SWR: Chapter 813/815

Chapter 813: Rich Players’ Reality Show

When Gao Shen received the news of Villas-Boas' dismissal, he was preparing for the upcoming match at Carrington.

Next up, Manchester City would travel south to London to face Chelsea away.

But right before this crucial fixture, Abramovich decided to change coaches.

There was no doubt that this decision would be approved by Abramovich himself, welcomed by the Chelsea dressing room, and likely to trigger the classic effect of "a new manager is like a new blade."

Because now, Chelsea players had even less reason not to fight Manchester City to the death.

Still, this kind of coaching change was the height of impulsiveness.

Just like when he fired Ancelotti on the team bus.

Or sacking Mourinho just one month into the season—it was the same pattern.

Gao Shen had once come across a question: How satisfying is it to follow your desires so freely? Just look at Abramovich. He does whatever he wants, regardless of the consequences or losses.

Professionals all know that there's a right time to change coaches.

Generally, you avoid doing it right before tough fixtures, to give the new coach a softer landing.

Most mid-season sackings are due to dressing room collapse.

No need to guess, this is how it usually plays out.

Poor results are the outcome. The reasons behind them are often rooted in the locker room.

Some bosses are eccentric, but they're rare.

When a new coach arrives and the fixture list isn't too intense, players who just forced out the old manager, whom they'd grown frustrated with, find a honeymoon period with the new coach. Naturally, the team's form improves.

That's the real meaning behind the phrase, "a new manager, a new blade."

But this time, Chelsea made the change just before facing Manchester City. Right now, Di Matteo was probably feeling like a thousand Benzemas were rushing toward him.

But Manchester City needed to take this match more seriously than ever.

It was easy to imagine that in the next league match, Chelsea would put in more effort than in any previous game this season. Especially the veterans who clashed with Villas-Boas.

They would throw everything at Manchester City.

Some people joked that Abramovich and Chelsea were football's real-life Football Manager (FM) simulation.

But that wasn't accurate.

Because no FM player would ever spend as much as Abramovich.

As Gao Shen had said before, the money Abramovich invested in Chelsea was recorded as debt via loans. Before Gao Shen transmigrated in 2021, Chelsea owed Abramovich £1.5 billion on paper.

His last investment came in the 2018–19 season, when he put in £266 million.

And that was it?

Not quite.

Since UEFA introduced Financial Fair Play, in order to keep Chelsea compliant and reduce debt and losses, Abramovich converted a large portion of that debt into equity in three separate transactions, totaling £876 million.

In other words, Abramovich had invested over £2.4 billion in Chelsea.

That's just the documented investment. He also pushed to build a scouting network, invested in and acquired stakes in other clubs, and held shares in Mendes' third-party player ownership company.

All of this was centered around Chelsea.

If that's not love, then what is?

But if this was love, it was incredibly willful.

Mourinho was fired less than a month into the season, destroying the summer transfer plan and the season's preparation. Ancelotti was fired on the bus, tarnishing Chelsea's reputation among Europe's top managers. Now, just before Christmas, they had sacked a Portuguese treble-winner they had high hopes for.

The media claimed Chelsea wanted to bring Mourinho back. But was it that simple?

Would Real Madrid be willing to let him go?

If Mourinho was released, where would Real Madrid find a replacement at short notice?

Ancelotti?

He was certainly a strong candidate.

"According to news from Madrid, Florentino has spoken with Mourinho and won't change the coach mid-season," Carlo said.

When Gao Shen heard this, he looked up in surprise. Carlo gave a slight nod.

Many things that seemed complicated were actually quite simple.

Given the current situation, Chelsea wanted to bring Mourinho back. Real Madrid were also facing calls for a managerial change. If Mourinho left and Ancelotti came in, it looked like a win-win.

But it would also create a problem for Real Madrid.

A manager like Ancelotti would never agree to a short-term deal. He'd want a long-term contract.

If Real Madrid appointed Ancelotti, and Gao Shen left Manchester City next summer, the club would have no way to bring him back.

So, Florentino had decided not to make a coaching change.

All the pressure would be borne by the Real Madrid board, the players, the fans, and the media.

In a way, Gao Shen was moved.

That's just how he was.

You offer me a wooden peach, and I'll return it with jade.

"There's also word that Paris Saint-Germain is considering a coaching change, and Ancelotti is their target," Carlo added.

Gao Shen nodded. He had a good idea of what was going on.

This kind of situation was very common.

Ancelotti was clearly waiting for Real Madrid. If they called, he would reject PSG without hesitation. But if they didn't, he'd take the Ligue 1 job.

It was no different from a regular job hunt.

"Don't overthink it. The trip to Stamford Bridge won't be easy," Gao Shen said with a frown.

Right now, this was the top priority.

After the managerial change, most people had little faith in Di Matteo, but Gao Shen was an exception.

Chelsea was a peculiar club.

They had a bizarre pattern.

Abramovich was obsessed with the Champions League, and under his ownership, Chelsea had reached the final three times—each time after a mid-season coaching change.

The first was in September 2007. After Mourinho was fired, assistant coach Avram Grant took over and led Chelsea to the final, where they lost to Ferguson's Manchester United.

The second time was in March 2012. After firing Villas-Boas, Di Matteo took charge and led Chelsea to the final again, this time stunning Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena.

The third was in 2021. After sacking Lampard, Thomas Tuchel took over and once again led the Blues to the final, defeating Guardiola's Manchester City in Porto's Estádio do Dragão.

Of course, all of that had happened in Gao Shen's previous life. For now, only the first case had occurred.

There was no chance of a repeat.

Chelsea were already eliminated from the Champions League. No matter how good Di Matteo was, the best he could do was aim for the Europa League.

But Di Matteo still had ability.

That's why Gao Shen took the trip to Stamford Bridge very seriously.

And this time, Manchester City had to travel light.

After facing Chelsea, the team would depart for the Club World Cup.

In Gao Shen's previous life, Abu Dhabi had hosted the Club World Cup in 2009 and 2010. The 2011 edition was set to return to Yokohama, Japan.

But in March 2011, Japan was struck by a devastating earthquake, which shocked the world and led to a nuclear leak. FIFA took the situation seriously, and Blatter even inspected Japan's preparations for the tournament.

In this context, after Manchester City won the Champions League, Abu Dhabi's interest was rekindled.

At their request, FIFA negotiated with the Japanese organizers and arranged for the 2011 and 2012 editions of the Club World Cup to be held in Abu Dhabi instead of Yokohama.

So, after facing Chelsea, Manchester City would fly to Abu Dhabi.

They would play two Club World Cup matches, and then the Christmas schedule would begin immediately upon returning.

Never mind the travel. The intensity of the fixtures alone was already overwhelming.

So Gao Shen and his coaching staff were being extra cautious.

Now, Chelsea's sudden change of coach had disrupted Manchester City's plans.

Barring surprises, Di Matteo would definitely focus on defense at home.

Chelsea's defensive foundations had been laid since the Ranieri era and were further reinforced under Mourinho, Scolari, Hiddink, and Ancelotti. Villas-Boas had a more aggressive approach, but Chelsea had long been known for their defensive solidity—especially at Stamford Bridge.

If Di Matteo wanted to restore order, he would have to strengthen the defense.

If Manchester City were forced into a war of attrition at Stamford Bridge, it would be to their disadvantage.

"Chelsea will go back to doing what they do best, and so will we," Gao Shen analyzed with Carlo.

"We'll attack right from the start. We need to score early at Stamford Bridge. Once we get the lead, we can slow the game down. Our advantage lies in ball control and possession."

Chelsea would definitely press hard. Their midfield was full of strong, no-nonsense players, and they had experience handling teams like Barcelona and Arsenal who rely on possession.

If it turned into a physical battle, Manchester City would be under a lot of pressure.

In recent years, Chelsea had been one of the most difficult teams to face in Europe.

They might not have the most firepower, technical skill, or creativity, but they were extremely tenacious and resilient, with superb physical strength and work rate.

No team found them easy to deal with.

"So, we need to capitalize on the opening, let them press, then hit them on the counter."

"I understand. I'll sort it out," Carlo nodded.

"Also, tell the medical team to pay special attention to David Luiz. If he's not fully fit, leave him behind. Don't bring him to the Club World Cup either. Let him stay at Carrington to recover."

Carlo nodded. "Then what about Drogba?"

"Kompany can handle him. Bring Boateng and Cahill too. We'll see who's in better form and start him."

"Got it. I'll prepare."

With that, Carlo turned and left.

Gao Shen sat down at his desk and exhaled deeply.

He had predicted Villas-Boas wouldn't make it through the winter break, but he hadn't expected him to be sacked this early.

There was no joy in being proven right—only more pressure.

Today's European football was no longer the one he had once known.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 814: Lore

On the afternoon of December 10th, at Stamford Bridge in London.

In the 15th round of the Premier League, Manchester City were away to Chelsea.

In the 78th minute, Lampard stood at the penalty spot inside Manchester City's box. Facing Neuer, the German goalkeeper who looked like a towering wall, he made a quick run-up and calmly slotted the ball home, equalizing the score for Chelsea.

Stamford Bridge erupted in celebration.

One to one!

Manchester City, who had led for over an hour, were finally dragged back to level terms.

In front of the visiting team's technical area, Gao Shen shook his head helplessly.

It was Jerome Boateng again.

This kid really...

Right from kickoff, Manchester City launched an aggressive attack. In the seventh minute, David Silva played a precise through ball. Suárez forced his way between the two center-backs, rounded the onrushing Cech, and scored the opening goal for Manchester City.

No matter how you looked at it, it was the perfect start.

After that, Chelsea tightened their defense and frustrated Manchester City's attempts time and again.

When the Blues are determined to defend, it's difficult for any team to break them down.

The game stayed deadlocked until the second half.

Even after a string of substitutions, neither side managed to carve out clear chances.

Manchester City dominated possession, with a possession rate of 65.3%. They had 16 shots—double Chelsea's—but only four were on target.

Gao Shen felt that his players were still in good form and played fluid football, but their efficiency was limited due to Chelsea's intense defensive pressure.

After all, under high pressure, players' technical execution tends to falter, and accuracy becomes difficult to maintain.

Otherwise, with this squad's technical ability, they could score football goals like volleyball points.

Gao Shen's tactical focus in this match was to attack Ashley Cole.

Chelsea's left-back was still in decent form, but he was approaching 31, and his physical condition was inevitably declining. In such a high-intensity match, his stamina was visibly lacking.

However, Manchester City's right winger, had already burned through most of his energy.

It was December, and the team was again fighting on multiple fronts. Even though Manchester City had a thorough rotation system, players like Robben lacked strong physical endurance. Keeping him on the pitch was risky.

Thinking of this, Gao Shen turned and gestured to Carlo, who immediately understood, stood up, and walked over to the bench.

Manchester City had already used two substitutions. This would be the third.

Chelsea, on the other hand, had already used all three of theirs.

Sturridge quickly stood up and jogged along the touchline to warm up. Not long after, he ran back and stood next to Gao Shen.

"Daniel, you'll go on for Robben."

Sturridge nodded firmly.

At 22, the young attacker had improved rapidly under Gao Shen and had even put in standout performances. He had become one of the key rotation players.

He admired Gao Shen greatly. After all, it was Gao Shen who had promoted him from the youth team.

"Ashley Cole was already having trouble dealing with Robben. He must have burned a lot of energy. After you go on, try to push one more run and go for a breakthrough on that side."

"Understood," Sturridge nodded.

"Also, tell the others not to force things against Ivanović and Terry. Let Rakitic put more pressure on Romeu and make more late runs into the box. If you break through on the wing, we'll time our late runs accordingly."

Gao Shen had noticed that Terry and Ivanović had been very solid throughout the match. Lampard and Drogba had also shown plenty of energy.

None of this surprised him.

Just as he had predicted before the match, a new manager can be like a new blade. With Villas-Boas gone, Chelsea's veterans—Lampard, Terry, and Drogba, all of whom had clashed with him—were playing exceptionally well.

They needed to prove themselves to secure their places, playing time, and even their future at the club.

Aside from the early strike, Suárez had been largely ineffective against Terry and Ivanović.

That was understandable. These two were no pushovers.

So the smarter tactic was to draw them out and hit from behind.

Gao Shen had already brought on Rakitic for David Silva, and now the Croatian midfielder had plenty of energy—especially with Sturridge coming on.

"If you can, try cutting inside first, then look for a chance to go outside," Gao Shen suddenly added.

Robben, a left-footed right winger, always looked to cut inside. Sturridge was also a left-footed right winger.

That made it easy for Ashley Cole, who had been focused on stopping Robben, to develop a habit in his positioning.

After all, defending inside and outside runs required different angles and reactions.

"Got it," Sturridge replied seriously.

Sturridge soon came on for Robben.

His progress at Manchester City was clear to all. He had already broken into the England national team.

And now, with detailed tactical instructions, his entrance made Chelsea fans nervous.

Di Matteo walked to the touchline, shouting reminders to his players to keep an eye on Sturridge.

Chelsea's midfield had to track back—Romeu, Ramires, and Lampard all needed to retreat to support the defense.

A draw at home against Manchester City wasn't ideal, but for the new manager Di Matteo, it was acceptable. Manchester City had been extremely strong this season.

But Manchester City's attack couldn't be underestimated.

Gao Shen had first used Gareth Bale to target Bosingwa on the right flank. When that failed to yield results in the second half, he subbed on Hazard for Bale. The Belgian winger's dribbling offered more direct offensive threat.

Manchester City's tactics then shifted—Hazard would dribble on the left to draw defenders and then switch play.

Sturridge's first involvement followed the same principle.

Hazard cut inside from the left, drew defenders, and laid the ball off to Rakitic.

The Croatian midfielder then played a diagonal ball to the right. Sturridge trapped it with the outside of his left foot on the edge of the box, shifted it left to dodge Ashley Cole, cut inside, and shot with his left foot.

It was a smooth, continuous move that left Cole with no time to react.

But the shot struck Ivanović.

Manchester City players immediately appealed to the referee, claiming Ivanović had handled the ball in the box.

Sturridge was particularly agitated, chasing the referee and pointing out the handball.

"From the slow-motion replay, we can see Ivanović did handball the ball. However, it's hard to say whether it was deliberate. The referee didn't deem it a foul. Although the ball clearly struck Ivanović's hand, he ruled that the defender's arms were in a natural position and refused to award a penalty."

Manchester City players were visibly frustrated and continued protesting.

On the touchline, Gao Shen shouted at his players to stay calm, to focus, and to stop surrounding the referee.

"Yes, right now, Manchester City players need to keep their heads."

"There's a lot of pressure in this match, but overall, City are in control. Still, they need to be careful. Complaining to the referee could lead to a booking."

Captains Kompany and Rakitic quickly intervened, pulling Sturridge and the others away and urging calm. At the same time, they continued discussing with the referee, arguing that it should have been a penalty.

It was a brief flashpoint in the game.

Both sides were tense. The match was played at high intensity, and neither team was willing to give an inch.

After play resumed, Gao Shen signaled his players to slow the pace and settle down.

They were too anxious. If they continued attacking recklessly, they could be hit on the counter.

In this regard, Rakitic and Javi Martínez were experienced.

Time ticked by.

Manchester City continued to dominate possession but found fewer and fewer threatening openings.

As the match approached injury time, more and more people began to wonder whether it would end in a draw.

That wouldn't be a terrible result for either side.

City were away, so a draw wasn't disastrous. Chelsea had just changed managers and were facing a strong City team—drawing seemed perfectly acceptable.

Both sides appeared to understand this silently.

The tempo slowed.

Manchester City circulated the ball more in wide areas, probing both flanks.

Sturridge continued to drift wide and look to cut inside.

It's common for a left-footed winger to play on the right and cut inside.

Then, in the 89th minute, Zabaleta advanced along the right flank, receiving a pass from Javi Martínez. Under pressure from Lampard, he played a straight ball into the right side of the penalty area. It looked like a routine play, but Sturridge darted onto it.

Upon receiving the pass, Sturridge began to move laterally, as if preparing to cut inside again.

Ashley Cole tracked his every move. Lampard also dropped in front of Cole to block the inside lane.

It looked like a solid defensive setup.

Sturridge kept getting closer to Ashley Cole, close enough to hear the full-back's breathing.

Then, all of a sudden, Sturridge pushed the ball down the line and accelerated explosively, shaking off Ashley Cole like a leopard springing on its prey. He dashed to the byline.

Ashley Cole turned to chase, but Sturridge had already taken a sharp touch, caught up with the ball, and drove into the right side of the box.

Just as Chelsea's left-back tried to cut off his angle, Sturridge tapped the ball lightly with his right foot, sending a low pass to the edge of the six-yard box.

Suárez's movement pulled both Terry and Ivanović toward him. They assumed he was the target, so they converged on him inside the six-yard box, trying to cut off any service.

But in doing so, they left space behind.

Rakitic surged forward from deep and met the cutback with a first-time strike.

The ball rocketed into the bottom-left corner of Chelsea's goal.

The decisive blow!

(To be continued.)

Chapter 815: Brazilian Geniuses

"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!"

"At the critical moment, Rakitic finishes it with a decisive strike!"

"Two to one, a dramatic win!"

As commentator Andy Gray shouted in excitement, Manchester City's players ran frantically from the pitch straight to the away fans in the stands to celebrate. Many of them screamed into the live broadcast cameras, releasing the emotions that had built up through ninety minutes of intense battle.

It was an eruption of passion after a long, hard-fought game!

"Once again, his ability to adapt on the fly has proven decisive."

"Three substitutions, and all of them paid off."

"Especially Sturridge, who made the decisive breakthrough."

"From the slow-motion replay, we can clearly see that Chelsea's defenders were focused on preventing him from cutting inside because of his left foot."

"Whether it was Robben before or Sturridge after coming on, both wingers favored cutting inside from the right. That conditioned Ashley Cole and Lampard to expect the same move from Sturridge."

"But in the end, the England winger suddenly cut to the byline and sent in a reverse cutback with his right foot."

"That completely disrupted Chelsea's defensive setup!"

"Both Sturridge and Rakitic were second-half substitutes."

"His in-game adjustments once again stunned everyone."

"I have to admit, he's a true top-level tactical master!"

…

Gao Shen jumped high in front of the away team's technical area, raised both arms and shouted, cheering for the players on the field.

Moments like these were the most thrilling and addictive in football for him.

But ironically, from the perspective of a professional manager, he would never want his team to go through this kind of thrill regularly.

The risk was simply too high.

As the head coach, especially of a top club, he could never allow the team to constantly be living on the edge.

It's like how many fans miss Manchester United's famous comeback wins during their three-peat years. But if you asked Ferguson, he'd probably say, "Who the hell wants to come from behind in every match?"

People only remember United's miraculous turnarounds. They forget how many other teams fell short trying to do the same.

From a professional perspective, a manager's core responsibility is to minimize risk. Ideally, the team should win every match with minimal effort. That requires thorough study of opponents, tactical superiority, and constant improvement of the squad.

The result? You win all the time, win too easily, and eventually, winning becomes boring.

But what can you do?

If Manchester City kept winning in such dramatic fashion, even with this current lineup, Gao Shen would probably get sacked eventually.

Real Madrid wouldn't keep waiting on him to return, right?

Gao Shen was enjoying the emotional high of surviving this game, but at the same time, he sincerely hoped he wouldn't have to go through it again.

It was a strange contradiction, the more he thought about it.

…

In the end, Manchester City defeated Chelsea 2-1 away from home.

When Di Matteo came over to shake hands with Gao Shen, the frustration on his face was obvious.

And rightly so. What else could he have done in his first game as manager against such a powerful Manchester City?

To be fair, Di Matteo had done his best, especially defensively. He really gave it everything.

As an assistant coach, he wasn't one of Villas-Boas' men. He had a clear understanding of Chelsea's internal issues. After taking charge, he immediately reached an understanding with veterans like Lampard, Terry, and Drogba.

He set up the team to defend, hoping to at least hold Manchester City to a draw.

Winning wasn't necessary. A point would have been good enough.

But in the end, despite their efforts, they couldn't stop Manchester City.

"You did a good job," Gao Shen said sincerely.

Di Matteo smiled bitterly and shook his head. "Still lost."

"Winning and losing is one thing, but your performance and effort will be recognized by the fans. Look, they didn't boo," Gao Shen pointed toward the Stamford Bridge stands.

He was right.

Strangely enough, when Villas-Boas was in charge, the fans booed constantly if the team played poorly, especially in a loss. But tonight, there were no boos.

After all, fans aren't stupid. They can see who's trying and who's not.

"Keep it up. Don't give up," Gao Shen encouraged.

"Thanks."

…

Manchester City's schedule was extremely tight.

After the match at Stamford Bridge, the team took a short break, had dinner at a London hotel, then flew back to Manchester overnight.

The next morning, the squad held a recovery session at the Carrington training complex.

Fans and media familiar with Gao Shen knew just how much he valued these recovery sessions, and the results had always been excellent.

In the afternoon, the team held their annual Christmas dinner at Carrington.

Unlike last year, this year's schedule was so packed that there was no time for elaborate celebrations. They kept it simple, but the traditional gift-giving session remained.

The club handed out its usual gifts, while Gao Shen prepared a distinctly Chinese-style present for the team, all arranged by Su Qing.

Unlike previous years when he handed out the gifts himself, this time, Gao Shen and Su Qing did it together.

All the players brought their families and partners to the dinner, making the atmosphere even livelier.

The club didn't hold back either. Given the team's outstanding performance this year, the gifts and bonuses were generous.

Moreover, during the trip to Abu Dhabi, the Emir of Abu Dhabi—also the President of the UAE and Mansour's brother—would meet with the Manchester City delegation at the royal palace.

This was a treatment they had never received before.

After the dinner, the entire team, along with their families and partners, boarded a bus to Manchester Airport.

Etihad Airways had already prepared a private charter for the team, which flew them directly to Abu Dhabi.

Arrival was scheduled around 11 p.m.

A luxury bus awaited them at the airport, taking them straight to the most luxurious palace hotel in the world, specially reserved by Mansour for Manchester City.

As Champions League winners, Manchester City entered directly into the semi-finals of the Club World Cup. Their opponent was AFC Champions League winners Al Sadd from Qatar. The match was scheduled for the evening of the 14th, giving City some time to prepare.

The morning after arriving in Abu Dhabi, the team held another training session, then had free time.

For Manchester City, the Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi felt more like a leisure trip.

A team like Al Sadd posed no real threat. The only real challenge was the Copa Libertadores winners, Santos.

Led by Brazilian starlets Neymar and Ganso, Santos had significant quality. Former City player Elano was also part of the squad. But what caught Gao Shen's eye was another player he hadn't noticed before.

Felipe Anderson.

The 18-year-old Brazilian winger was still a bench player at Santos. He had not made a name for himself and hadn't even broken into Brazil's youth national teams. Hard to imagine that he would eventually shine at Lazio and attract attention across Europe. At his peak, clubs even offered €70 to €80 million for him.

And now?

Gao Shen looked him up—his value was still under €1 million.

But that wasn't surprising. Brazil had no shortage of talented players like him.

Take Ganso for example. Just this past summer, his valuation had reached €55 million, and he was hyped as the next Kaka.

Santos even took AC Milan to FIFA, accusing them of tapping up Ganso. The case stirred up quite a bit of controversy.

But once the transfer window closed, the news faded.

There had been no media buzz about Ganso for a long time. He'd stopped attracting attention in Europe.

As Simon Kuper wrote in Soccernomics, most club transfers are completely blind. Everyone just chases the latest hype, buying whoever's hot. It's totally irrational.

From what Gao Shen remembered, Ganso later moved to São Paulo, then Sevilla in La Liga, where he failed to impress. By then, he'd already been forgotten, so Gao Shen didn't even recall the details clearly.

In the end, Ganso turned out to be just another ordinary player.

But for now, in this Santos side, he and Neymar were still the two brightest stars in Brazil.

Felipe Anderson?

Who knew this guy would turn out to be a gem?

As for Manchester City's next opponent, Al Sadd, their squad had even fewer recognizable names.

Gao Shen glanced over their roster and recognized only one player—Niang.

His first reaction was the former AC Milan striker, but something felt off.

A closer look revealed it wasn't the same player.

Al Sadd's Niang was Mamadou Niang. He and AC Milan's future forward Mbaye Niang were both from Senegal, but Mamadou was born in 1979 and Mbaye in 1994. One came from Matam, Senegal, the other from Meulan, France. The two had no relation whatsoever.

That gave Gao Shen some relief.

Even if it had been Mbaye Niang, he wouldn't have been afraid. But he would have taken him more seriously.

For Manchester City, the only real challenge was Santos. Gao Shen was eager to observe Neymar up close.

Neymar's talent and potential were undeniable, but he and his father were very shrewd.

Born in 1992, Neymar became eligible to transfer abroad at 18, under Brazilian FA regulations. But despite being a generational talent, why had he never left for Europe?

Was there no interest?

Impossible.

Real Madrid, Barcelona, Chelsea, Manchester United...

Every top club in Europe had been chasing him.

So why hadn't he moved?

Because they were waiting for the best possible offer.

Brazilian media outlet Bianlu once reported that Real Madrid offered €45 million for Neymar, with a salary of €6 million per year, and planned to sign him in 2012.

But Real Madrid never confirmed it.

Why?

From what Gao Shen had heard, Neymar's camp turned it down.

So why was the offer leaked?

Because they wanted to push other clubs to offer more.

Many clubs had already backed out. Bayern, Arsenal, and other big teams.

Not every club could afford a player like that.

(To be continued.)