Soccer: I have the attributes of Messi in his Prime

Chapter 552: Kroos' Transfer Shocks the Football World

"Kompany is getting older, we need to buy a backup for him!"

On the beaches of Mallorca, Guardiola, who was on vacation, said this to Lin Quan.

"If Kompany's injury issues continue into the new season, I plan to pair Stones with Van Dijk."

Lin Quan nodded slightly, not rushing to give his opinion.

Kompany's attendance rate in recent seasons hadn't been high, especially in the last season.

Injuries early in the season and again in mid-season drastically reduced his availability. Throughout the entire season, Kompany only played 22 matches—14 in the league and 8 in cup competitions, and 7 of those were as a substitute.

Last season, Manchester City played a total of 74 matches in all competitions, yet Kompany's participation rate didn't even reach 30%.

According to internal statistics from Manchester City, since Kompany joined the team in 2008, he has missed over 80 matches due to injuries.

Among all the key players, he ranks at the top in terms of games missed.

The center-back position is unique, requiring good chemistry between teammates, especially between the two center-backs.

Kompany's frequent injuries had a significant impact on Manchester City's defense.

This was one of the reasons Guardiola had considered buying Otamendi during the winter transfer window last season.

However, due to Otamendi's height and Valencia's high asking price, the deal fell through. Yet, Manchester City's need for a center-back remained unchanged.

Though Stones wasn't a big name, he was a strong player, and on Lin Quan's recommendation, Guardiola had been observing him for a long time.

After some time, Guardiola was very satisfied with Stones.

Although his price was a bit high, considering that he is a homegrown English player, it was still within an acceptable range.

Moreover, Stones was technically well-rounded, young, and had great potential for growth, giving Guardiola the chance to gradually coach and mold him.

Last season, City's three-center-back formation lasted for less than half a season due to a lack of available center-backs, forcing them to abandon the system.

However, with Stones, they could revive this tactic.

Guardiola planned to utilize Stones' versatility to turn him into a defensive utility player, capable of playing both as a defender and a defensive midfielder. This would free up the midfielders and allow them to contribute more to the attack, further increasing City's offensive power.

Manchester City's success in recent seasons had made them the public enemy of the Premier League.

Every team that faced City gave their all, with everyone taking pride in beating them.

This meant that City often faced parked buses, where their opponents would defend deeply, making it difficult for City to attack.

If City got held to a draw by weaker teams, they risked falling behind other big clubs in the league standings.

Thus, Guardiola had been thinking about how to break down these deep defensive setups.

The best solution he came up with was to increase the number of attacking players up front, putting more pressure on the opposition's defense and waiting for them to make mistakes under pressure, then seizing the opportunity to strike a decisive blow.

Therefore, signing Stones wasn't just about getting a defender—it represented a major shift in City's tactics for the new season.

"Kroos might be leaving!"

After finishing the conversation about Stones, Guardiola sighed and told Lin Quan.

Lin Quan was taken aback and instinctively asked, "He's going to Real Madrid?"

Guardiola was a bit surprised—had Kroos discussed this with Lin Quan before?

Otherwise, how could he have guessed so accurately?

"Yeah, Kroos' agent spoke to me. They're leaning towards Madrid, unless…"

"Unless what?"

"Unless the club gives him a substantial raise!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Quan frowned.

Kroos' fallout with Bayern Munich had largely been due to salary issues.

At the time, his salary at Bayern was extremely low, less than half of what the team's star Ribéry was earning.

Even after signing a new contract with a raise, he was still only earning two-fifths of Ribéry's salary.

Kroos felt that his pay didn't reflect his status and contributions to the team, so he wanted to leave.

At that time, Real Madrid had almost sealed the deal with Kroos, but Manchester City swooped in with a 50 million euro offer and snatched him away. If not for City's last-minute move, Kroos would have been a Madrid player long ago.

Lin Quan didn't ask Guardiola how much salary Kroos was asking for, but he guessed it must be quite high. Otherwise, given how much Guardiola valued Kroos, there'd be no reason to let him go.

A player's salary not only affects the player but also directly impacts the entire team's wage structure.

Though City weren't short of money, wage structure issues could affect team stability, and they couldn't afford to take that risk.

Kroos' salary at City wasn't low—12 million euros a year, second only to Lin Quan and Agüero.

By comparison, De Bruyne, earning 5.5 million a year, and Kanté, earning 3.5 million, were in greater need of raises.

City were under significant financial pressure. On one hand, Lin Quan's contract renewal hadn't been finalized, and on the other hand, many players in the squad were also due for contract renewals.

Kanté, after his outstanding performance last season, would definitely need a new contract. Otherwise, given his current salary, if another team offered him a higher wage, it'd be easy to lure him away.

Kanté's role in City was irreplaceable. Losing him would significantly weaken City's midfield defense.

Chelsea had long been eyeing Kanté, with Roman Abramovich even offering 60 million euros to buy him.

For a defensive midfielder, 60 million was an outrageous price.

But Abramovich had money and wasn't afraid to spend it.

As for De Bruyne, his attacking talents were undeniable.

Last season, De Bruyne provided 32 assists in all competitions, breaking Manchester City's single-season assist record.

His creative and penetrating passes were City's best weapon for breaking through opposition defenses.

If he left, it would greatly reduce City's attacking power.

Several teams were interested in De Bruyne—Bayern in Germany, Barcelona and Real Madrid in Spain, and even Liverpool had shown interest.

Among them, Real Madrid seemed the most serious, intending to take both of City's midfield stars.

However, De Bruyne didn't have any particular desire to play for Real Madrid. He preferred to stay in the Premier League and continue playing alongside his friends.

Therefore, the risk of him leaving wasn't high, but that didn't mean City could rest easy.

Player loyalty was one thing, but the club also needed to make a gesture.

This season, City planned to offer both players big contracts, significantly raising their wages while also extending their contracts and adding release clauses to prevent them from being poached by other clubs.

Kroos' Decision to Leave

Kroos, meanwhile, had already made his decision after discussing it with his agent in a German estate.

He had won all the trophies he wanted with Manchester City, and now it was time for a new environment and a new challenge.

Although he was reluctant to leave his City teammates, he had grown tired of the terrible weather and even worse food in Manchester.

During his two and a half years at City, he had lost count of how many matches he had played in cold, damp, rainy conditions.

The weather in Manchester was as unpredictable as a woman's mood—one moment sunny, the next raining, with no warning.

Playing in the rain was tough on the players, especially in winter.

To make matters worse, the Premier League didn't have a winter break, making it all the more painful.

As a player who had already won four Champions League trophies, Kroos had little left to achieve in terms of club honors.

Now, it was time to think about how to live more comfortably.

And Real Madrid wasn't a weak team. With their prestige and history, moving to Madrid would not only bring more honors but also fame and fortune.

So, why hesitate?

With Kroos set on leaving, the only remaining obstacle was Manchester City.

Given his contributions to the team, Guardiola tried to persuade him to stay, but ultimately chose to respect his wishes.

The Transfer Offer

Real Madrid quickly submitted their first offer to City—30 million euros.

This offer was far too low, and City rejected it outright. Even though Kroos was a valued player, City couldn't afford to lose money on the deal.

Real Madrid, unfazed by the rejection, raised their offer to 52 million euros, just slightly above the 50 million City had paid for Kroos originally.

Once again, City rejected the offer.

After some negotiation, both sides finally reached an agreement—Kroos would transfer to Real Madrid for 65 million euros.

On July 19, Real Madrid held a press conference announcing the deal.

When Kroos appeared, it caused an immediate sensation, shocking reporters and fans alike.

The speed at which the transfer had been completed, with no prior rumors, made many people feel as though it was unreal.

This move shook the entire football world. It wasn't just the transfer fee that was shocking—Kroos was worth every cent of the 65 million—it was the fact that Manchester City had sold their midfield maestro.

Did this mean City were opening their doors to more sales?

Top clubs around the world immediately began bidding on their favorite City players, afraid of missing out.

(Chapter End)

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