SWR: Chapter 732/733

Chapter 732: Premier League Double

Manchester City defeated Manchester United 2-0, lifted the FA Cup, and completed a domestic double!

After the match, media and fans across Europe—and the world—rushed to cover the story.

If last season's Premier League title win had left people unsure whether the Blue Moon would truly dominate English football, then this season, the answer had become increasingly clear.

Gao Shen's team remained unbeaten and looked likely to break the record set by Wenger's "Invincibles," potentially becoming the Premier League's new ruling power and ushering in a Manchester City and Gao Shen era.

After the final, Gao Shen attended the post-match mixed zone and answered questions from reporters. He offered high praise to Manchester United and Ferguson but also noted that United's squad had obvious weaknesses and needed reinforcement.

Ferguson extended his congratulations to Manchester City on their title win.

"Gao Shen and his team have completed another great season."

"We have to accept that Manchester City is now one of the strongest teams in the Premier League."

Of course, Ferguson still wasn't ready to admit that United were weaker than City. But he did acknowledge United's shortcomings.

"Goalkeeper. We'll lose Edwin van der Sar this summer. We absolutely must sign a new keeper. That's not negotiable. And we already have clear targets."

Reports suggested Ferguson had two candidates.

One was Leverkusen's German goalkeeper René Adler.

Adler was previously regarded as the best among Germany's younger generation of goalkeepers and widely seen as the natural heir to the national team's No. 1 shirt. But Gao Shen had always favored Neuer.

Back in 2009, Gao Shen publicly predicted that Neuer would redefine the goalkeeper role in European football and become the best in Germany—and even the world.

At the time, many questioned his judgment. But in hindsight, he was spot on.

Neuer's performances at Manchester City, especially his sweeping and expansive style of play, had completely reshaped perceptions of modern goalkeepers. Some were now referring to him as a "goal-keeper," someone who offers protection more akin to a defensive anchor than a traditional shot-stopper.

It felt like having security.

Still, Adler's talent was undeniable. At 25, he was entering his prime with a promising future.

The other target was Atlético Madrid's 20-year-old David De Gea. Tall and lanky, he looked a bit like Van der Sar. His performances were solid, but he was still raw, having only completed one full season with Atlético. He lacked consistency.

Ferguson had instructed his scouts to monitor both keepers closely. With Van der Sar retiring, United would need a top-class replacement.

What concerned him most, however, was the striker situation.

Berbatov was a puzzle for Ferguson.

It would be unfair to say he was poor—he had scored 20 goals in the Premier League this season, second only to Manchester City's Robin van Persie.

That's hardly a bad return.

But to say he was outstanding? Ferguson couldn't trust him in the Champions League or in big matches like this FA Cup final.

Everyone knew that Berbatov had a reputation for being a stylish player, rarely breaking a sweat and never messing up his hair.

This made Ferguson conflicted. After all, United had spent over £30 million to bring him in. If they were to sell him now, what would they recoup?

But if they kept him, Berbatov wouldn't meet the demands of high-level European competition.

Even more concerning, few people knew that this was a contract year for Berbatov.

His current deal was set to expire in 2012.

So why had he performed so well in the league? Because he wanted a contract extension. He had something to prove.

But if he got that extension, could he keep up this level?

Ferguson found himself at a crossroads. If United didn't plan to extend his deal, the best move would be to sell him this summer.

If not, in six months, they'd lose all leverage. And Berbatov could leave on a free.

He was 30—not particularly old—but Ferguson remained torn.

A bit like chicken ribs: tasteless, but too much of a waste to throw away.

…

Gao Shen couldn't relate to Ferguson's dilemma.

From his point of view, he would never have favored a player like Berbatov in the first place.

To him, attitude mattered more than anything else.

As for the rumors about United going to Napoli to sign Cavani, Gao Shen just laughed.

He would love to see that happen. Manchester United was famously good at driving up transfer prices.

Cavani had won the Serie A Golden Boot in consecutive seasons. His value had skyrocketed, especially with the reputation of being the "chosen striker." He was no longer the player he used to be.

The Uruguayan striker was now a superstar in European football. Napoli wouldn't let him go without a serious offer and Manchester United didn't have the money.

Of course, these weren't things Gao Shen needed to worry about.

After returning to Manchester from London, Gao Shen followed the players' wishes and treated the entire squad to a lavish meal.

It drew a few complaints from the team's nutritionist, but Gao Shen brushed it off. A little indulgence now and then wouldn't hurt.

Despite returning with the FA Cup, Manchester City didn't hold a celebration. Even the ceremony to place the trophy into the Hall of Fame was kept simple.

The players had dinner together. In the presence of some media and fans, Chairman Mubarak placed the long-awaited trophy absent from the club's cabinet for 32 years into the team's Hall of Honor.

Even during the 37th round, the final home game of the season, when City would be presented with the Premier League trophy, Mubarak stated that at the team's request, the club would not organize any formal celebrations.

In other words, fans could celebrate freely, but the team would remain focused on preparing for the Champions League final at the end of the month.

Both media and fans largely supported Gao Shen's approach.

…

Due to their involvement in the FA Cup final, City's Premier League Round 37 clash with Manchester United was rescheduled to midweek.

All other teams had already played their fixtures that weekend.

The rescheduled match saw Manchester United, still licking their wounds from the FA Cup loss, held to a 1-1 draw away at Blackburn Rovers.

Rooney converted a crucial penalty. Without it, United would have left empty-handed.

City, riding high on confidence, defeated Stoke City 3-0 at home, with Suárez scoring twice.

After the match, Manchester City were officially awarded the league championship trophy at the Etihad Stadium in front of more than 50,000 supporters.

It was only the second league title in the club's history, but fans were still as excited as ever.

When the trophy was lifted, the stadium erupted into a thunderous chant of Gao Shen's name.

Everyone knew that while Abu Dhabi's funding had laid the foundation, it was Gao Shen's coaching that had delivered back-to-back league titles.

Fifty thousand fans chanting in unison—what a magnificent sight.

Gao Shen walked up to the podium to accept the cheers and applause.

He said the people most deserving of gratitude were the Manchester City fans. Their loyalty had given the team strength.

He also thanked the management, whose support allowed the coaching staff to work with peace of mind.

And of course, he thanked the players.

"We all come from different parts of the world and bring different ideas to this team. But I'm very happy that we've come together in unity, working toward a common goal."

"Two seasons, two league titles, an FA Cup, and a Community Shield. What I want to say is, I'm proud of this team and every single player."

His heartfelt words earned another round of thunderous applause.

"The league isn't over yet. I'm a picky Virgo. We've gone 37 rounds unbeaten. I see no reason why we should lose the final round. And absolutely no reason to lose in the all-important final ten days from now!"

As soon as he finished, the crowd erupted once more.

Ten days from now, Wembley Stadium. The Champions League final.

"I've heard some people saying I'll leave at the end of the season. But let me say this—honestly, I'm very happy here. I've never thought about leaving."

"If—just if—the management still thinks I'm doing a good job and doesn't plan to sack me, then next season, I'll continue fighting alongside you all!"

"I hope we can complete the treble this season! And I hope next season, we'll be even stronger and win more trophies and honors!"

His final words brought the entire stadium to its feet in applause and cheers.

Afterward, Kompany stepped forward as team captain and spoke on behalf of the squad, voicing the dressing room's full support for the manager.

"We're ready. We'll give everything. And at Wembley, we'll bring home the Champions League trophy!"

"When the time comes, come back to the Etihad, and we'll celebrate together again!"

Kompany's statement electrified the fans.

It meant more than any press release.

Finally, club CEO Gary Cook also took the stage, offering his backing to the coaching staff and players. He expressed belief that they could defeat Barcelona in the Champions League final and win the trophy.

To conclude, Kompany led the entire squad onto the stage to thank the fans who had stood by them throughout the season.

The Etihad Stadium was filled with prolonged, thunderous applause.

Manchester City fans had experienced the dark days. That's why they cherished this golden moment even more.

Especially now, as they watched their club become stronger and more dominant.

And the one who deserved the most credit for it all was Gao Shen.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 733: Gao Shen Acquires Leeds United

May 22nd, the 38th round of the Premier League.

Manchester City played away to Bolton. Goals from Kompany and Van Persie helped the team secure a 2-0 win.

With this result, Gao Shen achieved his previous goal of finishing the season unbeaten.

The media and Manchester City fans around the world erupted in celebration, and public opinion went wild.

Back in the 2003–04 season, Arsenal won the title with an undefeated record, which marked the peak of the Gunners' era.

No team had reached that level since.

Mourinho's Chelsea were dominant in the Premier League, but even they suffered defeats.

Manchester City, however, not only went unbeaten but also achieved far more wins than Arsenal. This alone proved the extent of their dominance in the Premier League.

According to The Times, this was the strongest league title in Premier League history.

The entire UK, Europe, and even the world were rushing to report the news. Overnight, Manchester City seemed to join the ranks of Europe's elite clubs and became a favorite among media and fans alike.

But amidst all the fanfare, Manchester City remained low-key.

Gao Shen and the Manchester City players declined all interview requests, and the Carrington training base was shut to outsiders, prohibiting any entry or exit.

According to the club's PR director, this was to better prepare for the Champions League final.

"The whole world wants to see us win the treble!"

…

Manchester City placed immense importance on the Champions League final.

It was the club's first time participating in the Champions League, and also their first time reaching the final. If they won, it would be their first-ever Champions League title.

Mansour, the club's behind-the-scenes owner, took it extremely seriously.

After City reached the final, he personally invited members of the royal family, political figures, and business elites from Abu Dhabi and the UAE to fly to London on an Etihad Airways luxury charter flight to watch the match.

The massive group of hundreds even drew attention from British and EU officials.

In addition, Etihad Airways repainted an aircraft in Manchester City's team colors and logo, which was used to transport the players' and staff's families between Manchester and London.

During the final, the club would cover all food and accommodation for the players' families in London.

Al Jazeera reported that Mansour would be present at the final to supervise the match in person and had prepared a massive bonus for winning Manchester City's first Champions League title. It would be the most generous reward in European football history.

"In 2009, after Manchester City's restructuring, they visited South Africa for a warm-up match. On the way, they stopped in Abu Dhabi to visit Mansour. Each player received a gift worth hundreds of thousands of pounds."

"This time, Mansour is coming to London in person to oversee the match. He also invited members of the Abu Dhabi royal family and various political and business elites from the UAE. He has placed great expectations on Manchester City, so offering a massive bonus is completely understandable."

Al Jazeera noted that the exact amount of the reward was not disclosed, but it was definitely record-breaking.

"The only confirmed news is that if head coach Gao Shen can lead the team to victory at Wembley Stadium, he will receive an extra £10 million bonus outside of his contract, an absolutely astronomical figure."

"In European football, only a handful of superstars can earn that amount in a year."

More importantly, Gao Shen's contract already includes an annual after-tax salary of £10 million, and if he completes the treble this season, he will receive another £10 million bonus. With Mansour's additional £10 million reward, Gao Shen could earn as much as £30 million from Manchester City this year.

This income is staggering, but according to Al Jazeera, "Gao Shen deserves every penny!"

Putting aside everything else, Al Jazeera pointed out that since Gao Shen took over Manchester City, the transfer fees spent and the current market value of players show that almost every signing he made helped the club turn a profit.

For instance, Suarez was signed for only €15 million, but now, without €60 million, no club would dare approach Manchester City.

Even big-money signings like Rakitic and David Luiz not only lived up to their transfer fees but also exceeded expectations in performance, and their market value has risen.

Al Jazeera concluded that, compared to the profits Manchester City made from these high-level transfers, the £30 million annual compensation was negligible. Not to mention that if City won the treble, the effect on the club's brand influence, financial revenue, and Abu Dhabi's global exposure would be priceless.

"That's why Mansour gave Gao Shen such a huge bonus!"

"He wants to keep Gao Shen at Manchester City!"

…

While the outside world was in an uproar, no one expected that after the 38th round of the Premier League, as Chelsea were returning to London from Liverpool, Abramovich suddenly announced the dismissal of Ancelotti.

It was an enormous humiliation for Ancelotti!

As a close friend of Ancelotti, Gao Shen immediately responded on Twitter, expressing his anger and disappointment at Abramovich and Chelsea, criticizing their lack of respect for Ancelotti.

"I don't know how others feel, but at the very least, I'll try to stay away from clubs like this in the future!"

Gao Shen's criticism quickly triggered heated discussions online.

He sympathized with Abramovich at times and respected what he had done for Chelsea, and even acknowledged that some of his actions had changed his perception. But none of that could excuse this disrespect for Ancelotti.

A manager is indeed a worker, but should any worker be treated with such humiliation?

On the same day Ancelotti was sacked, Sunderland's local coach, Mark Hughes, also announced he would leave the club after the season and head to London to manage newly promoted Queens Park Rangers.

It's reported that Hughes not only wants to bring his trusted players like Wright-Phillips from Sunderland but also plans to target Ireland, a sidelined midfielder at Manchester City.

Ireland was a product of Manchester City's youth system. In Gao Shen's first season in charge, he got significant playing time. But with new arrivals like De Bruyne and Yaya Touré this season, Ireland has struggled to get on the pitch.

Ireland was a favorite of Mark Hughes when he managed Manchester City, and now that Hughes has taken over QPR, it's natural that he would want to bring him along.

However, other Premier League teams, such as Aston Villa, are also interested in Ireland.

Also drawing attention is England goalkeeper Joe Hart.

Hart was on loan at Birmingham this season, but the team got relegated. He previously told Manchester City that if he couldn't be guaranteed playing time, he would consider leaving.

Many clubs are interested in him. For example, Tottenham Hotspur's goalkeeper situation is unstable, and even Manchester United reportedly considered Hart. However, it's highly unlikely that City would sell a player to their arch-rivals, which led United to turn their attention to De Gea and Adler.

QPR is also interested in Hart, as Mark Hughes is determined to build a British-core squad.

…

While Gao Shen focused on preparing for the Champions League final, the acquisition of Leeds United also made progress.

After Clifford Chance completed the due diligence on Leeds United, Su Qing consulted with lawyers and the team, officially launching the acquisition process.

£15 million was the purchase price of Leeds United.

Additionally, Gao Shen paid another £15 million to acquire Elland Road Stadium, Fullerton Park, and the Thorp Arch training base. He also signed an agreement with the Leeds City Council to begin expropriation and relocation procedures for the land northeast of Elland Road. The expected cost of the land acquisition is £2 million.

This was actually far below what Gao Shen and his team had expected, due to the large area of land involved.

However, after Su Qing's discussions with lawyer Richard Cramer and municipal officials, it was agreed to classify the land as "industrial wasteland," which reduced the expropriation and relocation cost by about £1 million compared to initial estimates.

Although the relocation process was handled by the city government, the owners of the land refused the offer, claiming the price was too low.

But this didn't come as a surprise. The city council expected this outcome. The next step would be to follow legal procedures, hold a hearing, and apply for a compulsory purchase order to resolve the issue.

The owners of the warehouse district hired a local lawyer to protest to the city council, claiming that a compulsory purchase order would harm the interests of legitimate local business owners.

Furthermore, the lawyer, George Coleman, invited the media to the site and publicly expressed his dissatisfaction with Leeds United.

"They spent £30 million to acquire Leeds United and promised to invest at least £40 million to build a top-class training base. They clearly have the money, but they refused to negotiate with us."

"Is a compulsory purchase order really necessary? Can't we have a fairer proposal and a decent discussion?"

"Who are they anyway?"

"According to the information I've received, the consortium that bought Leeds United is from China. The person handling the acquisition is the fiancée of Manchester City's current head coach, Gao Shen."

"I haven't met her, but many people have. Even before the deal was finalized, my clients said they saw Gao Shen at the site. I believe they're telling the truth."

"Yes, I think this is a breach."

"As Manchester City's head coach, he bought Leeds United. What's more, the FA approved the deal. I don't know if something shady is going on, but I hope my client can be treated fairly!"

Following George Coleman's revelation, as the excitement from Manchester City's title win had yet to cool, Gao Shen was suddenly thrust back into the spotlight.

The world was stunned.

Gao Shen bought Leeds United?

How was that possible?

Everyone knew he was wealthy and successful, but where did he get so much money?

According to reports, the acquisition alone cost £30 million. Add in the training base and other investments, and the total easily exceeds £70 million…

How is that even possible?

(To be continued.)