Chapter 25: Premier League? Let me dominate the Scottish Premier League first!
"Um... I'm fine... I'm OK..."
Chen Xiaoliang was halfway through his speech when he remembered Gerard's confidentiality order and had to get away with it by being vague.
"You seem to be fine..." Sun Jihai was also puzzled. After all, slow-motion videos of the moment Chen Xiaoliang broke his leg were everywhere on the Internet.
"You can't move around in your current condition. I'll go see you. Do you have time tomorrow or the day after tomorrow?"
"Oh my god... Teacher Sun, you don't have to be so polite..."
After exchanging a few pleasantries, the two finally agreed to meet in a small town near Gerard's residence.
The next morning, Chen Xiaoliang sent a text message to Gerrard about this matter. He was the head coach of the team and also served as the guardian of the minor, so he had to report it.
Gerrard didn't reply until the club took a bus back to Glasgow from Edinburgh, then he sent Chen Xiaoliang a text message:
OK
A day later, Chen Xiaoliang, who was sitting in a wheelchair, met Sun Jihai in an inconspicuous cafe in the small town of Las near Gerard's residence.
The wheelchair and the protective cover on his right leg are travel props specially prepared for him by his physical trainer. When he goes out, a part-time security driver is responsible for picking him up and dropping him off, and he stands by outside the cafe.
Chen Xiaoliang increasingly felt that Gerrard was planning something big.
Sun Jihai also got straight to the point: "Several of us veteran players from the national team have recently been working together on youth training, and it just so happens that through my connection with Manchester City, we can see if we can select some talented children from China and send them to the UK to study.
It's a coincidence that you've become so popular recently that many parents and schools in China have changed their minds about children playing football. Plus, you were injured recently and everyone is concerned about you, so I should come and see you."
Chen Xiaoliang repeatedly expressed that he was flattered and ashamed, but he couldn't tell him that his broken leg healed on the spot. Anyone who heard this would feel like they were crazy.
"Manchester City wants to contact you through me first. After playing in the Scottish Premier League this season, you will be 17 years old and can sign a professional player contract. Are you willing to transfer to Manchester City? Guardiola is very fond of your potential."
"Oh!" Chen Xiaoliang was secretly happy.
Guardiola and Mourinho are the two most popular coaches in European football in the past decade, not only because of their coaching achievements, but also because of their significant personality differences and very different tactical ideas, as well as many classic confrontations that have become hot topics. There has always been a saying in the Red Country forum that Guardiola and Mourinho are very close.
Chen Xiaoliang never expected that after Mourinho signed him, Guardiola would also take a fancy to him.
"Manchester City's Fernandinho is 35 years old and plays as a defensive midfielder. It is difficult for him to play in the Premier League every week. Guardiola thinks that if you transfer after this season and train under him for another year, you will have a chance to rotate."
"Well... Teacher Sun, it's no use for you to tell me this... My contract is with Tottenham." Chen Xiaoliang answered tactfully.
Sun Jihai's eyes lit up: "If you agree, Manchester City is willing to pay the penalty fee to sign you directly after the winter transfer window opens!"
After arriving in Glasgow, Chen Xiaoliang also spent some time to understand the transfer rules and legal terms of European football. After all, this is related to his wallet and career.
The contracts of young players under the age of 17 like him are not protected and they are free to contact other clubs.
Although he has signed a pre-signed agreement to turn professional at the age of 17, if a club is willing to pay the penalty before he turns 17, they can still take him away.
As one of the two richest clubs in the Premier League, Manchester City, this penalty fee is just a drop in the bucket.
It would be a lie to say I wasn't excited.
Compared to Tottenham, Manchester City is currently the hottest team in the Premier League. In the past three years, they have won the league championship twice and only finished second to Liverpool last season.
Although Tottenham also had a highlight performance of reaching the Champions League final, overall their goal is still to compete for the top four in the league and enter the Champions League.
Seeing that Chen Xiaoliang was somewhat interested, Sun Jihai continued, "I heard that Manchester United and Chelsea have already made some moves. Their scouts have been observing you at the game sites in the past few games. After hearing this news, Manchester City wanted to communicate with you first. It's just that this injury has made them a little worried about your future.
But now it seems that your injury should be fine."
What Sun Jihai said was also true. In competitive football, top clubs are both realistic and rational. For an injury like a broken leg, let alone a 16-year-old, even a 26-year-old player in his prime is likely to retire directly due to injury.
"Teacher Sun, I can't promise you anything. All I want now is to recover as soon as possible and play well in the next game. I really appreciate Manchester City's appreciation, but I'm still young. I'll make plans when I'm more mature."
Chen Xiaoliang replied very respectfully.
He said this, but in his heart he was thinking:
"Big clubs look for young players with potential. If they can play well they can use them themselves. If they can't play well, they can sell them to make money. What's more, which big club doesn't care about the Red Country market now? They may not really want to use me if they buy me. I won't be so impulsive."
Sun Jihai nodded and said with satisfaction: "Xiao Chen, you are amazing. Back then, Lao Fan and I were the first to come to the UK to play football. At that time, our combined transfer fee was only 500,000 pounds, and we first went to Crystal Palace in English Football League One.
At that time, being picked up by a European club, even in the second-tier league, was a great achievement. But people were relatively honest back then. Although they didn’t earn as much as they do now, there was no Internet, self-media, or other messy things chasing you around all the time.
We are the hope of the nation.
Alas, what a pity. We thought this was the beginning of the peak of Red Country football, but we didn’t expect it to be already the peak.
Now the only ones who can still play football in Europe are you and Wu Lei. It's not easy for him either. This season Espanyol can only play in the Spanish Second Division, and he always doesn't get a chance to play.
But Xiao Chen, you are younger than we were when we came to Europe, and your starting point is higher. Not to mention Mourinho, even Gerrard, although he has only been a coach for a few days, his resources and connections in England are unmatched by ordinary people.
I heard that he became your guardian after you came here, you must cherish it! Keep going on this path, the future of Red Country football depends on you!"
"Yeah!" Chen Xiaoliang nodded excitedly.
The two chatted for a while before saying goodbye. When the security sent Chen Xiaoliang home, Gerrard had already returned and was repeatedly watching the video of the match against the Irish.
When Gerard saw Chen Xiaoliang coming home, the first thing he did was to check his legs, even though he had already looked at them countless times in the previous week.
"You really don't even have a scar, it's a gift from God."
"Coach, can I play next time?" Chen Xiaoliang asked excitedly.
"No, you have to wait for a while. During this time, you can train alone with me."
Gerrard stood up and continued, "Manchester City wants you to go? "
Chen Xiaoliang was stunned: "You even know this?"
"So do you want to go?"
Chen Xiaoliang shook his head: "I don't want to sit on the bench and watch other people play."
"Hahahaha! I like to hear that. It's ambitious!" Gerard patted Chen Xiaoliang happily.
"Look at Davies and Tavernier, they were the best players in their respective positions in the Scottish Premier League, but despite this, one could only play rotation in a mid-table Premier League team, and the other stayed in Newcastle for five years and only played two Premier League games.
As a coach, my dream is to coach Liverpool to win the Premier League title one day! If you really want to become a main force in the Premier League in the future, then join me in dominating the Scottish Premier League first! ”
