Starting With Real Madrid

How could there be nothing to talk about?

Just as Gao Shen had pointed out, Robben was now a negative asset for Real Madrid. Selling him at a loss was inevitable, and keeping him would only create problems.

In fact, Real Madrid had already been quietly shopping him around, and Robben's agent had been in discussions with multiple clubs. But the transfer market was sluggish, and few Premier League teams were willing to take the gamble on an injury-prone winger.

Manchester United?

They had the financial muscle to afford him, but Ferguson still held a grudge over Robben's decision to join Chelsea instead of United years ago. He was so bitter about it that he preferred to overpay for Antonio Valencia rather than go anywhere near Robben.

Liverpool and Arsenal?

Neither could afford him.

Chelsea?

That door had long since closed, there was no way Robben would return.

Serie A?

Both Milan clubs were being cautious with their spending, especially Inter Milan, who had already splashed heavily under Mourinho. They simply didn't have the funds for Robben.

Juventus?

They hadn't even considered signing the injury-prone Dutchman.

That left Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga as the only realistic option.

But even Bayern weren't in a hurry. They were waiting and watching, refusing to make a move just yet.

And so, Robben found himself in an awkward situation, no serious suitors.

Real Madrid knew this.

So when Gao Shen proactively approached them, Valdano and the others were quite happy to negotiate.

After multiple rounds of discussions, Gao Shen raised his offer to €25 million.

Valdano, however, insisted he needed to consult Florentino Pérez before giving a final answer.

Gao Shen also made one more request, he wanted to speak with Robben personally.

His €25 million bid wasn't random.

He clearly remembered that, in his previous life, Bayern Munich had signed Robben at the very last minute of the transfer window, forcing Real Madrid's hand.

€25 million was the breaking point.

If it went any lower, Real Madrid might just decide to keep him.

Sometimes, Gao Shen felt a little sorry for Robben.

The Dutchman had all the talent in the world, yet here he was—stuck in limbo, unwanted by Europe's top clubs.

If no serious offers came in, his value would continue to drop, and his only options would be clubs like Valencia, Atlético Madrid, Everton, or Tottenham.

If that happened, his career would be in serious jeopardy.

…

After leaving Juan's House Grill, Gao Shen and his team headed straight back to the Santiago Bernabéu.

Florentino Pérez and the Real Madrid executives were waiting for them.

After a brief rundown of the meeting, Gao Shen reiterated his assessment of Real Madrid's squad and his desire to sign Robben.

"You're planning to play a 4-2-3-1?" Florentino asked, nodding in approval. "That makes sense."

"Pellegrini is an attacking coach," he continued. "I believe he'll find solutions in attack. The real problem is in defensive midfield. Gao Shen is right—any successful team needs a dominant holding midfielder. But right now, we only have Xabi Alonso."

Mohamed Diarra? No longer trusted.

Fernando Gago? Still too raw, development stalling.

Lass Diarra? Inconsistent and unreliable.

That left Xabi Alonso as the only true midfield anchor.

"What about Liverpool?" Zidane suggested.

Butragueño immediately dismissed the idea.

"Forget it. Liverpool just spent big to sign Biglia. He and Mascherano are now the starting double pivot for Argentina. If we approach them now, the only response we'll get is a single word—"

"Roll."

That got a chuckle out of the room.

Truth be told, Benítez was a master of defensive tactics.

People liked to joke about how his starting lineup was never the same, making him seem like a tactical genius who constantly rotated.

But in reality?

His entire tactical foundation was built around the double defensive midfielder.

From Valencia to Liverpool, he had always relied on it.

So when he sold Xabi Alonso, his immediate move was to sign Biglia, ensuring that his midfield shape remained intact.

With that in mind, why would he even consider selling Mascherano?

"Let's wait and see," Florentino sighed, clearly frustrated.

He hadn't expected Gao Shen's assessment of Real Madrid to be so harsh.

Was this squad really only good enough to compete for La Liga?

At a club like Real Madrid, the Champions League is always more important than the league title.

This belief is engraved in the club's DNA, dating back to their five consecutive European Cup victories.

Regarding Robben's transfer, Florentino closed his eyes, contemplating for a moment. Then, he looked at the others and asked, "What do you think?"

Valdano and the others remained silent.

€25 million was Real Madrid's bottom line.

But it was still only late June, selling him at that price right away would seem rushed.

On the other hand, if they didn't sell now and Manchester City moved on to another target, would there even be another club willing to sign Robben?

Florentino glanced around the room, quickly grasping the situation.

Without hesitation, he made a decision.

"Notify Gao Shen tomorrow—we're selling him!"

Zidane and Valdano both nodded.

…

Then, out of curiosity, Florentino asked, "What do you think of Gao Shen's transfer business at Manchester City this summer?"

He was eager to understand how Gao Shen was performing and what impact his signings would have on Manchester City's upcoming season.

Zidane could sense that Florentino still hadn't completely moved on from Gao Shen.

He sighed inwardly.

"When he was at Napoli, Gao Shen repeatedly told me he wasn't completely satisfied with his center forward and goalkeeper."

"Cavani is hard-working, tactically important, and covers a lot of ground. But his link-up play with the midfield isn't great, which forces him to compensate with constant running. Similarly, Handanović is a good shot-stopper, but Gao Shen believes goalkeepers should be more involved in the team's tactical system."

"So this time, he went after Luis Suárez from Ajax. Gao Shen actually wanted to sign him as early as 2006, but he was a step too late, Groningen got him first. Now that he finally has the chance, he clearly believes Suárez will provide better link-up play than Cavani."

"As for the goalkeeper, Neuer is now a key player for Germany's youth teams. He just helped them win the U21 European Championship, beating England 4-0 in the final. Our scouts have also reported that he's a goalkeeper with immense potential. It all depends on how Gao Shen develops him."

Zidane concluded, "From my perspective, Manchester City looks like an upgraded and evolved version of Napoli."

Florentino and the others were surprised by this evaluation.

"Jorge, what's your take?" Florentino asked Valdano.

Valdano thought for a moment.

"It depends on how quickly the team integrates. If they gel well, Manchester City will be serious Premier League title contenders this season. I'd say reaching the Champions League semi-finals should be very realistic. And next season, they could be the dark horse of the tournament."

Napoli had stunned Europe by winning three consecutive major trophies. That kind of Cinderella story was unlikely to repeat itself, but Manchester City definitely had the potential to shake things up.

"From a footballing perspective, their signings are top-tier and well thought out. This Manchester City team is one to watch."

After saying that, Valdano and Zidane exchanged knowing smiles.

They weren't just hyping up a friend, the signings were genuinely impressive.

Given Gao Shen's meticulous approach, it was never just about splashing money.

Manchester City's true strength wouldn't become apparent until the season started.

…

After receiving Real Madrid's confirmation, Gao Shen left Madrid the next day.

All remaining transfer negotiations were handled by Brian Kidd and Gary Cook.

This was a calculated move—a way to avoid unnecessary scrutiny.

Officially, Gao Shen was just the head coach, but in reality, he was both the technical director and the manager. In Premier League terms, he was essentially a "manager" with full control.

Because of this, he needed to stay behind the scenes when it came to transfers.

…

When Manchester City officially announced their completed transfers and signings, the reaction was instantaneous and explosive.

Not just in the Premier League, not just in Europe but around the entire football world.

With Robben's €25 million deal, Manchester City's total spending this summer exceeded €230 million.

Even after selling players for over €30 million, their net investment was still a staggering €200 million.

This was the second-highest spending spree in all of Europe only behind Real Madrid and more than Barcelona.

This was what it meant to be a football powerhouse!

Since the Abu Dhabi takeover, Manchester City had spent over €150 million in the first season, and now, another €200 million.

A grand total of €350 million invested in two years!

Insanity!

…

As Manchester City's arch-rival, Sir Alex Ferguson wasted no time in publicly calling for a financial audit of the club.

"When teams start spending recklessly without any concern for financial sustainability, it's clearly a problem. This kind of spending is harmful to football in the long run."

Arsène Wenger also stepped forward, echoing similar sentiments.

"The Premier League should investigate Manchester City's financial situation. Where exactly is all this money coming from?"

Clearly, the top clubs were feeling threatened.

It wasn't just United and Arsenal—Chelsea, Liverpool, and Tottenham all voiced concerns, arguing that Manchester City's spending was distorting the league's competitive balance.

By the end of June, Manchester City had become the most controversial club in England.

They were now public enemy number one.

Real Madrid and Barcelona spending money? That's a La Liga problem. Not the Premier League's concern.

But Manchester City?

Their massive investments had put them on a direct collision course with the Premier League's traditional powerhouses.

And the biggest difference?

No one took Mark Hughes seriously.

When he was in charge, people saw Manchester City's spending as reckless and misguided, a plaything for Middle Eastern billionaires.

But now?

Gao Shen was here.

And suddenly, the Premier League's landscape was shifting.

The sky over Manchester was about to change.

With elite-level signings, a brilliant tactical mind, and limitless financial backing, this Manchester City team was no longer a joke.

They were coming for the top four.

They were coming for the Premier League title.

Naturally, the established powerhouses weren't going to take it lightly.

In this tense, high-stakes environment, Manchester City officially announced that Gao Shen had taken over as head coach.

But by this point…

That wasn't even news anymore.

(To be continued.)

***

Junkdog's Note: What the actual heck 😭. You guys are bullying me with stones now. It's alright you can slow down now okay? The chps aren't running away.