SWR: Chapter 531/532

Chapter 531: Earn a Small Goal Every Year
The reason Gao Shen emphasized a ten-year plan wasn't just to align with Mubarak's vision, it was how he had always approached football.

When he coached Real Madrid, he promoted a generation of young players from the second team. If presidents Calderón and Mijatović had simply made gradual adjustments and improvements based on the squad he built, those players could have thrived at Real Madrid without requiring heavy investment.

But instead, they chose Capello, and the young talents were discarded.

As Calderón had proudly claimed, "Real Madrid has never been a place to develop young players."

But that begged the question, what about Raúl, Casillas, and Guti? What about the legendary "Quinta del Buitre" generation?

There wasn't a single top club in world football that outright rejected talented young players, especially homegrown talents.

Many people often say that English players are overpriced.

But let's be honest, is there any top European league where high-quality domestic players aren't expensive?

The Premier League's inflated market prices were simply a result of financial strength. Moreover, England's youth development system was weak, leading to a scarcity of elite domestic talents, making them even more valuable.

This was exactly why Calderón was heavily criticized by Real Madrid fans and the media.

Later, at Napoli, Gao Shen built a squad with the youngest average age in both Serie A and the Champions League.

Had Napoli possessed the financial resources of Manchester City, they could have maintained their competitive level for ten years without issue.

This was why Gao Shen wasn't focused on short-term results but rather long-term sustainability. His goal was to transform Manchester City from the ground up, tactically, technically, and structurally, giving the club an entirely new identity.

Mansour and Mubarak shared similar ambitions for Manchester City. Their plans included expanding the stadium and building a world-class training facility—projects that aligned with Gao Shen's vision.

Hearing Gao Shen's long-term approach, both men were even more optimistic about the club's future.

More importantly, Mubarak believed that Gao Shen's top-four target was actually quite conservative. If the squad gelled well and new signings integrated quickly, he was confident the team could achieve even better results.

Mansour, however, wasn't concerned about Mubarak's expectations. He was already more than satisfied with a top-four finish.

"You build a house brick by brick."

"Rome wasn't built in a day."

He understood that success required patience.

Compared to Mark Hughes, who had spent a fortune only to finish 10th, this was already a massive improvement.

"My team tells me that you're only 28 years old, yet you're regarded as the most innovative and influential coach in world football today," Mansour said.

"They all praise your advanced tactical approach and your ability to build teams that impress the entire football world."

"I will say this, we want to be successful, but we're not desperate for instant results. We won't pressure you about immediate trophies, but we do want to see a Manchester City that is different from its past, different from any other Premier League team."

Gao Shen nodded.

"Rest assured, Your Highness. I didn't come to Manchester City for money. I came here to test myself, to compete against the world's best managers, and to fight for the Premier League title."

His words carried undeniable confidence.

After all, he had never negotiated salary terms with Mubarak, because the offer was already more than generous.

The contract was for three years, with an after-tax salary of €10 million per year, the highest in world football.

This figure put him ahead of every active coach, including Mourinho at Inter Milan and Ancelotti at Chelsea.

According to British media, Ancelotti's pre-tax salary was €7 million, which meant he took home only €3.5 million after taxes.

Mourinho, the highest-paid coach before this, earned €10 million before tax, taking home just over €5 million.

And now, Manchester City was offering Gao Shen €10 million after tax.

In other words, he was making "a small goal" (€10 million) per year.

With bonuses and additional income, his annual earnings would exceed €15 million. If the team achieved major success, such as winning the Champions League, his total earnings could reach €20 million.

For comparison, his final salary at Napoli was just €2 million after tax, even after a raise.

This was a fivefold increase overnight.

And it wasn't just Gao Shen, his entire coaching staff received significant salary raises as well.

Manchester City had shown their sincerity in financial terms, which was why Gao Shen never even mentioned money during negotiations. He had no doubts when he said he had come to Manchester City for the challenge, not the paycheck.

…

By this point, Gao Shen had a clear vision for Manchester City's new season strategy.

First and foremost, several players would have to leave, as they did not fit into his tactical plans.

This included:

Captain Richard Dunne

Veteran midfielder Dietmar Hamann


Neither suited Gao Shen's tactical requirements or the team's transformation plan.

There were also several loanees he had no intention of keeping, such as Jo, whom he had already decided to offload.

Robinho was the most complicated case.

He was Manchester City's biggest star, and he had previously worked with Gao Shen at Real Madrid. But to be blunt, Gao Shen was not satisfied with his performances at City.

That being said, it was understandable.

When Manchester City signed Robinho, they had promised to bring in multiple superstars, including Messi and Kaká. But in the end, they only signed Robinho.

No matter how talented he was, he couldn't carry the team alone.

To make things worse, Mark Hughes was not a manager suited to handling a player like Robinho.

However, before making a final decision, Gao Shen wanted to meet with him and discuss his future.

At the very least, he needed to know, did Robinho still have the same ambition that he had when he first joined Manchester City?

As for reinforcements, Gao Shen had made it clear, the squad needed upgrades in almost every position.

The only two players he was definitely keeping and building around were:

Vincent Kompany (center-back)

Pablo Zabaleta (right-back)


Additionally, Gao Shen specifically requested to retain young English forward Daniel Sturridge.

As for the rest of the squad, including Robinho—everything was still under evaluation.

It wasn't that Gao Shen wanted to spend more money, it was that this squad simply didn't meet his requirements.

Take captain Richard Dunne, for example. Could he play out from the back like David Luiz or Bonucci?

The answer was simple, he couldn't.

He crumbled under even the slightest pressure.

Gao Shen made it clear to the club, they had to do everything possible to sign David Luiz.

For the holding midfielder role, the player Gao Shen wanted most was Thiago Motta.

Having personally coached Motta for two years at Napoli, helping him recover from injuries and refine his game, Gao Shen now considered him the best defensive midfielder in world football, perhaps the very best.

Busquets was too soft, and Yaya Touré was too attack-minded, neither fit the deep-lying playmaker role he envisioned. But Thiago Motta was different.

In addition to these key positions, Gao Shen wanted reinforcements in midfield, attack, and even in goal.

His goal was to quickly build a strong Manchester City squad over the summer and challenge for a top-four finish or even push for a higher position in the Premier League.

…

Mansour didn't fully understand all the technical details of Gao Shen's squad plan, he wasn't deeply knowledgeable about football. But he trusted Gao Shen's judgment.

Without hesitation, he instructed Mubarak to fully cooperate with Gao Shen and give him all the support he needed.

Furthermore, he reaffirmed Manchester City's commitment to backing Gao Shen in the transfer market.

There would be no spending limits.

"Even if you want to sign Messi, we will do our best to make it happen!" Mansour joked with a smile.

Manchester City had indeed made an inquiry to Barcelona about Messi, but the response was total silence, Barcelona had no interest in negotiating.

With Cristiano Ronaldo moving to Real Madrid for over €100 million, signing Messi would require at least €150 million.

Of course, signing Messi would be a fantastic deal after all, it was Messi.

But Gao Shen didn't think it was necessary.

Barcelona's dominance wasn't just because of Messi, it was also built on stars like Xavi, Iniesta, Eto'o, Henry, Piqué, and Dani Alves. They were the foundation that helped elevate Messi to greatness.

Building a team around a single superstar was not the modern way of football. Gao Shen had seen the pitfalls of this approach at Real Madrid, and the lesson remained relevant.

He even joked, "Instead of spending everything on Messi, it'd be far more effective to invest that money across multiple top players, strengthening the squad's depth and overall balance."

…

The meeting stretched from morning until noon.

Afterward, Mansour hosted a grand banquet in the palace to honor Gao Shen, a gesture of his respect and trust.

He repeatedly instructed Mubarak to ensure that Gao Shen had the best possible working environment, free from unnecessary pressure, so he and his coaching staff could maximize their potential.

Before coming to the Middle East, Gao Shen had some concerns.

Given that the Abu Dhabi group had already invested so much money, he assumed they would demand immediate results.

But to his surprise, they hadn't set any strict performance targets for him.

For this, Gao Shen was truly grateful.

As a head coach, he knew that having full trust from management was crucial, it would empower him to make the right decisions, both tactically and in managing the locker room.

Now, with Mansour's full support and Mubarak's backing, even if Gao Shen wanted to sell Robinho, it would be entirely his decision.

If his upcoming conversation with Robinho didn't go well, or if he had any doubts about the player's commitment, he could simply offload him.

Given Gao Shen's knowledge of European football, he wasn't worried about finding a replacement, there were plenty of quality left-wingers out there.

…

What truly concerned Gao Shen was the spine of the team—the core positions that defined a team's strength.

Goalkeeper, center-back, defensive midfielder, and center-forward.

All four positions were critical.

Looking at Manchester City's current squad, Kompany was a reliable option at center-back.

But over the course of a long season, especially in the Premier League, where teams had to compete in two domestic cup competitions while enduring a relentless winter schedule, a single top-class center-back wasn't enough.

At a minimum, he needed three high-level center-backs to handle the demands of a full season.

And if Manchester City wanted to qualify for the Champions League, then ultimately, four top center-backs would be necessary.

Gao Shen wasn't waiting for problems to arise, he was planning ahead.

Preparation was everything.

Chapter 532: Blame Benzema

Every head coach has their own philosophy and logic when building a team.

As Valdano and Sacchi once told Gao Shen, managers choose different tactical styles based on their personality and risk tolerance, and then select players accordingly.

But in terms of technical structure, the first step in team-building is almost always the same:

Establishing the central axis.

This means securing a top goalkeeper, center-back, central midfielder, and center-forward, the spine of the team.

In recent years, tactics like Roma's strikerless system and Barcelona's false nine with Messi have become popular, leading some to believe that European football no longer requires traditional center-forwards.

But that wasn't the case.

Roma played without a striker because they simply didn't have a reliable No. 9.

Barcelona used Messi as a false nine because Eto'o struggled to hold up the ball in central areas. Otherwise, why would Guardiola push so hard to sign Ibrahimović?

The center-forward role remains crucial. While its function might evolve, it is indispensable because the striker is closest to goal.

Regardless of whether a team prioritizes attack or defense, scoring goals is fundamental to winning in professional football.

A team can survive without traditional wingers, but it cannot function without a center-forward, especially when breaking down a deep defensive block.

However, with the rise of high pressing and possession-based football, the demands on strikers have increased.

In the past, strikers were judged only on goal-scoring. Then came the era of tactical strikers, players like Kluivert and Drogba, who contributed more than just goals.

Now, the modern striker must do even more.

Take Ibrahimović, for example.

Gao Shen had always believed that the Swedish forward would struggle at Barcelona.

At nearly two meters tall, Ibrahimović could never press and harass defenders with the same intensity as Barcelona's shorter, more agile players.

His rhythm simply didn't match the rest of the team.

A good comparison was Yaya Touré at Barcelona.

Despite his technical ability, Touré's height and movement frequency were not in sync with Barcelona's midfield.

But the key issue wasn't just Busquets replacing him, it was that Barcelona's system revolved around Xavi and Iniesta, not a physically dominant midfielder.

Ironically, when Touré later thrived at Manchester City, it was because the team played through him, allowing him to be the focal point in midfield, something he could never be at Barcelona.

…

Looking at Manchester City's current squad, almost the entire central axis needed reinforcement.

The investment required would be significant, and the challenge of integrating new signings would not be easy.

This made summer training camp crucial, and transfers needed to be wrapped up quickly.

For the striker position, the player Gao Shen wanted most was Benzema.

But Manchester United and Real Madrid were already in the race.

Even if Manchester City came in with a blank check, it would still be difficult to steal him from Real Madrid.

Based on the information Gao Shen received, Benzema had already reached an agreement with Real Madrid.

All of this… was Benzema's fault.

Why was he in such a hurry?

…

With Benzema off the table, Gao Shen had finalized his list of transfer targets and submitted it to Mubarak.

One of his key requests?

Signing Neymar from Santos.

According to Gao Shen's research, the young Brazilian had just broken into the first team and was already showing immense potential.

Given his current contract, Santos would likely accept a transfer as long as the offer was substantial enough.

…

After wrapping up his trip to the Middle East, Gao Shen flew back to Beijing on Emirates Airlines.

The moment he landed and got home, he immediately contacted his coaching staff in Europe.

First, he called Carlo.

Although Carlo was still on vacation, Gao Shen asked him to visit Manchester ahead of schedule.

His task?

Inspect Manchester City's Carrington training base.

Identify areas that needed upgrades.

Ensure new equipment was introduced as soon as possible.

Since the Abu Dhabi consortium had taken over, plans for a new training facility had been set in motion.

However, Gao Shen knew that in reality, the new facility wouldn't be ready for several years, so short-term renovations were necessary.

Carlo had worked with Gao Shen for three years, overseeing training operations. He knew exactly what Gao Shen and the coaching staff needed.

By going to Manchester early, Carlo could get a head start on preparations.

…

Gao Shen then called Lucas, who also had a major task ahead.

First, Lucas needed to track transfer market activity.

Monitor player movements across Europe.

Keep Gao Shen updated on transfer trends.

Identify potential targets that fit the team's needs.

Gao Shen already had specific targets in mind, but this was also an opportunity to train the scouting team.

After all, very few coaching staff members were deeply involved in transfer operations.

Even if Lucas didn't stay with Gao Shen forever, gaining hands-on experience in recruitment would boost his career, potentially making him a future technical director.

Additionally, Gao Shen assigned Lucas another major task:

Assemble Manchester City's new technical team.

The initial plan was to recruit five staff members under Lucas.

But if needed, more could be added later.

The good news was that Lucas had studied at Loughborough University and had strong connections in the industry.

Many of his former classmates and alumni now worked within English football, giving him an advantage in networking and gathering intelligence.

The Premier League was also the first European league to embrace data analysis in football.

Even Sir Alex Ferguson had once relied on data analysis to decide the sale of Jaap Stam—although, in hindsight, many saw it as a mistake.

…

"I figured you'd want to go to the Premier League."

Upon receiving confirmation from Gao Shen, Lucas smiled.

"I've been preparing for this."

Even while on vacation, Lucas had been keeping track of Premier League developments and collecting data on last season's performances to help Gao Shen and the coaching staff adapt more quickly to English football.

"I like a challenge," Gao Shen responded with a faint smile.

For him, taking charge of Manchester City in the Premier League was indeed a huge challenge.

It wasn't the first time he had overhauled a squad, but this time felt different.

At Napoli, Gao Shen had relied heavily on his foresight, scouting undervalued talents and developing them.

This time, he wanted to combine his scouting expertise with a more structured, long-term approach, preparing for a future where his transmigration advantage would eventually disappear.

Of course, he wasn't foolish enough to give up his advantage completely, as was the case with Neymar.

Simply put, he wanted to use this opportunity to challenge himself and refine his team-building philosophy.

…

"By the way, I have some news for you—Xabi Alonso's transfer to Real Madrid is finalized. The fee is €35 million."

Gao Shen wasn't surprised.

Xabi Alonso was a highly capable midfielder, excellent both defensively and offensively.

As a Spaniard, a move to Real Madrid was a logical career step.

But what truly caught Gao Shen off guard was the next piece of news.

"After selling Xabi Alonso, Benítez is pushing Liverpool to sign Biglia.

Liverpool initially offered €30 million, but Napoli rejected the bid.

Now, the Reds are reportedly preparing a new offer of €40 million, as Benítez is determined to bring in Biglia."

This was unexpected.

In Gao Shen's original timeline, Benítez had planned to replace Xabi Alonso with Aquilani from Roma.

However, now Biglia was the target.

Thinking it over, Gao Shen realized there were clues leading up to this change.

Biglia's Argentine teammate and close friend, Mascherano, was already a key player for Liverpool.

If Biglia joined, they could form a double-pivot for both club and country, a solid and competitive midfield pairing.

Moreover, Xabi Alonso was born in 1981, while Biglia was born in 1986, making him five years younger, a long-term replacement.

With a Biglia-Mascherano partnership, plus Gerrard, Liverpool's midfield would be set for years to come.

…

But this shift also made Gao Shen realize something else.

The butterfly effect he had created was growing larger and larger.

In his previous life, Benítez had sold Xabi Alonso and replaced him with Aquilani, a move that failed miserably.

Aquilani never settled, Liverpool's performances collapsed, and Benítez was sacked.

But now?

If Biglia joined Liverpool and adapted quickly, their midfield wouldn't collapse.

Would Liverpool still decline, as they had in Gao Shen's past life?

If Benítez truly bid €40 million, Napoli's De Laurentiis and Marino would almost certainly accept the offer.

After all, even Kaká was sold for €65 million, getting €40 million for Biglia was an incredible deal.

But Gao Shen couldn't shake the feeling that he was creating more obstacles for himself.

Manchester United was signing Valencia.

Liverpool was strengthening their midfield.

The competition in the Premier League was only getting tougher.

…

"Where are Sánchez and Di María in all of this?" Gao Shen asked, concerned.

Both were immensely talented, and he had hoped to bring them to Manchester City.

If he could reunite with them, he'd have a core group of players who already understood his playing style.

But he was clearly a step too late.

"I heard from a Catalan journalist friend that Barcelona has temporarily dropped their pursuit of Ibrahimović," Lucas reported.

"Instead, they're fully focused on signing Sánchez and Thiago Motta.

Reports suggest Barcelona has offered €50 million for Sánchez."

"Meanwhile, Real Madrid has made a €50 million bid for Di María.

It's also said that De Laurentiis and Marino have agreed to the offer."

Gao Shen sighed bitterly.

Even though Manchester City had unlimited financial backing, they still couldn't compete with Barcelona and Real Madrid for star players.

Money wasn't the issue.

It was simple, players wanted to play for the biggest clubs.

Given the choice, why would they leave Barcelona or Madrid to join a project still in its infancy?

Gao Shen knew he could personally convince players to join him, but was it worth it?

Was it really necessary to use his personal relationships just to fight for transfers?

The bond he had with his former players shouldn't be wasted on things like this, right?

…

At this moment, Gao Shen didn't know whether to feel happy or helpless.

From the current situation, Napoli was set to receive at least €165 million from selling four players:

Valencia

Biglia

Sánchez

Di María


And under his previous contract, Gao Shen was entitled to a 20% commission on all sales.

That meant he was about to pocket €33 million in transfer commissions alone.

He had made a fortune, entirely by accident.

…

What now?

Having too much money… was also a problem.