SWR: Chapter 639/640

Chapter 639: Strike First

"What did he say?"

In the conference room at the Etihad Stadium, Gao Shen looked at Gary Cook, Marwood, and Brian Kidd seated in front of him and asked with concern. The "he" Gao Shen was referring to was, of course, Yaya Toure's agent, Dimitri Seluk.

It was quite interesting that the Ivorian player had actually chosen a Russian agent.

What many people didn't know was that when Zielinski joined Barcelona in Gao Shen's previous life, his agent was also Seluk.

Clearly, Zielinski had been recommended to Barcelona by Seluk.

As a result, within a year, both Zielinski and Yaya Toure left the club.

That's why Seluk would later go on to "curse" Guardiola.

At the root of it, it was all about money.

But one thing was certain—Seluk was a difficult person to deal with.

Gary Cook first explained his relationship with Seluk. After all, all sporting matters were now under Gao Shen's control. If Gary Cook had unclear dealings with Seluk, it would seem inappropriate.

In reality, he had no relationship with Seluk. Manchester City had shown interest in Yaya Toure before and made contact, but at the time, Toure had no interest in joining.

But times had changed. The Manchester City that Yaya Toure once looked down on had now become Premier League champions under Gao Shen's leadership. Meanwhile, the Ivorian midfielder had been squeezed out at Barcelona by both Busquets and Thiago Motta.

Last season, Yaya Toure made only a handful of appearances and was a substitute half the time.

It was easy to imagine how bad his situation at Barcelona had become.

It proved the old saying: You ignored me once, and now I'm out of your league.

Under these circumstances, Seluk, filled with resentment, gave an interview to Diario Sport in late May, accusing Barcelona of freezing out Yaya Toure. He claimed it was because a large part of his income was tied to playing time, and Barcelona, being stingy, didn't want to pay, so they kept him benched.

It was also Seluk who revealed that Barcelona had been trying to sign Fabregas from Arsenal and even wanted to include Yaya Toure in the deal as a makeweight. But his client refused to be part of a player swap.

According to the information obtained by Gao Shen and Manchester City, Barcelona and Arsenal had indeed discussed such a plan. Both sides were interested. Barcelona could reduce the transfer fee and offload Toure, while Arsenal were open to acquiring the Ivorian midfielder. However, they lacked the funds for a direct signing.

After Seluk exposed the deal to the media, it fell apart.

Now, after signing Villa and Aguero, Barcelona had practically run out of money. Arsenal were unlikely to fork out a large fee for Yaya Toure, so the Fabregas deal had been shelved for the time being.

…

"Seluk said that Barcelona has officially informed them they're free to look for another club. As long as a team is willing to pay 20 million euros, they can take Yaya Toure from Barcelona."

"Twenty million euros?" Gao Shen chuckled. That was quite a bargain from Barcelona.

Back in 2007, when Yaya Toure moved from Monaco to Barcelona, the La Liga giants only spent 9 million euros.

Of course, Barcelona held the upper hand now. Yaya Toure's contract expired in June 2012, and his release clause was 100 million euros. This meant that unless Barcelona agreed, no one could sign him.

Gao Shen wasn't particularly interested in Yaya Toure. He already had Javi Martinez and Jordan Henderson in the squad, and Fernandinho was about to join. The midfield might not be luxurious, but it was more than enough.

Yaya Toure's personality and playing style were the real issues that gave Gao Shen headaches.

Still, for one of the world's best midfielders, 20 million euros was not expensive.

"Why didn't Manchester United go for him?" Gao Shen suddenly wondered.

Manchester United had just signed Lassana Diarra from Real Madrid, clearly showing an intent to reinforce the midfield. There was no reason to ignore Yaya Toure.

"Seluk said he hasn't had any contact with Manchester United because his client believes he fits the Premier League but only wants to play for the best team in the league—us, Manchester City," Marwood said with a laugh.

Everyone in the room chuckled.

Agents always talk big.

There probably wasn't a single word in Seluk's statement worth trusting.

"We did get another bit of intel. Supposedly, Ferguson did consider signing Yaya Toure. But since he barely played last season, Ferguson was worried about his current form. Compared to that, Diarra looked like a safer bet," Brian Kidd added.

The last time Gao Shen met with Ferguson, he had brought Kidd along and given him a scolding. Since then, Kidd had taken the intelligence work seriously. Now was a chance to show some results.

Gao Shen found Kidd's explanation more believable.

From the vantage point of 2021, of course Lassana Diarra seemed forgettable compared to Yaya Toure.

But in 2010, the gap between the two wasn't that big. Yaya Toure had been absent for a long time, Diarra was in good shape, and their market values weren't too far apart. So it wasn't clear-cut who was the better buy.

"However, Seluk also revealed another piece of news. Chelsea is very interested in Yaya Toure," Gary Cook added.

That really caught Gao Shen's attention.

If Manchester City were to defend their title this season, their biggest competitor would undoubtedly be Ancelotti's Chelsea.

The current situation had changed so much that Gao Shen could no longer rely on past-life memories to predict how things would unfold. No one could guarantee Ancelotti wouldn't succeed with Chelsea this season.

So from Manchester City's perspective, the best strategy was to poach the players Chelsea wanted. Strengthen yourself, weaken your rival, and kill two birds with one stone.

"Are we sure Chelsea is interested in Yaya Toure?" Gao Shen asked Kidd.

He nodded. "Absolutely."

It made sense when you thought about it. After Chelsea let Ballack go, they only had Mikel left as a defensive midfielder—and everyone knew Mikel's limitations.

If they added Yaya Toure, it would be a completely different story.

Gao Shen hadn't been too interested in Yaya Toure before, but now that Chelsea were in the mix, he couldn't ignore it.

Better to strike first.

After some thought, Gao Shen made a decision.

"I want to meet Seluk!"

…

That afternoon, accompanied by Gary Cook, Marwood, and Brian Kidd, Gao Shen met the Russian agent—who had given Barcelona's management so many headaches—in the same conference room.

Rumor had it that Seluk was quite a character, but in person, he appeared rather friendly and not as unpleasant as the media made him out to be.

Seluk clearly knew that Gao Shen was the decision-maker behind all Manchester City transfers. Whether Yaya Toure joined or not depended entirely on him.

After the usual pleasantries, they got straight to the point—Yaya Toure's transfer.

Gao Shen didn't beat around the bush. He told Seluk very directly that he would not build his tactics around Yaya Toure. If Toure wanted to come to Manchester City, he would have to adapt to the team's tactical system not the other way around.

In short, if Gao Shen asked him to play center-back, he'd have to do it. If he wanted him as a defensive midfielder, that's where he'd play. If he was told not to push forward, he'd stay deep.

"You see, at Manchester City, we emphasize a complete, unified team system. We don't promote individual heroism. No one is above the team. Everyone is treated equally."

Gao Shen laid down the law first, then offered an evaluation and positioning for Yaya Toure.

He felt Toure was a world-class midfielder who could also fill in at center-back. He could bring new elements to Manchester City—his dribbling, strength, refined footwork, and more.

Gao Shen even considered using him in a double-pivot formation, which would be an interesting tactical variation.

For example, pairing Yaya Toure with Javi Martinez as a "black-and-white twin tower" midfield duo.

In his previous life, Toure and Fernandinho had formed a very successful partnership at Manchester City.

But this was all under one condition: Yaya Toure had to serve the team.

Seluk was very confident in his client. He insisted Toure's ability and form were not in question and said his World Cup performance proved it.

But he hadn't expected Gao Shen's stance to be so firm.

That decision was beyond Seluk's authority. He would have to speak to the player directly.

If Yaya Toure accepted the conditions, they could proceed with Manchester City.

"Mr. Gao, my client really wants to join your team. He will definitely bring you more victories and titles," Seluk said.

Gao Shen nodded. "I believe that. But I'll say it again, every win and every title this team has achieved came through collective effort, not from any single individual."

Seluk understood Gao Shen's resolve.

If Yaya Toure didn't agree, the door at Manchester City would be closed.

With that understanding, there wasn't much more to discuss.

…

After Seluk left, Gao Shen held further discussions with Gary Cook and the others, focusing on Toure.

Player quality was one thing, but character also mattered.

Gao Shen had to be cautious about how Toure might affect team unity in the dressing room.

That's why he'd been so upfront.

If Toure accepted, fine. For 20 million euros, Manchester City could afford it.

Whether he would play or not would depend on his form and performance, and that kind of competition would be healthy for the squad.

Gary Cook and the others generally agreed with Gao Shen's approach.

Two days after meeting Seluk, Fernandinho finally arrived in London.

Gao Shen brought Marwood and Brian Kidd down from Manchester and met Fernandinho at a hotel in London. They chatted through the evening, discussing the upcoming hearing and his future at Manchester City.

The next day, Gao Shen and his team headed to Soho Square, the location of the English Football Association's headquarters.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 640: I Can’t Stand the Profound

Speaking of which, no one would believe it.

When Gao Shen said he would attend the hearing for Fernandinho's work permit, the person who was most grateful was actually Fernandinho himself.

Just last night, the Brazilian midfielder was deeply moved. He sincerely said that he would give his all on the pitch to repay Gao Shen's faith and expectations.

But the ones who were the most excited were the British media, especially reporters from the major London newspapers. They all swarmed outside the FA headquarters, frantically awaiting Gao Shen and his team's arrival, eager to see the final outcome.

Even though Gao Shen had made thorough preparations, he was still surprised by how smoothly the hearing went.

Was this really a country's official process for issuing a work permit to a foreign player?

Gao Shen had grilled his own players more strictly and thoroughly when they asked for leave than the FA did in this hearing.

To put it plainly, the six panelists sat there, Gao Shen and the others entered, answered a few routine questions, the lawyer representing Manchester City gave a brief explanation and defense, then they asked Gao Shen about his stance on Fernandinho and why he believed this player was essential to Manchester City.

The key points Gao Shen highlighted were Fernandinho's goal in the final of the Abu Dhabi World Youth Championship and the fact that he was Brazilian.

Everyone knew Brazil was full of talent. Even if you weren't selected for the Brazilian national team, it didn't mean you weren't a top player.

Take Deco, wasn't he outstanding?

Who could question whether he was a world-class player?

Yet Deco never played for Brazil.

And what about Pepe? Was he called up by Brazil?

If this were a player from another country, the panel might have debated more. But when it came to a Brazilian, no one questioned it.

Gao Shen also firmly stated that Fernandinho would definitely make the Brazilian national team in the future.

The panel didn't issue a verdict on the spot, as they still needed to discuss it further. The result would come out in the next two days. If approved, Manchester City could begin the formal procedures for his work permit. If rejected, the club would have the option to appeal.

But before leaving, Gao Shen "accidentally" bumped into David Bernstein, who exchanged pleasantries with him and the others, casually hinting that they had nothing to worry about.

The unspoken message: As long as I'm here, everything will be fine!

Gao Shen nodded knowingly to express his gratitude and then led everyone out.

…

Compared to the panel inside, the reporters outside the FA building were far more difficult to deal with.

Why?

Because the England national team, which the whole country had pinned their hopes on, had just been eliminated in the round of 16 at the South Africa World Cup—suffering a humiliating 1-4 defeat to their long-time rivals, Germany.

How could this happen?

Losing to a rival was bad enough, but losing so badly?

Time for some serious reflection!

The England national team had long been known for this pattern: full of stars, but always flopping at major tournaments. Every year they were hyped, every year they were eliminated, and every year they "reflected." It was becoming just like a certain team that can't be criticized or it'll collapse.

Following this latest round of "reflection," the British media pointed the finger at the large number of foreign players in the Premier League.

There was a stat floating around: only about 40% of Premier League players were British, while over 60% were foreign.

And even that 40% included players from Scotland, Ireland, and other parts of the UK.

With the media leading the charge, the Premier League giants suddenly found themselves under fire.

The first unlucky one? Wenger.

According to Premier League rules, every first-team squad must have at least eight homegrown players.

The definition of "homegrown" is a player who has spent at least three years at an English club before the age of 21.

As luck would have it, Arsenal was famously international.

You might ask, how did Wenger meet the homegrown quota?

Easy. He bought young foreign players and trained them in England for three years. That made them count as homegrown.

So, Arsenal's "homegrown" list included Bendtner (Denmark), Clichy (France), Denilson (Brazil), Djourou (Switzerland), Fabregas (Spain), Alexandre Song (Cameroon)…

See? Plenty of them.

But before Wenger could explain, he was already singled out by the British press and severely criticized by the media and fans.

What was the implication?

You want to make a living in the Premier League but refuse to develop English players?

Do you despise us that much?

You're not that capable to begin with, and now you're arrogant too?

Look at Manchester United and Liverpool, prime examples of nurturing local talent!

And look at Manchester City. Are they like Arsenal?

Who are Manchester City's homegrown players?

Given, Joe Hart, Leighton Baines, Trippier, Gary Cahill, Stephen Ireland, Henderson, Adam Lallana, Sturridge, Gareth Bale…

And they had even sold Micah Richards and Wayne Bridge—there were more.

So yeah, Arsenal deserved to miss out on the top four!

Because they didn't have enough English players!

But soon after, the media and fans turned sour again.

They discovered that Manchester City had just submitted a work permit application for a Brazilian player who wasn't even a full international.

My god, that's just asking for trouble.

They had just been praising you, and now you're pulling this?

Why go through all the trouble for a player who hasn't even made Brazil's national team?

Can't you find someone in the UK to fill that role?

When it comes to setting the public narrative, no one beats the British press. If they're second, no one dares claim first.

So they swarmed outside the FA headquarters, demanding an explanation from Gao Shen.

What do you have to say about the fact that fewer than 40% of Premier League players are British?

…

It was a sharp issue and a deeply emotional one.

Even Brian Kidd and Marwood, both Englishmen, were a bit anxious. They advised Gao Shen not to answer. Just avoid it. There was no need to confront the press.

After all, saying the wrong thing now could turn you into the enemy of public opinion.

Even if you weren't wrong, the media would find fault.

Hide from it!

Or, just take a page from Ferguson's playbook and publicly state that there were too many foreign players.

UEFA President Michel Platini had also said that clubs and national identities should be preserved.

But here was the key: Gao Shen himself was a foreign head coach, and many of his players were also foreign. How could he stay silent?

"I think there's a serious flaw in the way you're looking at this issue."

As soon as Gao Shen spoke, the crowd of reporters stirred.

They had been waiting quietly for him to say something but no one expected him to come out with something so bold.

Was he planning to offend everyone here?

Brian Kidd and Marwood became visibly nervous, motioning repeatedly for Gao Shen to drop it.

But Gao Shen stood firm, calm and resolute.

After the crowd quieted again, Gao Shen continued.

"Not just me, but everyone here, and all the fans across the UK—I believe no one will deny one thing. That is: the Premier League is the best, toughest, most competitive, and highest-level league in world football today, right?"

As soon as he said it, many reporters and fans outside nodded in agreement.

It was simply the truth.

The Premier League was ranked number one in Europe.

"Then let me ask you this: on a stage that represents the highest standard in the world and gathers the best players from around the globe, nearly 40% of the players are British. Is that considered a failure?"

The moment Gao Shen finished, the entire scene fell silent.

Brian Kidd and Marwood both went deep into thought.

Wasn't that true?

If the Premier League were just England's league, then only having 40% British players would be too few.

But if we regard the Premier League as a global league, then 40% being British is that low?

That's quite high, actually.

Inside the FA headquarters, people like Chairman Roger Burton and Bernstein were secretly observing the situation outside. They heard Gao Shen's comments and were also struck by the question.

Is the Premier League Britain's league—or the world's?

"Mr. Gao!"

After more than ten seconds of silence, a reporter raised his hand.

"I must say, your perspective is quite novel. But if the Premier League, as the top global league, gathers the best players in the world, and 40% of them are British, then why does the England national team, supposedly made up of these elite players, perform so poorly?"

"Great question. Excellent question!" Gao Shen pointed at the reporter and praised him.

The reporter looked a bit embarrassed and waved his hands nervously.

"You're right. Logically, the national team, made up of these elite players, should be strong. But why can't they achieve results?"

Gao Shen shook his head. "I'm not the national team coach, so I can't give a definitive answer. But I can say that one reason is the league is too exhausting. That's why over the years, people have called for the cancellation of one of the domestic cup competitions. The Premier League is the only top league in Europe with two domestic cups, meaning more matches."

But that proposal always gets rejected. Fans don't want it, and neither does the FA.

"I also think part of the issue is that there simply aren't that many British players who can play at Premier League level. But because of regulations, they're included in the 40%."

"If that's the case, does it mean our Premier League and our British players aren't as strong as we believe? Because if we look across European football, we see many Spaniards, Italians, and Germans playing abroad. But how often do we see British players doing the same?"

"Why is that?"

"I think sometimes we need to be humble, seriously assess our gaps and shortcomings, identify the real problems, and then we can start fixing them."

"So in my view, the problem with British football isn't that there are too many foreign players—it's that there aren't enough. There isn't enough competition. We should bring in more top-level players and coaches to raise the standard of British football and its youth development."

"What the UK needs most is to train more outstanding, high-level players who can compete in the Premier League. Those are the ones who'll be the future of the England national team."

(To be continued.)