My Footballing Legend

The air conditioning buzz ceased around lunchtime and Laurence's office quickly became uncomfortable with the heat. Santa Cruz wasn't boiling hot yet - it felt hot, heavy, but the humidity was quickly wrapping around fabric and leaving it simply heavy. When looking around, it was hard not think that people were starting to feel a bit all stuffed up, but Laurence sat with his sleeves rolled, shirt a little unbuttoned, and calmly wrote some thoughts in to a notepad while Mauro paced behind him again looking at the squad list again. 

"We need a striker" said Mauro, stopping beside the tactical whiteboard. "We're short up top with Nino leaving and Juanlu leaving for Getafe, so clearly we're a bit short handed at the top. Natalio can't lead the forward role." 

Laurence took his eyes off his notes in front of him. "Maybe not yet. But I want to see something first." 

Mauro glanced over his shoulder with a raised eyebrow. 

"Natalio's fast. Direct. Yes he plays wide, but I've watched a few of his goals from the last two years". "When he does get central, he has the instinct. Not great in a back to goal situation but if we shift our shape a little and use him running into space off the ball and not running into space with the ball..."

"You intend to make him a nine?" Mauro said. 

"More like a false nine who can able to stretch defenses," Laurence said. "If we get the right runners around him, and off transitions, he could offer us something different. Especially if Neymar joins—he will pull attention wide. Natalio could fill in those gaps."

Mauro crossed his arms as he considered this development. "It's risky."

"It is feasible," Laurence said. "And it saves us from committing to another forward which we cannot afford."

Mauro did not disagree, but his silence represented enough.

"And in midfield?" he said finally. "We have Ricardo León and Kome, but neither has any ability as a ball-winner in front of the back four. You mentioned it yourself that there are going to be situations, match-wise, where we are under siege."

Laurence sat back in his chair, considering. "Yeah, we need someone with some bite. Someone young. Hungry. Mobile."

He went to a folder and took out a doodled shortlist that he had received from one of the South American scouts. Mauro wouldn't know half the players listed, but Laurence had spent a decent amount of the night watching clips and match reports on his laptop. One player's name stood out from the middle of the page. 

"Carlos Casemiro," he said, pointing to the name. "Defensive midfielder, São Paulo youth team. He has made his debut this year in the Campeonato Paulista." 

Mauro took the paper and flipped through the particulars. "Not a lot of detail here. Seventeen?" 

"Yeah, plays with presence; physical, aggressive, but not crazy. He's a tad raw in position, but there is a foundation to work with. Our scout in Brazil sent in a short report after seeing São Paulo U20 matches and said the kid was quite noticeable - reads the game like a player aged. " 

Mauro slowly nodded his head, "And he's not on anybody's radar yet?" 

"Not in Europe as far as we know. He's just starting to show up in São Paulo's senior squad, he's still on youth terms."

Laurence drummed his fingers on the desk. "If we put in an offer quickly, we will have a chance to sign him for a bargain price. We can offer a small appearance bonus, maybe a sell-on clause, if we can have a development fee, what do you think? That might help us?"

Mauro squinted, "So you reckon he can play for us this season?"

"Perhaps not immediately but I would want him to be part of the training with the first team. We need an ongoing project in that position, anyway. A player who we can grow together with." 

Mauro didn't say anything for a long while, then he finally said, "Fine. I'll contact Lemos and see if he can start quietly talking to São Paulo, If he is available and interested, we can move. But we need to clear wages. One more out." 

"Let me have a look at the B squad tonight." said Laurence. "There are a couple of players that we could loan. There are solutions." 

Mauro made a note and stood. "I'll check in, later. Oh, and Neymar's agent emailed this morning. He is looking for clarity on how fast we can send a formal offer." 

Laurence narrowed his eyes, "We will send one by Friday. No excuses."

When Mauro left, the office was quiet again. Laurence was at the side of his desk, tuning in to the pencil scrawling across the page with the name Carlos Casemiro. It wasn't a bet. Nothing ever is. But it was a perpetrated act. Not a prophecy—just a detail. A detail most would miss.

Not this time.

He glanced at the whiteboard again. Natalio as the striker. Neymar on the wing. A teenage Brazilian midfielder breaking up play behind him.

Not your standard La Liga set-up. But maybe… something just different with the intention to work.