turning a profit.

When had Real Madrid ever made money in the transfer market?

It was absurd.

"I don't think it was a misunderstanding," Valdano said with a smile.

Florentino was a little confused. "Then what's going on?"

"Take a look at this." Valdano opened the folder he had brought with him, quickly pulled out another document, and handed it to Florentino.

It was a list that Gao Shen had asked him to pass on to Castilla's head coach, Alberto Toril.

In it, Gao Shen listed several players who were to report to the first team for the new season: Castilla captain Dani Carvajal, versatile defender Nacho, right winger Lucas Vázquez, forward Jesé, striker Álvaro Morata, and striker Joselu.

Florentino stared at the list, stunned for a few seconds. Then he looked back at Valdano. "These players…"

"They're all from our youth academy. And they all have real ability. Some are promising talents, like Jesé and Joselu. Carvajal has even been Castilla's captain for two years but never got a shot with the first team."

"We originally planned to sell him. Bayer Leverkusen were very interested and offered about 5 million euros, but once Gao Shen found out, he blocked the deal. He said he rates Carvajal very highly."

Florentino now understood what Valdano was getting at.

When a player is around 20 years old, it's usually not hard to tell whether they're good enough.

In other words, their potential is basically set.

The key is whether there's a tactical setup that allows them to thrive.

Take Carvajal, for example.

In the past, Real Madrid would only let reserve players participate in less important matches, like Copa del Rey games.

Jesé, Joselu, and others had gotten chances, but Carvajal, despite being the captain, had never been called up.

Why?

Because Mourinho believed he was better going forward than defending and wasn't the type of full-back he preferred.

Now, Gao Shen believes Carvajal is exactly the full-back he wants.

The player hasn't changed much. What's changed is the manager, the tactical ideas, the choices being made, and the overall direction.

If Carvajal had continued under Mourinho, the best he could hope for would be a situation like Marcelo's now—market value around 20 million euros.

"You know what? I suddenly feel like I'm back in 2006," Florentino couldn't help laughing.

"I still remember, the day after Gao Shen took over as head coach, he went straight to the youth academy and brought up a whole group of players…"

Florentino took a deep breath, reminiscing.

"Arbeloa, Juan Mata, De la Red, Granero, Filipe Luís, Callejón…"

"If I recall correctly, all those guys were promoted under Gao Shen's second team stint, right?"

Valdano, Butragueño, and the others all exchanged smiles and nodded.

Even now, Real Madrid fans still speak fondly of that scene.

A young coach, just starting his career, went into the youth ranks and promoted a group of young talents—and the key point is, they all turned out to be successful.

If not for Calderón's cowardice, if Gao Shen had stayed at Real Madrid, with the current squad and the club's profitability, there probably wouldn't have been these recent years of decline.

But Gao Shen's actions in 2006 had indeed gone down in Real Madrid history.

It was a legendary moment.

The situation at Real Madrid today wasn't all that different. There were still locker room factions, internal conflicts, strong external rivals, and the team was dealing with issues both inside and out.

Gao Shen's approach seemed similar to back then. The difference was that he had taken over in February that year, while now he was starting from the beginning of the season.

"Now that you mention it, it really does feel like that," Butragueño said with a smile.

He had lived through it firsthand.

"There's never been a lack of talent in our youth academy. After all, we attract the best young players in Spain. What we've lacked is a head coach who knows how to discover and use that talent. I think Gao Shen definitely has something in mind," Valdano added.

The current locker room was generally split into two camps, and within those, even more sub-factions.

In the local group, Ramos and Casillas stood together. Arbeloa didn't get along with them. Xabi Alonso remained mostly neutral.

Cristiano Ronaldo was considered a leader among the outsiders. He was close to Pepe and Marcelo, who shared the same Latin American cultural background.

Benzema, Higuaín, and others were relatively neutral.

There used to be a German group with Özil, Khedira, and others, but now they had all been cleared out.

The departures of Coentrão and Carvalho had also hit the foreign players hard.

That sparked speculation: would Ronaldo be next?

Manchester United was currently chasing Benzema. It was undeniable that the Frenchman wasn't being valued at Real Madrid, and now Ronaldo's agent had come out saying the Portuguese superstar was reconsidering his future at the club.

It sounded like, "I'm not very happy right now. Real Madrid, you'd better come and reassure me."

Florentino's response was simple: ignore it.

Because no one could tell if it was Mendes stirring the pot or if it was Ronaldo's own idea.

Goalkeeper Antonio Adán transferred to Real Betis, a move arranged by Real Madrid. He was satisfied with it, especially since Gao Shen had given him his word.

In Cheshire, Gao Shen personally called Adán and told him the situation had reached a dead end.

Even though it was Mourinho's decision, the fact remained that Adán had started in place of Casillas for a season. But it was also a fact that he hadn't shown he could replace Casillas at the top level.

In this scenario, all Gao Shen could offer was a backup role.

But in that kind of environment, could Adán play comfortably?

On the phone, Gao Shen explained everything clearly. Adán understood. He also knew he didn't yet have the strength to take over as Real Madrid's No. 1.

In the end, he took Gao Shen's advice and left the club.

Gao Shen promised him that if he played well, he would still have a chance to return to Real Madrid in the future.

Was this a sign of Casillas regaining power?

That's how many people interpreted it.

But after a few days of speculation, everyone began to sense something strange.

Because Real Madrid had signed Belgian prodigy Thibaut Courtois from Premier League newcomers Leeds United for a high fee of 20 million euros.

Suddenly, the future of Casillas sparked heated discussion throughout Spanish and even European football. Everyone wanted to know what Real Madrid was trying to do.

But under immense pressure, Casillas still performed at a very high level at the European Championship and was selected for the Team of the Tournament.

Regarding Courtois' signing, Valdano had proposed it, Florentino had approved it, and Gao Shen had agreed. But from start to finish, Gao Shen had not been involved in the operation. He only agreed that the club could bring in a young goalkeeper who could compete with Casillas.

Now, everyone was guessing how Gao Shen would handle the Courtois-Casillas situation.

Especially since Casillas had just proven himself again at the European Championship.

Not only that, the entire city of Madrid—and even all of Spain—was watching to see how Gao Shen would manage the Real Madrid locker room, especially the tension between superstars like Ronaldo and Casillas.

Since Real Madrid had not officially announced anything, no one was openly expressing support or opposition.

But everyone knew that Gao Shen was about to take over Real Madrid.

Many were worried, wondering if he could replicate the success he had at Napoli and Manchester City, or if he would suffer a Waterloo-like collapse at Real Madrid, like Mourinho and others had before him.

However, it wasn't all bad news.

After serving as Málaga's sporting director last year, former Real Madrid captain Fernando Hierro resigned after just one season. He reached out through Butragueño and Valdano, hoping to return to Real Madrid and join the coaching staff.

This marked Hierro's return to Real Madrid after nine years, having left the club in 2003.

With Gao Shen's approval, Real Madrid would have three assistant coaches in the new season: former head coach Carlo, former captain Hierro, and Ballon d'Or winner Zidane.

According to AS, this was without question the most luxurious group of assistants in the history of professional football.

Real Madrid had made all the necessary preparations. Everything was ready.

They were just waiting for Gao Shen to arrive.

Unexpectedly, just before departure, Gao Shen suddenly canceled his trip to Madrid.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 880: Gao Shen Is Not Coming

"Mr. Gao, Mr. Su, you can rest assured. Our company has a well-established sales network across several central provinces. That is absolutely guaranteed."

"I believe that with our strength and your brand, this will be a powerful partnership."

In a high-end club in Shanghai, Gao Jianguo and Su Zhijun were busy entertaining a group of very important clients.

This company had strong regional influence across several central provinces. They had attempted to collaborate several times in the past without success. But this time, things had finally progressed, and today they officially signed the contract. They were now holding a celebratory banquet.

Both parties were in high spirits.

Just as the celebration was in full swing, Gao Jianguo's phone suddenly rang.

What's going on?

Gao Jianguo stood up, puzzled.

His wife, Zhang Wenying, knew he was entertaining important guests tonight. Why would she be calling now?

He walked to a quiet spot and answered the phone. "Why are you calling me at this time?"

Two minutes later, Gao Jianguo hurried back to the table and pulled Su Zhijun aside just as he was raising his glass for a toast. "Old Su, stop drinking. We need to leave, immediately."

Everyone was stunned and fell silent.

What was going on?

"Mr. Huang, I'm terribly sorry. Something urgent has come up tonight, extremely urgent. Please forgive us. We'll come personally to apologize another day, but we need to leave now."

"Oh, Mr. Gao, what's happened?"

"Yeah, we were having such a good time. What's the matter?"

Gao Jianguo couldn't help laughing, but his eyes turned red and tears nearly spilled out.

"I'm going to be a grandfather, Old Su. I'm going to be a grandfather!"

Only then did everyone understand, and the room quickly erupted into congratulations.

Who there didn't know that Gao Jianguo and Su Zhijun were in-laws, and their son and son-in-law was the famous Gao Shen?

"Congratulations, President Gao, President Su! That's fantastic news, double happiness!"

"Yes, double the joy. Congratulations to both of you!"

Gao Jianguo and Su Zhijun were grinning from ear to ear. This was the kind of major event they had long hoped for.

Truthfully, there's nothing more joyous in life than this.

"Say no more, Mr. Huang. I'm really sorry we couldn't host you properly tonight. We'll visit and apologize another time. For now, we have to catch the earliest flight to England. Please excuse us."

"I understand completely. Please extend my congratulations to young Mr. Gao."

"Absolutely. I will."

…

Gao Shen never expected that after receiving one phone call, both sets of parents would fly overnight from China.

In fact, they didn't even tell Gao Shen until after they had landed.

At that time, Gao Shen had accompanied Su Qing to the hospital for a check-up, and everything was normal.

But the moment his parents arrived home, they started scolding him the second they walked in the door. They said he was careless, didn't know how to take care of his wife, had even gone to Northern Europe while she was pregnant, and that he should change clubs altogether.

With their proper and stern demeanor, Gao Shen could only take it all in without rebuttal.

On the contrary, his in-laws were more protective and helped defuse the situation.

In the end, it was Su Qing who stepped in.

According to the pregnancy test results, she had indeed gotten pregnant during their trip to Northern Europe.

"Think about it, if we hadn't gone on that trip, who knows when we'd have had the chance again?" Gao Shen tried to defend himself.

Needless to say, that earned him another round of scolding.

At that point, Su Qing was completely helpless.

She had just tried to back him up, and now he was digging himself deeper. She couldn't help anymore.

"No, I heard you haven't found a house in Madrid yet?"

"Um…"

"Then where will Xiaoqing stay when she joins you?"

"A hotel."

"A hotel? She's in a delicate stage. How could you let her stay in a hotel?"

"She's right. I agree with your mother on this. This is serious. No hotels."

"Then I'll go ahead, find a place, and bring her over later. How's that?" Gao Shen suggested.

"Absolutely not. By the time you find a place, she'll have to uproot herself again. Xiaoqing put a lot of thought into picking the house in Cheshire. The best thing for her now is to rest, without having to worry about anything."

"I support your mother's view on this," Gao Jianguo chimed in.

"Alright, I won't push it. I'll just rent a place, okay?"

"Rent? That's a property other people have lived in. How would you know if there were issues before? How can we be at ease?"

Gao Shen was at his wit's end. He found that everything his mother said actually made sense, and he was left speechless.

On this matter, both families stood in firm agreement.

After all, everyone cared deeply about the baby growing in Su Qing's belly.

This was the third generation of both families.

"If I remember correctly, you're supposed to be traveling soon, right?" Gao Jianguo suddenly asked.

Gao Shen nodded. "The team's heading off for training. Probably for half a month, maybe even a month."

There was no escaping it now.

Originally, Gao Shen had planned to hire professional caregivers, a private doctor, a chef, and a nanny while he was away. That should've been more than enough.

But his mother wasn't having it.

What's most important for a pregnant woman?

Keeping a positive and cheerful mood.

How could she do that if she's left alone for weeks with no one to talk to?

In the end, it was decided that both mothers would stay to look after Su Qing full-time, while the two fathers would remain for a short while until everything stabilized.

As for Gao Shen… he could do whatever he wanted.

"I've never seen a father like you, so irresponsible!" Zhang Wenying scolded.

Gao Shen was full of grievances. How am I irresponsible?

Seeing his expression, Su Qing couldn't help but laugh.

In truth, as Gao Shen became more and more successful, fewer people were able to rein him in.

Now, it seemed only this "unreasonable" mother could still do it.

As for Madrid, Su Qing wouldn't be going for the time being.

Anyway, everything in Cheshire was convenient and comfortable.

After Gao Shen called Lucas, he rushed over right away. Leeds United assigned Su Qing a full-time driver, available 24 hours a day.

Private hospitals and family doctors were also arranged.

In capitalist countries, as long as you're willing to spend the money, you can live like royalty.

Gao Shen was ready to spare no expense this time. He wanted the absolute best of everything, no matter the cost.

But what was depressing was that, in the end, he was kicked out of the house with nothing.

Especially on the way to Manchester Airport, Lucas couldn't stop grinning.

When had he ever seen Gao Shen so down and out?

He was actually traveling alone.

"Honestly, Gao, you've got no status at home," Lucas joked.

Gao Shen slumped in the passenger seat and spat, "Get lost!"

Of course, it was all in good fun.

They both could feel the genuine care and love from Gao Shen's parents and in-laws. Otherwise, they wouldn't have flown all the way from China overnight after one phone call.

In fact, it all traced back to Manchester City reaching the Champions League final. They had all applied for visas at the time but couldn't make the trip for various reasons.

Who would've thought they'd end up using them now?

"Fernando, you'll have to pay more attention to Leeds United's affairs from now on," Gao Shen said.

Lucas smiled and nodded. "Don't worry. I'm here."

The two of them had started from nothing.

Back when Gao Shen took over at Real Madrid, the first person to stand by him was his best friend, Lucas.

"Do you still remember when we were in that tiny rented room, eating instant noodles and dreaming big?"

"Of course I remember," Gao Shen smiled.

"You said you wanted to become a world-renowned coach. I said I wanted to be your assistant. When I left Real Madrid, you promised to bring me back someday. Now look, you've dumped me in England."

Gao Shen chuckled. "How about you come back with me? I'll find someone to take your place."

"No way. My career path has changed. If you bring me back to be your assistant again, I don't think I'd be able to settle down."

Gao Shen understood.

People are like leaves drifting on a vast ocean. Most of the time, they don't know where they're headed, just drifting with the tide.

That applied to Lucas and himself as well.

No one could control the future, but they could control the present.

…

Gao Shen's sudden cancellation of his trip to Madrid sparked widespread speculation and surprise.

Some gossip outlets even claimed that Gao Shen's decision not to go was due to disappointment with Real Madrid's summer signings.

"He might surpass Camacho to become the shortest-tenured head coach in Real Madrid history!"

Dismissed before even officially taking charge!

This sparked panic among Real Madrid fans.

They had waited so long for Gao Shen. Why was something going wrong again?

When Real Madrid first received his call, they were shocked. But once they learned the reason, they were overjoyed and told Gao Shen to take all the time he needed.

When Gao Shen saw the conspiracy theories spreading, he immediately posted on Twitter, clarifying everything and sharing his joy with fans.

Once everyone heard the truth, they breathed a sigh of relief and joined in congratulating him.

Whether they were fans of Napoli, Manchester City, or Real Madrid, they all sent blessings to Gao Shen, Su Qing, and the baby.

There was one unexpected benefit from the sudden change of plans. When Gao Shen finally arrived in Madrid, no one outside of Real Madrid knew.

It wasn't until he appeared at the airport that tourists recognized him. But Gao Shen went straight to Zidane's car, didn't stop, and left Madrid-Barajas Airport immediately.

The media caught wind of it, but by then, they had already lost track of him.

That night, Gao Shen stayed at a luxury hotel near Zidane's home. Real Madrid had booked the presidential suite for him.

It was in that hotel that he had dinner with Zidane, Valdano, and Butragueño.

With the media watching closely, Gao Shen chose not to appear publicly to avoid unnecessary attention.

Hierro was still out of town and would return to Madrid in the next couple of days to report for duty under Gao Shen.

Carlo and the others had returned earlier and were already at Valdebebas preparing.

After discussions with Zidane, Valdano, and the rest, the first person Gao Shen called was Sergio Ramos.

To fend off outside challenges, internal issues had to be resolved first.

And that started with the locker room.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 881: Ramos, You Have Changed

The presidential suites in high-end hotels all have private driveways and dedicated elevators.

Ramos entered through this private driveway into the underground parking garage, then took the elevator straight up to the presidential suite.

Before ringing the doorbell, he took a moment to check his clothes.

He had carefully dressed up before heading out today.

After making sure everything was in order, he rang the doorbell.

Soon, Gao Shen opened the door.

"Hello, Boss. Nice to see you!"

The moment the door opened and Ramos saw Gao Shen, he immediately spread his arms wide, full of enthusiasm.

"Long time no see, Sergio." Gao Shen returned the hug politely.

Once inside, the kid started glancing around sneakily, eyes darting about like a scout entering unfamiliar territory, all while throwing out exaggerated compliments.

He kept going on about how luxurious the suite was, how spacious the rooms were, how comfortable the lounge and entertainment room looked. He expressed his envy repeatedly. In short, just a bunch of nonsense.

"What are you looking for?" Gao Shen laughed, watching him dart around.

Ramos grinned and strolled over to sit on the couch.

"Just checking in on you, Boss."

"Doesn't feel like it."

"Boss, your wife didn't come with you, so I wanted to see if you had someone secretly hidden in the room," Ramos said, winking with a face that said, "We're all men, you know what I mean."

Gao Shen was speechless. Do I look like that kind of guy?

Even if I were that kind of guy, knowing you were coming, would I leave someone here for you to find?

Idiot. I haven't seen you in years, and you're still as dumb as ever.

Come to think of it, Ramos was already 26 now.

Gao Shen still remembered that when he first coached Real Madrid, Ramos wasn't even 20. Back then, he was fearless, daring to challenge the big names, full of reckless courage.

Now, he looked more mature, but also a lot craftier.

That was only natural.

After going through so much, who could stay the same?

If Ramos were still like he was back then, Gao Shen would probably have a headache instead.

…

The reason Gao Shen chose to meet with Ramos first wasn't random, nor because Ramos was the one he was closest to.

In terms of closeness, it was actually Ángel Di María.

After the Argentine joined Real Madrid, he would regularly call Gao Shen, especially during the holidays.

Just from that alone, Gao Shen knew how much Di María respected him.

Ramos, too, was familiar with Gao Shen. They had fought side by side. But Gao Shen had been away for six years. Many things had changed. Both he and Ramos had changed.

Gao Shen chose to meet Ramos first because of his importance in the dressing room and what he represented moving forward.

Casillas was the current captain of Real Madrid, but his leadership style was very different from past captains, and even more so from Ramos.

Real Madrid's goalkeeper was the type who didn't speak much or take on much responsibility.

That was one of the main reasons for the ongoing issues in the locker room.

Before officially taking over, Gao Shen wanted to understand what the players were really thinking.

"Sergio, there aren't many players I truly trust in this Real Madrid squad. You know what happened with Adán. The whole team was upset about it. I did what I could, but a lot of it was out of my hands. That's why Courtois is here."

What Gao Shen said wasn't wrong, and he spoke with confidence, because Courtois really wasn't his signing.

Ramos was well aware of that.

He also knew Gao Shen had personally persuaded Adán to leave.

"Boss, if there's anything you need, just say the word. I'll do everything I can," Ramos said firmly.

Gao Shen smiled and praised him, saying he hadn't disappointed him.

Anyway, a few kind words never hurt.

From the moment Ramos entered the room to the point they sat down and started chatting, Gao Shen had been observing him. He adjusted the tone and rhythm of the conversation accordingly and made an effort to cater to Ramos.

Because he could tell Ramos had come here cautiously.

That's why he was trying to seem casual, joking about "looking for women" as a way to lighten the mood and close the distance.

It probably took him a while to think up that move.

"To be honest, a lot of people have told me that Iker is no longer fit to be captain," Gao Shen said bluntly.

"Who said that?" Ramos was stunned.

"Quite a few people," Gao Shen replied calmly.

Ramos swore under his breath, then looked at Gao Shen and said helplessly, "Boss, don't listen to the nonsense outside. As for last season's incident, I don't think Iker did anything wrong. He's not just Real Madrid's captain, he's also Spain's captain…"

"No, no, no, Sergio, you've misunderstood. I don't think he was wrong either. I agree with you on that."

"Then…"

"I'm talking about the stuff his girlfriend reported," Gao Shen cut straight to the point.

Ramos fell silent, then scoffed. "I told him not to get involved with her, but he wouldn't listen. I don't know what kind of spell that woman put on him. He listens to her for everything. He won't even let me speak. If I say too much, he gets angry!"

The resentment was written all over Ramos' face.

The whole conflict between Mourinho and Casillas had escalated because of the female reporter's articles.

Sure, the manager mishandled things. But was Casillas innocent?

Now the past was the past. Mourinho was gone, and Gao Shen had no intention of revisiting it. There was no point. His goal was to manage the current locker room.

But the Casillas issue still needed resolving.

The captaincy at Real Madrid wasn't like other clubs.

"I'm thinking about whether he's still suitable to be captain," Gao Shen admitted.

He really was.

Ramos didn't know how to respond.

Any manager coming in would have the same thought. It was only natural.

Even if Casillas had once been Gao Shen's favorite player, it didn't matter now. What happened last season had been too serious.

Who could guarantee that his girlfriend wouldn't stir up more trouble?

"Boss, I understand and respect your thinking. But changing the captain is a huge decision…"

"If—and I mean if," Gao Shen interrupted, "I made you captain instead, what would you think?"

Ramos looked at him in surprise, clearly caught off guard, then quickly fell into thought.

Real Madrid had a tradition of awarding the armband based on seniority.

Right now, Casillas was captain and Ramos was vice-captain. If Casillas stepped down, Ramos would naturally be next in line.

Previously, Mourinho had tried to make Ronaldo captain, which had caused a lot of controversy because of that tradition.

"To be honest, Sergio, there aren't many players I trust in this locker room. You're one of them. If I'm going to change the captain, you're my top choice. I believe you can do the job."

Gao Shen's words left Ramos speechless. He looked conflicted.

Had he thought about becoming captain?

Of course.

He was already vice-captain. Given Casillas' age, and after what happened last season, it would be a lie if he said the thought hadn't crossed his mind.

In reality, he was the acting captain last season.

But being captain on the field and being the official captain were not the same thing.

"Boss, I have something to say, but…" Ramos hesitated.

Gao Shen smiled and handed him a bottle of water. "Same as always. You talk, I'll listen. No one else will ever hear about it. Even if you curse out Florentino, I won't say a word."

Ramos laughed.

Back then, he had actually ranted about Florentino to Gao Shen.

And as it turned out, Florentino had never heard a word of it.

The center-back exhaled heavily, then said, "Boss, if you ask me if I want to be Real Madrid's captain, I'll tell you without hesitation: 100%, yes. I've wanted that since the day I joined this club."

Gao Shen understood. He'd known that six years ago.

"But honestly, now's not the right time," Ramos said seriously.

"The national team just won the Euros. Iker was the captain. If he comes back to Real Madrid and gets stripped of the armband, no matter who takes over, it's going to cause tension and conflict."

Gao Shen nodded. It was a mature and thoughtful answer.

He hadn't expected Ramos to be so considerate.

Then again, it made sense. Ramos had been at Real Madrid for many years. Of course he had grown.

He might play with reckless abandon on the pitch, but off the pitch, this was his real personality.

"Boss, I think you should think carefully before changing the captain. Now isn't the right time. What you need most right now is stability, to get everyone focused on training and games."

After a pause, Ramos added that if Gao Shen decided to make a change, he would fully support him.

Gao Shen didn't give a final answer but said he would carefully consider Ramos' advice.

After that, they chatted about some locker room matters, including player performances and the effects of the summer transfers.

As a player, Ramos knew a fair bit.

Though he was a homegrown Spaniard, he got along well with Ronaldo and the other foreign players. He was popular across the board.

How to describe him?

He had a "high-functioning social disorder." No matter where he went, he could fit in with everyone.

Gao Shen got a lot of useful information from him, including insight into what the players were really thinking.

Under Gao Shen's coaxing, Ramos couldn't help but vent about many people, from Mourinho to Ronaldo to others in the squad. No one escaped his "poisoned tongue."

Gao Shen felt that Ramos looked a lot more relaxed after letting it all out.

Over the years, Gao Shen had always played the role of a "tree hollow"—a place to pour your heart out.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 882: Who Else Can I Buy?

Gao Shen spent the entire morning chatting with Ramos. They discussed many topics.

From the team to individual players and even the club itself, nothing was off-limits.

According to Ramos, ever since Gao Shen left, he had bottled up many things in his heart that he couldn't share with anyone, which had made him feel miserable.

Finally, he said something deeply emotional: "Boss, being captain of Real Madrid is really hard!"

Who could disagree?

If being Real Madrid's head coach is the hardest managerial job in the world, then being captain of Real Madrid is probably the hardest captaincy in football.

Casillas was a top professional, but not a particularly effective captain.

Still, Ramos had a point.

If you strip Casillas of the captaincy now, it would create a wave of problems.

In truth, Gao Shen hadn't intended to remove the captain right away. He met with Ramos to gauge his attitude, test his sincerity, and prepare for any future decisions.

It seemed Ramos could be trusted.

The guy might have his own interests, and he might not be entirely forthcoming, but he was reliable.

As soon as Ramos arrived at the hotel, Gao Shen had already received a message and observed him through the door.

This kid clearly still cared about him. That wasn't bad.

…

Standing at the floor-to-ceiling window in the living room, Gao Shen looked out at the streets of Madrid. Just across the way was the neighborhood where Zidane currently lived. Gao Shen had asked him to look for a better house.

It would need to be fully renovated.

Just as Gao Shen was amusing himself with the thought, the doorbell rang.

When he opened the door, he found Valdano, Zidane, and Carlo outside, along with a familiar face.

Fernando Hierro.

"Hello, Fernando," Gao Shen greeted with a smile.

"Hello, Gao."

Years ago, Hierro had been forced out when Real Madrid refused to renew his contract, causing a stir across Spain. It marked the beginning of the decline of the first generation of the Galácticos and led to Gao Shen's rise in 2006.

Now, after many years, Hierro was finally back at Real Madrid. It hadn't been easy.

Everyone knew he was here to rebuild his reputation, with his real goal being the Spanish Football Association.

With his stature, it wouldn't be difficult for him to work at Real Madrid. But his relationship with Florentino was so poor that he had no intention of returning—until now, when he needed to strengthen his résumé before aiming for a role with the Spanish FA.

Of course, that didn't mean Hierro was just a symbolic assistant.

On the contrary, his experience and stature could offer significant support to Real Madrid.

After all, this was a guy who had played nearly every role—from center forward to midfielder, defensive midfielder, and central defender.

But Hierro's story also reflected the reality of being Real Madrid captain.

At his peak, he scored 21 goals in 37 La Liga appearances as a midfielder, finishing second in the league's scoring charts, just behind Atlético striker Manolo.

He was only 24 at the time.

Over the next two seasons, his goal tally remained in double digits.

But with the arrival of midfielders like Redondo and Michael Laudrup, Hierro's role was pushed back, and he eventually became a central defender.

Sound familiar? A bit like Raúl's story.

At the time, Mendoza was president of Real Madrid.

Imagine this: during Lampard's peak, someone forced him to move from midfield to center back. Would he accept that?

So whether it was President Santiago Bernabéu, Mendoza, or Florentino today, Real Madrid had always followed a superstar policy—and the captain had always been the scapegoat.

To put it nicely, the captain "considers the bigger picture."

Another thing: Real Madrid captains rarely get a graceful exit.

Former captain Sanchís only retired at the club and retained his role thanks to then-president Lorenzo Sanz.

…

This time, Valdano brought the three assistants primarily to discuss the team's plans for the new season.

Gao Shen briefly summarized his earlier meeting with Ramos. Of course, he didn't share any private details, but made it clear that Ramos had earned his trust.

On the topic of the captaincy, Valdano and the three assistant coaches agreed with Ramos and supported maintaining the status quo.

Last season, when Casillas was unavailable, Ramos had worn the armband on the pitch. Over time, he built his reputation and influence within the locker room. Given the current situation, there was no need to rush a change. Instead, it would be better to continue supporting Ramos and let him take over gradually.

That had also been Gao Shen's original plan—an ideal situation.

But whether it could be achieved would depend on Casillas himself.

Gao Shen planned to find a chance to have a proper conversation with the Real Madrid captain. But there was no rush.

Then Valdano brought up another issue.

Real Madrid had made a profit.

This would be great news for almost any other club—maybe even all other clubs except Real Madrid and Barcelona—but not for Los Blancos.

Because as a membership-based club, Real Madrid was not allowed to generate profit.

If there were profits, the government would impose heavy taxes.

As Real Madrid's revenue increased sharply, they were forced to spend it each year.

Of course, the board of directors still played a supervisory role. The money had to be spent wisely and in ways that didn't harm the club's interests.

So when fans see Real Madrid making an overpriced transfer, it's often a case of spending excess profits. Privately, there might be other means of ensuring the club isn't actually losing out.

And now, Gao Shen had gone and made money in the transfer market.

"Florentino and José Sánchez have been racking their brains over this. You know, Real Madrid has made a lot of external investments in recent years, but they don't always pay off," Valdano explained.

Gao Shen, Zidane, and the others couldn't help but laugh.

This was a good problem to have for Real Madrid.

They were too good at making money, but legally not allowed to keep any profit. So each year, they had to come up with ways to spend it all.

"To be honest, it's not that I don't want to buy," Gao Shen said, "but there really aren't any suitable players available in the market right now."

Because when you spend, it has to follow certain principles.

Take Real Madrid's current front line.

There's Benzema and Higuaín, with Morata and Joselu in the youth ranks. Why buy another striker?

Who would you buy?

And more importantly, would that cause unrest in the dressing room?

On the wings, you had Cristiano Ronaldo and Di María. The bench was indeed weak, but there weren't many quality wingers left on the market.

Hazard, Gareth Bale, and Robben were all at Manchester City, and Real Madrid didn't dare make a move.

Why?

If you mess with City's players, they'll fight you to the death and ruin your season. Then no one wins.

A perfect example was Paris Saint-Germain's attempt to sign Neymar, which nearly turned into a war.

Gao Shen had considered signing Neymar himself, but problems quickly emerged.

After initiating contact, Real Madrid found out Neymar and Barcelona were already deep in negotiations, and the terms offered by Barça were insane—totally beyond what Real Madrid could match.

Matching those terms would collapse the club's entire wage structure.

Sure, they could hide the details like Barcelona did. But the risks and consequences were well known.

Both Real Madrid and Barcelona were membership-based organizations. The president might have significant power, but the board was audited annually.

You couldn't just cover things up.

Only someone like Rosell would be foolish enough to try. It wasn't an exaggeration to say Neymar and his father had conned him.

The key difference here was that Real Madrid didn't spend like Leeds United.

Leeds could sign Cancelo or Felipe Anderson for €1 million. That was impressive. But for Real Madrid?

Unless it cost eight figures, no one even blinked.

Wingers were hard to find. What about defenders?

Well, Gao Shen had thought about David Alaba from Bayern.

He didn't even consider Jordi Alba, because he knew the kid only wanted to go to Barcelona.

But Bayern didn't want to sell Alaba.

Deals between elite clubs had unwritten rules—you don't mess with each other.

The biggest difference between Calderón and Florentino was that the former didn't care about class, while the latter did everything by the book and maintained appearances.

If Bayern refused to sell, Real Madrid couldn't force them. They could only wait for an opportunity.

As for right-back, Arbeloa and Carvajal were sufficient.

The center-backs included Ramos, Pepe, Varane, and Albiol. That was enough too.

That only left the midfield.

Midfield depth was indeed a bit thin. But looking around European football—who could realistically join Real Madrid?

The club wasn't interested in players who were too weak. And the strong ones didn't want to sit on the bench behind Xabi Alonso.

Javi Martínez was arguably the best defensive midfielder in the world at the moment. But his price was sky-high, and Manchester City weren't selling.

Who else?

De Rossi at Roma?

Not for sale.

Mascherano at Liverpool was a great option, but bringing him in would force the team to play a double pivot. That meant benching either Toni Kroos or Modrić, which didn't fit into Gao Shen's plans.

So in today's football, there really weren't many options for a single-pivot holding midfielder.

Hierro, who had come from Málaga, made a strong recommendation: Málaga midfielder Isco.

The 20-year-old Spanish midfielder had made 29 La Liga appearances the previous season, scoring five goals and assisting four. He was Málaga's best player.

His current market value was around €15 million. But because of his age and importance to Málaga, it would take at least €20 million to make a deal.

After hearing this, Gao Shen understood.

"Alright, let's go with him," Gao Shen nodded.

Valdano secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Hierro looked pleased.

Valdano had worried about resistance from upper management, while Hierro was happy to see his recommendation accepted. It was a good sign.

As for Gao Shen, he truly thought Isco was a good player.

"By the way, when do you plan to speak with Ronaldo?" Valdano asked, looking concerned.

That was currently the biggest topic outside the club.

(To be continued.)