Chapter 661: Poach and Be Poached From

While Twain was racking his brains to poach from other teams, his players were also being poached by others at the same time.

Just days after the Champions League final, news came from the Spanish side that Real Madrid had targeted Nottingham Forest star player, Franck Ribéry. And unlike the rumors in the first half of the year, the Real Madrid club was for real this time.

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This summer, Real Madrid had two key targets whom they wanted to bring in, one of whom was the Portuguese, Cristiano Ronaldo, who had scored forty-one goals in a season at Manchester United and had become the Premier League’s top scorer this season. While the other was this year’s Champions League’s Player of the Year, Franck Ribéry.

Both men were currently the star players with the most appeal in the football world. The nature of Real Madrid was to pursue the best players in the world and then have them all play for the best club in the world.

Whether it was first Di Stefano or later on Figo, Zidane, Ronaldo and Beckham, the century-old Real Madrid was never an ordinary team.

They could develop the superstars themselves, or they could make a move to poach from the other teams. This move was detested by people—who could be willing to part with the star players that one painstakingly groomed and were eventually stolen away by Real Madrid with money?

Real Madrid’s current president, Calderón, was able to successfully come into power by relying on “three promises”: he promised to the fans that he would bring in the Brazilian Kaka, the Portuguese Ronaldo and the Dutchman Robben if he were elected as the new president.

Now he had made good on that promise of Robben, but he had been strongly rebuffed by AC Milan in the pursuit of Kaka. The relationship of both clubs had even broken down at one point.

After a summer of attempts, Calderón realized that now was not the best time to bring in Kaka. Therefore, they shifted their target this summer. Cristiano Ronaldo’s breakout this season had made him a hot favorite, but the only club who really dared to take him on was Real Madrid.

Real Madrid was already in the touch with Cristiano Ronaldo’s agent, Mendes long before the season was even over to suss out the player’s own wishes. This was Real Madrid’s usual style of poaching players—using the players to threaten the clubs they played for.

Ronaldo’s response had been positive. He wanted to leave Manchester United for Real Madrid. On the one hand, this transfer would provide him with a better package. On the other hand, he would have the opportunity to continue his dream of impacting the Champions League. He had been in such excellent form this season but Manchester United failed in both tournaments which left him disappointed.

After learning of Ronaldo’s idea, Real Madrid blatantly make an offer to Manchester United for fifty million euros.

However, Real Madrid encountered a strong rival—Sir Alex Ferguson.

“No matter how much money you offer, I won’t sell Cristiano. He is a Manchester United player and under contract with Manchester United. He is very happy at Manchester United and completely has no reason to go to Real Madrid. I’m not going to let him go.”

In fact, the Manchester United Football Club hoped to sell Ronaldo. After all, the American boss wanted to make money. But at Manchester United, Ferguson’s position was almost unshakable, and his voice represented the Manchester United’s voice. At the same time, in order to convince everyone on the surface that there were no differences and contradictions within Manchester United, the club must also adopt a unified stance as Ferguson.

Real Madrid assumed that Manchester United thought the offer was inadequate and began to progressively increase the amount, but Ferguson was still adamant. Feeling bothered, the Manchester United club angrily stated, “You want to take the Portuguese? One hundred million euros!”

Did that scare Real Madrid away?

Real Madrid really started to raise a transfer fee of one hundred and forty million euros and prepared to get the world-class star player they desired.

Manchester United might have underestimated Real Madrid’s finances, but Real Madrid also underestimated the obstinacy of Ferguson, this old man. He publicly stated, “Even if they (Real Madrid) does come up with one hundred million euros, Ronaldo is still not for sale!”

Real Madrid, who had previously been successful in every deal in the transfer market, really hit a snag. Ronaldo’s transfer was temporarily suspended as the UEFA European Championship was imminent. Ronaldo had publicly stated that he did not want to talk about his future next season at this time.

In this way, Real Madrid set its sights on another player comparable to Cristiano Ronaldo— Franck Ribéry of Nottingham Forest.

In terms of technical skills, Ribéry’s technique was not as good or crowd-pleasing as Ronaldo’s. But he was more practical and powerful at breakthroughs. He had excellent scoring ability and was an all-rounder player who could play in the flanks and middle. Such a player was what Schuster really wanted. Cristiano Ronaldo was just what the club’s top echelon wanted the team to bring in, while Schuster wanted Ribéry who was more suited to the team’s tactics and comprehensive than C. Ronaldo. In Schuster’s view, Ribéry was better than C. Ronaldo on one point and that was, his ability to organize attacks in the front field. Even though van der Vaart was at Nottingham Forest, Ribéry’s ability to organize attacks displayed during the offense was still impressive.

As a result, when he saw that the development with Ronaldo was slow to progress, Schuster immediately strongly recommended the acquisition of Ribéry to the top. This candidate was also considered good in Calderón’s mind. When Nottingham Forest knocked Real Madrid out of the top four in two rounds, this high-flying club chairman was impressed with Ribéry’s performance.

In this way, Ribéry once again became Real Madrid’s main target, in concurrent with Ronaldo’s offer.

These two men’s transfer deals were not to be underestimated. There was more to it than meets the eye behind them. Calderón demanded results on both sides. Cristiano Ronaldo’s transfer was handed over to the club’s director of football, Mijatović to be in charge while the finance director, Jose Angel Sanchez had the authority to preside over Ribéry’s transfer deal.

To look further in-depth into this, it became clear when one looked at the relationship between these two men. Sanchez and Mijatović were sworn enemies. When Calderón once again put Sanchez from Florentino’s era in an important position, it originated from his distrust of Mijatović. How could Mijatović have any good opinions of Sanchez, a man who came to separate his power?

This arrangement could also be said to be the result of Calderón’s checks and balances on both sides. He separately arranged very important tasks to the two men and see who could complete the job well in the end. Whoever did well would naturally obtain the president’s trust further. If they did not complete well… it would be tough time at the top echelon of Real Madrid. Consequently, the two men were bound to strive and give it all to sign these two players for Real Madrid. Once Ronaldo and Ribéry transferred to Real Madrid, it would be the most sensational transfer in the world this summer.

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Against such a backdrop, the Nottingham Forest Football Club received a fax for an official offer from Real Madrid.

Twain was in Switzerland as a guest pundit for the competition and was busy working every day. Because a commentator could not just go up and open his mouth to speak. He also had to collect a lot of information and intelligence before the games in order to be able to speak with ease during the games.

Evan called him and told him that Real Madrid wanted to buy Ribéry. He almost rejected the offer reflexively.

“No way!”

“Don’t you want to hear how much they offer?” Evan asked with a smile.

“I don’t care how much they offered. I’m not selling!” Discussing the possibility of Ribéry’s transfer actually offended Twain. “Real Madrid thinks they have the money to collect the best players in the world to play for them? Well, let me tell them that money is not everything!”

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“Fifty million euros is not a small amount, Tony.”

“Manchester United declared that they can’t take Ronaldo away for less than one hundred million. We can also announce that they can’t have Ribéry for less than one hundred and fifty million euros.”

“Don’t tell me we can sell him if they do make that offer?”

Twain was silent for a moment. He knew what Evan was after, and he knew Evan was his boss, so he gave Evan face and said, “If they do come up with one hundred and fifty million euros just to buy Ribéry, I’ll promise to let him go!”

At the same time, he thought in his mind, “There’s no way Real Madrid will bear to offer one hundred and fifty million!”

Evan was certainly aware that Twain was giving a tactfully rejection with these words. No club in the world was crazy enough to offer a player a price of one hundred and fifty million euros. He smiled and said, “Well, we’ll just refuse in the name of the club.”

“Thank you for your understanding, Evan. After all, we’re not at the point yet to make money by selling players, are we? Selling the core players will greatly affect the team’s performance…”

Evan interrupted Twain, “Of course I know, Tony.”

This call worried Twain a little. It was certainly not about his relationship with Evan, but about Ribéry. It looked like Real Madrid was really going to make a move on Ribéry…

There were few players in the world who could resist the temptation of a powerhouse club. Once Real Madrid really reached out to Ribéry, what should Nottingham Forest use to resist?

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It was at this point that Twain “coincidentally” received a call from Ribéry’s agent, Bruno Heiderscheid.

“What a coincidence that you call at this time, Mr. Heiderscheid.” Twain’s tone revealed the sarcasm that any fool could sense.

“Ha, Mr. Twain, since you know why I called, I’ll get right to the point. To be honest, I want the club to reconsider the contract with Ribéry.”

To be frank, it was about getting a raise. Twain understood this. For Ribéry’s current position, a weekly salary of eighty thousand was indeed low. If he had a rich boss like Abramovich, he could pay Ribéry two hundred thousand a week in one breath. But did he have that much? He did not so he was unable to.

“The club has been thinking about this matter and we are very sincere. But the last time we offered a pay of a hundred thousand a week which you wouldn’t agree, Mr. Heiderscheid.” So, you see, the problem did not lie with our side.

Laughter came from the other end of the line, “Mr. Twain, don’t you think that one hundred thousand is too little for Ribéry’s contribution and fame?”

This time Twain did not get angry. He knew that anger would not help solve the problem.

He asked calmly, “So how much do you think is appropriate, Mr. Heiderscheid?”

“One hundred and fifty.”

Even if Twain had better decorum, he would not be able to contain his anger when he heard this, not to mention that he was not a refined and courteous gentleman.

“I think, Mr. Heiderscheid. You shouldn’t be an agent. It’s a waste of your talent. It’d better if you directly rob a bank.” He gnashed his teeth as he spoke.

The last time the two men were in a deadlock with their negotiations. Heiderscheid’s condition was a weekly salary of one hundred thousand, which Twain did not accept, not to mention one hundred and fifty thousand.

“Please remain calm, Mr. Twain. I think this condition is very reasonable. Given the situation, it makes perfect sense to stay a world-class player with one hundred and fifty thousand.” Heiderscheid was not angry with Twain’s sarcastic remarks. But his calm tone offended Twain’s ears, making him extremely annoyed, and his anger was escalating…

“Ha, reasonable?” Twain laughed angrily, “You’re telling me that one hundred and fifty thousand weekly salary is very reasonable?! You go and ask around. What’s Ronaldo’s weekly salary in Manchester United? One hundred and twenty thousand! What right do you have to talk about reasonability in front of me? The owner of Nottingham Forest Football Club is not a Russian oligarch with money and nowhere else to spend, nor is he a powerful American backer! Do you think it’s reasonable to ask for a one hundred and fifty thousand weekly salary in the current financial situation, Mr. Bruno Heiderscheid?”

“Cool down, Mr. Twain.”

“I’m motherf**king cooler than an iceberg.” Twain still could not hold back the foul language.

“I understand the club wants Ribéry to stay, but don’t you think you should show some sincerity in return?”

It was the same schtick again. Twain smirked, “You singularly emphasized the obligations of the club, but ignored the loyalty of the player. You wanted one hundred and fifty thousand weekly salary the moment you opened your mouth. Is this supposed to be a scare tactic? Is this the way to start a favorable negotiation? To put it bluntly, you want Ribéry to transfer to Real Madrid so that you have your cut, right? Mr. Ten Percent.”

This time Twain did not even bother using his name. He just used this sarcastic code name.

“I just thought we analyze this calmly and that is the truth, Mr. Twain. Either the club increases Ribéry’s salary to his satisfaction to keep him, or he will have to leave the Forest team to a team that can meet his small demand.” Heiderscheid’s tone was getting colder and colder.

When Twain heard this man utter this sentence without any emotion, he really wanted to shout into the receiver, “F**K YOU! You scumbag!”

But what he opened his mouth, he just took a deep breath to calm his agitation.

He did not know what Allan would think of this matter, but he decided to grit his teeth and make some concessions. He must make Ribéry stay. He was one of the team’s core offensive players. The team’s tactical routine was much richer with him around.

“One hundred and twenty thousand and that’s the maximum we can accept. With the current situation at the club, I think it is enough to show our fullest sincerity.”

“No, one hundred and fifty thousand…”

Twain swung his hand and smashed his phone. The sturdy-looking Nokia cell phone crashed into the opposite wall with a bang and smashed into smithereens across the carpet.