The Rise of Millwal

Aldrich carefully studied the six names on the card, realizing that Real Madrid had come well-prepared for negotiations, especially in terms of the transfer.

They were out of money!

But being broke didn't mean they couldn't still make a deal.

Anelka was a player Real Madrid wanted to offload, but if the deal went through, Anelka could serve as a replacement for Henry. Not the best choice, but his ability was undeniable.

In the summer, Millwall had sold Makelele, and with Florentino at the helm, he was eager to get rid of the remnants from the Sans era.

Ballack, Redondo, and Karimba were all players Millwall could take to strengthen their squad—if they wanted them, they were free to go!

Guti's situation was a bit more complicated. His loyalty was unquestioned, but Florentino believed Guti lacked the star quality he sought for his vision. Guti had talent and skill, but he had no place in Florentino's plans. If Aldrich wanted him, Real Madrid would let him go. Guti's inclusion on the list wasn't merely a way for Florentino to pawn off unwanted players—it was a gesture of goodwill, showing sincerity rather than trickery.

Casillas, however, was more of a temptation.

Last season, Casillas had emerged as a result of Illgner's injury.

For a player who had conceded eight goals in the Champions League semifinals and finished fifth in the league, claiming Casillas was going to be a great player seemed laughable. Fans across Europe would dismiss it with a smile, not taking it seriously.

However, Millwall's goalkeeping situation has been a point of contention for the past six years. In the first two years, it was Keller, followed by Butt for the next four. It seemed that the goalkeeper position was always their weakest link, or perhaps it would be more accurate to say, the least perfect part of the team.

Casillas had talent and had shown glimpses of brilliance on the big stage. To Florentino, if Casillas could be used to bring in Henry, the deal wouldn't be a loss.

Fans wouldn't react too strongly, as Casillas hadn't yet played a full season for Real Madrid.

Such negotiations often happened behind the scenes. Players were the unwitting pawns, unaware of when they might be used to seal a deal.

Real Madrid's negotiation team had even considered adding an African player to the list, but Florentino had removed him, thinking it would be an insult to Millwall.

The player's name was Samuel Eto'o.

Aldrich exhaled deeply.

These six names kept him pondering for a long time.

Simply put, if swapping Henry for Ballack, Casillas, Redondo, and Guti is possible, with Anelka excluded not for his ability but due to Aldrich's decision, and Karembeu cut purely for competitive reasons—

Then, making that trade is, from a value perspective, an absolute win!

He doesn't consider whether someone like Casillas or Guti, known for their loyalty, would reject the move. But if they agree, then the rest of the deal is up to Real Madrid.

Was it hard for a club to make a player leave?

Aldrich thought for a long time before sighing deeply.

Sometimes, it was just a matter of fate.

It wasn't that he didn't want Casillas, or that he didn't want Guti, who could always produce those unbelievable passes. Continuing his bond with Ballack seemed tempting, and Redondo could bring invaluable experience to help the likes of Gattuso and Pedretti grow.

Unfortunately, Millwall couldn't afford to hold onto them.

Millwall had reached a new peak, having achieved great success.

Now, the club's biggest priority was stability.

And where did stability come from? From the hearts of the players!

How could he let Casillas replace Butt, who had won the hearts of the entire squad?

If a mainstay player, one who had helped the team win so many honors with two Champions League starts, was discarded, what did that say about the club's respect for its players? How could they still expect the team to remain united and powerful? Wouldn't everyone wonder when their turn would come to be replaced?

A successful, united team has incredible cohesion. Ask any Millwall player, who's better, Butt or Casillas? Everyone would say Butt!

They had trained together, fought side by side, celebrated victories and shared in the pain of defeats. What kind of bond did that create? Outsiders might easily say a star could replace anyone, but the locker room wouldn't accept that.

They were successful. They'd won. Why suddenly give up on a teammate and welcome a stranger?

When an unsuccessful team undergoes changes, it's often praised, even if it fails, because it showed ambition.

But when a successful team tries to change, that's pure foolishness.

Millwall had reached its peak, and there were things Aldrich couldn't override, no matter his personal authority.

As long as the players didn't cause issues, the club couldn't sell off key members. It couldn't move main players out of their positions.

Player departure is fine, but it must be the player's choice to leave, not the club forcing them out. That would lead to massive backlash from fans, the locker room, and all sides. Aldrich must think through every angle carefully.

If he does that, with his authority, while the locker room might not directly oppose him, the morale will scatter. Can the team still be led well?

"Sorry, Mr. President, but I can't lie and say we have no issues with Henry. If I say there's no problem, it would show a lack of sincerity in dialogue. As the media reported, we have encountered difficulties in renewing Henry's contract. If this issue isn't resolved this summer, I won't sell him. Sometimes, the club has to show some backbone and confidence. If Henry is sold to Millwall just because of a disagreement, then what dignity would Millwall have left? In my six years as head coach, I've sold many excellent players, but that was in the past. Millwall needed the transfer market's revenue back then. But now, our financial situation is ideal. As a club that has just become one of Europe's top elites, one of our principles is that we will never sell our star players for economic gain."

Aldrich pushed the card back to Florentino, who frowned slightly and said, "I see this as a collaboration in the sporting field. If Henry can't play to his potential at Millwall, it will directly impact Millwall's competitiveness. Real Madrid can't pay in cash, so we're offering a player exchange deal. This way, Millwall's competitiveness can be supplemented, even improved."

Aldrich shook his head. "Mr. President, this deal is tempting, but the key point I'm making is Millwall's image. If things really take a turn for the worse, in a year and a half, Real Madrid can offer Henry a contract directly. By then, there's a high chance you'll get him. Right now, the probability is zero."

This outcome left Florentino feeling discouraged, but he wasn't disheartened.

There's nothing to be done. Real Madrid's situation is like that—no money for now. But if they sell Redondo, Anelka, Ballack, and the others, Real Madrid might have the funds. But by then, the new Premier League season would likely have started, and according to Millwall's past practices, once the new season begins, they've never sold a player. Not even in winter!

The deal couldn't be reached.

However, Florentino and Aldrich shook hands amicably before parting ways. Even if the media caught the moment, it didn't matter.

Florentino was trying to bring a superstar to the Bernabéu. He gave it his best shot, and fans would appreciate it. Our president went to discuss a big deal, he just didn't succeed, but at least he made the effort.

Aldrich wasn't afraid of the exposure either. He was sending a message to the public.

Henry, I'm not selling him!

Yes, even with Real Madrid's new president, the one who spends without batting an eye, coming to negotiate, I'm still not selling!

The next day, Millwall players returned to the club.

Aldrich drove to the club, lost in thought the entire way.

The team's summer training started today, and Henry's situation had reached a point where it needed to be resolved. Otherwise, with the media stirring the pot, it would disrupt the team's morale.

No matter how long Henry's tenure at Millwall had been, he was the key player who led the team to a treble last season. No one could overlook a striker who scored 49 goals and made 16 assists in a single season.

He wanted to resolve the matter quickly, but at the training base, someone else was even more eager to settle it.

As Aldrich walked toward Adam's office, he planned to have Adam hold a press conference announcing that Henry still had two years left on his contract with Millwall and that he had to honor it. During this period, Millwall wouldn't accept any offers from other clubs.

This was a public relations move, much different from casually saying something in an interview.

In an interview, one can say 'not for sale, not for sale, not for sale.'

But in the end, countless players are sold.

However, once Millwall held a press conference, the matter would become official. It would concern the public image of the club. If they sold him after that, Millwall would essentially slap itself in the face.

It would become a laughingstock in European football.

The door to Adam's office was open, and before Aldrich even stepped inside, he could hear someone shouting loudly.

"Are you crazy! You must be out of your minds! £40 million! £40 million! Juventus has already offered £40 million! This would break the transfer world record! What more do you want? Huh? If Thierry leaves in two years on a free transfer, you'll lose not only £40 million but also two years of wages you paid him!"

This year, the record for player transfers was being broken one after another.

First, Crespo's £36.5 million move to Lazio, followed by Real Madrid's £38 million for Figo.

Now Juventus had upped the ante to £40 million, hoping to take Henry from Millwall.

The person shouting in disbelief was Henry's agent, while Adam, sitting behind his desk, looked unfazed. In fact, he felt that selling Henry for £40 million would be more beneficial than detrimental to the club.

After all, in terms of public opinion, Henry wasn't in the best position. There were already extreme factions of Millwall fans shouting for him to leave.

What happened to last season's hero? Did he let it go to his head?

Look at Nedvěd and the others—six years of quiet dedication. Are they any less impressive than Henry? They've signed every contract extension without a single delay, not even once!

If you don't want to stay, then get out!

Aldrich entered the room, and Henry's agent immediately shut up. Adam stood up to greet him.

Aldrich turned to the agent with a calm expression and asked, "Where is Henry?"

"He's on vacation, enjoying the joy of helping the French national team win the European Championship."

"Is he sure he won't renew?"

"He won't! We can't agree to Millwall's terms!"

"Just because of money?"

"Of course not. If he goes to Juventus, his career will be more glorious! Serie A is the number one league in the world; the Premier League doesn't quite compare."

Aldrich gave a quick nod and turned away, clearly done with the conversation.

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his phone, found Henry's personal number, and hit dial.

Henry's agent, noticing this, looked visibly tense. His eyes locked on Aldrich, watching his every move.

"Boss?"

When the call connected, Aldrich heard Henry's voice.

Without a hint of emotion, Aldrich spoke coldly into the phone:

"Thierry, I don't know what you're thinking, but I'll say this only once. Your vacation is over. Be back for preseason training tomorrow. You're not going anywhere but Millwall. If I have to watch you rot away in Turin, I'd rather see you fall apart at Millwall—a place that made you who you are!"