Inside the club's head coach's office.
Lee George is talking with assistant coach Brian Kidd and chief scout Steve Walsh about the transfer situation of each Premier League team this season.
"Ferguson really sold Keane's face and sold all the unwanted players to Sunderland." Kidd put down a report, which said that Richardson, known as "Giggs' successor" at Manchester United, Expected to move to Sunderland for £4 million.
At the beginning of last season, Keane, who retired, became the head coach of Sunderland, which was still in the Championship. And in the last round of the season, they defeated Luton 5-0, thus overtaking Birmingham to win the first place in the English Championship and enter this season's Premier League. With his outstanding coaching performance, Keane was named the best coach of the English Championship Football League that season by the English Championship Football League Coaches Committee.
"There may be more. Sunderland will invest a lot this summer. As far as I know, there are already several transactions worth around 5 million pounds in progress. And your old friend Andy Cole left with us before. Ian Hart will join for free." After all, Walsh is the head scout and has a relatively clear understanding of the transfer situation of each team.
"The current Premier League is really not something that ordinary people can play. Any transaction can easily cost tens of millions of euros or even pounds." George Lee also added, because the report he read stated that Tottenham had already signed a contract with Tottenham. Charlton forward Darren Bent has reached an agreement. The England forward will agree to join the London team in the near future for a transfer fee of up to 16.5 million pounds.
Kidd glanced at the report that George Li put down and curled his lips.
"It seems that we sold Lennon to them for only 8 million, which was really a bargain."
"Income and expenditure are directly proportional. Even the newly promoted teams are willing to spend such money, which shows that the broadcast income will definitely increase a lot after being promoted to the Premier League."
George Li picked up the black tea on the table, took a sip, and then continued.
"And now that various funds and consortiums are pouring into the Premier League, I think the competition in the Premier League will be more intense in the future."
"It's no longer a situation where the old strong teams dominate?" Kidd asked.
"That's for sure. If you look at Aston Villa and West Ham United last season, they both completed their rise after a certain amount of investment, and their records were pretty good."
Kidd and Walsh thought about it, and that was indeed the case.
Li George continued: "If larger funds and a larger consortium acquire a certain team, will they win the league championship in just two or three seasons like Chelsea? Or will they withdraw? One step forward, reaching the top of the standings and competing for a spot in the European competition."
"We, Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal, including Tottenham..." Kidd was wriggling his fingers there, calculating whether the few European war places were enough.
"I heard that former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is planning to acquire Manchester City. I'm sure another Chelsea will appear." Walsh told the two of them the news he had received, although the matter had already been widely spread outside.
"The one who was ousted in the coup?" Kidd asked.
"Sure enough, rich people will come to the UK to choose political asylum and economic asylum. As long as they come with money, the UK will welcome them." George Li knew that the Premier League will soon start the era of gold-dollar football. Those previous transfer values It’s just drizzle, and a random transaction in the future will cost tens of millions.
Just when a few people were changing the topic of conversation from sports to politics, someone knocked on the door.
"Everyone is here. I just received two transfer offers, and I brought them here to show you. Since you are all here, I don't have to go to you one by one."
The person who came in was the director of the transfer department, Steve Lee.
He gave a folder to George Li. When George Li opened it, Kidd and Walsh both came forward and looked at it.
It is said that there are two quotations, but it can also be said to be one.
Because both offers come from the same team, and the transfer targets are Leeds United's main right back, Danny Mills; and the team's important rotating midfielder, Nigel De Jong.
Which team made the offer?
It was the Manchester City team that the three of them were talking about just now, which was about to be acquired by the Thais.
It is expected that the negotiations for the acquisition have been completed, so Manchester City has already started taking action. The new coach should have been decided, and the new coach's recruitment targets are Mills and De Jong of Leeds United.
"Damn it, this Thai kid doesn't have to use his brains, he doesn't need scouts, he just comes directly from me to recruit people." George Li handed the document to Kidd, and then said angrily.
"You're known for being very accurate in your judgment of people," said Walsh.
"Have you ever inquired about the voices of these two players? What is their attitude towards this transfer offer? If they would make such an offer, I guess they have already discussed it privately with the players and their agents."
"Not yet, I will contact you right now." Steve Lee said.
"Hold on, Brian, please contact Eddie. Steve, go and communicate first, and then contact Mr. Manager. As for Mr. Scout, you know what to do. We'll see you in the conference room in two hours." Li said directly to Several other people in the office have assigned tasks.
"Okay." "Understood."
^^^
"De Jong's answer to me was that he wanted to transfer. Manchester City offered a high signing fee, a higher salary, and promised him a starting position. So he hopes that we can agree to let him leave."
Steve Lee began to tell everyone in the conference room the response he had received after contacting De Jong and De Jong's agent.
Li George picked up the pen and circled De Jong in the team list.
Then, he started scribbling on the team's lineup.
Originally, after Graveson left, George Lee decided to put De Jong in the starting lineup first, and formed a three-midfielder with Parker and Sneijder.
Smith will continue to play on the left for a while until Gareth Bale grows up and returns to the midfield position.
However, De Jong's intention to leave is now clear. First of all, his main position in Leeds United has never been guaranteed, and the other party also offered him a higher salary.
George Li crossed out the circled De Jong's name again.
"As for Mills, he said he can stay with the team, but the team needs to give him a salary increase to the same price as Manchester City."
"Did Mills say it, or did his agent say it?" Eddie Gray asked.
"It was his agent. Mills himself refused to communicate with the team."
Everyone turned their attention to George Li. Now the two players have made it clear that they want to leave, but whether they want to leave or not still requires Li's final decision.
George Li turned over the pen he had just used and kept tapping it on the table. The whole office could only hear the sound of "ta~ta~ta~".
After thinking for a few minutes, George Li began to speak to everyone.
"I always thought that after dealing with Sneijder and Bale, I only needed to introduce Robben to complete the summer transfer task. But just this morning I got new progress on Robben's transfer progress. We are about to complete it. This deal."
George Lee did not directly talk about this Manchester City transfer, but first talked about the team's other transfers.
Then he said again.
"However, it seems that our task this summer is not over yet. Just relying on me to transfer two people from the youth team, we may not even win the UEFA Cup next season, not to mention the Champions League."
When talking about this, everyone also laughed.
Because Leeds United has completed two consecutive Europa League championships, winning it again can permanently retain the UEFA Cup. It's just that they have little interest in this honor. Their goal is the Champions League next season.
George Li waited for everyone in the conference room to finish laughing before continuing.
"I agree with Manchester City's two transfer requests, but the price is too low. Mr. Director, you tell Manchester City that even the newly promoted team has spent a lot of money this year. He, Thailand Kai... He, the rich man in Thailand, cannot be stingy. "
"OK."
"Now, Mr. Scout, please show us the results of the past two hours."
After George Li finished speaking, he gave up his position to Steve Walsh.
Let's take a look at which players he has recommended during this period of time, or in the past few months.
George Lee is no longer a dictator who decides on the team's signings alone, but chooses to listen to everyone's opinions.
