Starting With Real Madrid

Same location—Casa Juan Grill—but this time, Florentino didn't show up.

He had a company meeting in the evening and instead sent Zidane, Valdano, and Butragueño to pass along his regards.

But Gao Shen knew the truth.

Florentino was avoiding him.

It was understandable. The new Real Madrid president was probably still fuming over Gao Shen's decision to turn them down. If he showed up, he probably wouldn't have an appetite anyway.

To avoid any disturbances, the five of them booked a private room on the second floor. They shut the door and enjoyed their meal while talking.

Naturally, the conversation turned to Manchester City's failed attempt to sign Tottenham's midfield maestro, Luka Modrić.

Just mentioning it put Gao Shen in a foul mood.

"According to the market valuation, Modrić was worth €16.5 million. We started with €25 million, then kept increasing the bid—all the way to €45 million—but Tottenham refused to budge."

"In 2008, they bought him for €20 million. Now the price has more than doubled, and they still won't sell," Gao Shen said, clearly frustrated.

Zidane, Valdano, and Butragueño exchanged looks then burst out laughing.

"Only €45 million? The media was reporting it was €50 million!"

"That's nonsense! If €45 million wasn't enough, why would €50 million work?" Gao Shen grumbled.

Usually, when negotiating a transfer, there's some wiggle room, the selling club gives subtle signals that they're open to negotiating.

But Tottenham?

No matter how much City offered, their answer was always the same:

"Not for sale."

That left only one option, convincing Modrić to force a move.

But that would destroy the relationship between City and Tottenham.

Just look at Real Madrid and Valencia their years of bad blood all started because of Mijatović's transfer.

"Levy is ruthless, huh?" Gao Shen sighed.

Daniel Levy, Tottenham's CEO, was the mastermind behind the club's transfer dealings.

That summer, Tottenham had already sold Darren Bent for €10 million and signed Bassong, Crouch, Kyle Walker, Naughton, and Kranjčar. Their squad had clearly improved.

If they sold Modrić now, they'd make a huge profit—but it would hurt their season.

Tottenham had only finished eighth in the Premier League last year. This season, they were aiming higher.

Levy knew exactly when to buy and when to sell.

"In reality, every club in Europe knows Manchester City has money. That puts you at a disadvantage when negotiating," Butragueño pointed out.

"It's the same with Real Madrid."

Gao Shen nodded.

There wasn't much he could do about it.

Looking back from 2021, Tottenham was a textbook example of how to transform from a mid-table club to a European powerhouse.

But that process had taken them over a decade.

For a club like Manchester City, there were only two choices: learn from Tottenham or be foolish with their money.

Take Modrić, for example, if Gao Shen really wanted him, he could have forced the transfer.

But the cost would have been astronomical, a dangerous precedent.

Not only would the pressure on Modrić be immense, but it would also destabilize the dressing room.

A transfer fee that far exceeds a player's value creates unrealistic expectations. If he fails to meet them, it can break him mentally.

So, instead of forcing a move, Gao Shen turned to Valencia.

Los Che were under serious financial pressure, making them a gold mine for top talent at reasonable prices.

David Silva's market value? €23 million.

Valencia's asking price? €25 million.

For a star player, this was more than fair.

But Valencia had no choice, their finances left them with no leverage.

Gao Shen personally traveled to Valencia to meet with the club's management. He even called David Silva himself.

Everything was quickly finalized.

A much smoother deal than fighting for Modrić.

…

But Gao Shen wasn't done yet.

Since Tottenham refused to sell Modrić, he immediately switched targets securing Gareth Bale for €15 million.

The Welsh left-back had originally joined Spurs from Southampton for €6.5 million, but thanks to various clauses in his contract, his fee had risen to €13 million over the past two years.

Yet, Bale's performance at Tottenham was dreadful.

Since arriving in 2007, he had played 24 Premier League matches for Spurs.

8 appearances in his first season

16 appearances in his second season (including 6 as a substitute)

The result?

Tottenham had 9 draws and 15 losses in those 24 games.

Not a single win.

When he first arrived, he showed promise, scoring twice and assisting once in his first 8 games.

But last season, despite playing more minutes, his numbers dropped to zero goals and zero assists.

With no improvement in his performances, his market value remained stagnant.

So, after failing to land Modrić, Gao Shen took Bale instead—at a slightly higher fee than Spurs originally paid.

Consider it "compensation" from Redknapp.

…

Modrić had long been one of Gao Shen's dream signings.

But at this stage, he had to be realistic.

After securing Rakitic, David Luiz, Hazard, Neuer, Suárez, David Silva, Cahill, and Bale, Manchester City's spending had already reached nearly €200 million.

€200 million!

Even though Sheikh Mansour and Mubarak had promised an unlimited transfer budget, Gao Shen still had to think carefully about his spending.

And he wasn't finished yet.

He still needed a No. 4, a left-back, and was even keeping an eye on a Real Madrid player.

With these additional moves, City's total spending would likely reach €250 million.

…

With the Manchester City-Tottenham drama settled, the conversation naturally shifted to Real Madrid.

After all, the €300 million+ spending spree had created a squad that was arguably the most star-studded in European football.

The only club that could rival them? Barcelona.

Gao Shen, now Manchester City's head coach, initially didn't want to discuss Madrid.

But Zidane, Valdano, and Butragueño kept pressing him.

They clearly had an agenda, perhaps Florentino wanted to know his thoughts.

"If you really want my opinion, fine," Gao Shen said. "But let's make a deal, I'll give you my analysis, and in return, you have to help me with a small favor later."

Zidane and the others laughed they knew exactly how Gao Shen operated.

"Deal," they agreed immediately.

…

"With Madrid's current squad, they still have a shot at the league title," Gao Shen admitted.

"But I don't think they can compete for the Champions League."

The room fell silent.

Zidane, Valdano, and Butragueño were visibly stunned.

They had some doubts about the squad's balance…

But not as pessimistic as Gao Shen.

"Explain," Zidane said, leaning forward.

…

"The squad's biggest weakness?" Gao Shen began.

"Midfield control."

"The center-backs aren't an issue. The attack isn't a problem. But the midfield is a major concern."

"Kaká has to start. Xabi Alonso also has to start."

"So… who's the third midfielder?"

"Lass Diarra?"

"He's a strong defensive midfielder, one of the best in La Liga at breaking up play. But he can't control the game. He can't dictate tempo."

"And neither Kaká nor Xabi Alonso can do that either."

This was Madrid's fundamental flaw.

…

Some might argue, "So what? Who cares about ball control?"

Just press high, win the ball back, and counterattack!

But that wasn't enough.

A high-tempo attack was unsustainable over an entire match.

Modern defenses had improved dramatically.

Breaking them down was a war of attrition, not a single all-in gamble.

If the first attack failed, teams had to recycle possession, reorganize, and go again probing, stretching, and waiting for an opening.

And to do that, you needed control.

"He who controls the midfield controls the world," Gao Shen quoted.

"But tell me—who controls Real Madrid's midfield?"

Madrid could still win La Liga because they could overpower weaker teams.

In a 38-game season, if they bullied the small clubs, they'd always have a chance.

But in cup competitions, especially the Champions League knockout stages, it wouldn't work.

Against elite teams, they would be exposed.

That's why Madrid would struggle in Europe.

At the heart of it all?

Kaká's role.

If Kaká was undroppable, and Madrid wanted a three-man midfield, there was no way to solve the control issue.

Even if Pellegrini, Mourinho, or even Gao Shen himself were in charge, the problem remained:

How do you structure the midfield with only two players left?

Especially if Kaká doesn't defend?

"I've spent the last few years thinking about this," Gao Shen said.

"I feel like I'm on the verge of a breakthrough. It's hard to explain in words but the feeling is there."

"In my last season at Napoli, I felt it, the momentum building toward something special."

"And we won the treble."

"Now, with Manchester City, I want to try again."

"If I succeed, I'll fully grasp the concept."

"And this… will be my winning formula."

His voice was calm—but full of conviction.

Zidane, Valdano, and Butragueño were speechless.

They had always known Gao Shen was special.

But now?

They realized they had still underestimated him.

At 28 years old, he wasn't just developing as a manager.

He was evolving.

A monster in the making.

(To be continued.)