Weird Defender Joo Ji-Tae

118 – The Moving Teams

118

July.

As the World Cup fever reached its peak in the soccer world, the people involved were getting worked up for a different reason.

“I’ll proceed quickly because I’m busy. This is the final list of proposed players.”

The summer transfer market was just around the corner.

In FIFA, there are two transfer periods in a season, and in European football, the summer transfer market between seasons is crucial.

That’s why the coach, coaches, board members, scouts, and analysts all gathered in the conference room with exhausted faces, looking like they hadn’t slept in days.

With the transfer deadline approaching, they had to finalize the recruitment and release list.

“We need to let go of our current backup members and replace them with young and promising players. We have to think long-term.”

“Has Mitchell finally made up his mind to leave? He’s still good enough to play for another year.”

“Why not call him up from the B team? He’s too good to be playing there. He’s already been on loan twice, so it’s time to give him a chance in the first team.”

The meeting began, and despite their exhaustion, the discussion was lively.

It was inevitable.

The club they loved had been struggling for years, almost a decade.

The prolonged financial crisis had reduced the scouting department from 40 people to less than half, leaving only 16.

Their policy was to discover and nurture young talent, but with only 16 scouts, it was a daunting task.

Their workload had increased, but their personnel had been cut in half, making their exhaustion understandable.

Despite this, the remaining 16 scouts had been holding on to their passion for the club.

To them, the club was more than just a workplace; it was their life itself, just like the club’s motto, “Més que un club” (More than a club).

“There’s a good offer for Chris Mauster from Manchester United, 25 million euros.”

“No way, 25 million euros? We can’t let him go! If Chris leaves, who’s going to take care of our build-up play? No way, he’s our core player!”

“…We have no choice. Chris is already 33, and his contract only has a year left. We can get 25 million euros and find a replacement.”

“25 million euros?! That’s not even 50 million! You’re going to let our core player go for that little? We’re Barcelona!”

“…At least we can secure the transfer funds.”

The weak voice of financial director Manuel Isaacs was like a cold shower, silencing the passionate discussion.

25 million euros.

It was a lot of money for an individual, and even for an average club, but for Barcelona, it wasn’t enough to let go of a core player.

But reality was harsh, and they had to settle for 25 million euros.

Barcelona’s finances were precarious.

“The list of players with expiring contracts is here. We don’t have many high-salary players, but if we let go of some backup members and B team players, our salary budget won’t be a problem.”

The meeting finally came to an end, and the release list was confirmed.

But just as they thought they had overcome one hurdle, an even bigger one loomed ahead.

“This is the list of essential players we need to recruit.”

“Do we really need to recruit so many players for our attack? Our attack is the best in the world. We don’t need any more recruits.”

“Our policy is to recruit young players with potential, not established players. This is too excessive.”

“The estimated transfer fee for all these recruits is 300 million euros? Do you think that’s possible? Knowing our current financial situation, it’s unbelievable…”

The club’s finances were precarious, but they couldn’t give up on their performance.

Giving up on performance just to recover their finances would be the worst decision. The club’s main revenue came from ticket sales, broadcasting rights, and prize money, and if their performance dropped, so would their revenue.

That’s why Barcelona continued to pursue big-name recruits despite their difficult financial situation.

It was a problem that success was rare, but failure was more common.

The people who had been arguing finally reached a conclusion after a long time.

“Let’s finalize the list of priority recruits.”

Recruitment was a process that usually took a long time.

While there were cases where it happened quickly, most of the time, it involved monitoring players early on, making rough adjustments before the transfer market opened, and then finalizing the deal.

But this player was an exception.

“Firstly—”

The worst opponent we faced in the Champions League round of 16 this season.

Therefore, his abilities were well-known, and he was the top priority target for recruitment.

“I’m Juzitai from Munich.”

* * *

“Juzitai, as you all know, is Asia’s most notable player. Wow! He has an incredibly charming face. Isn’t he handsome?”

Scout team leader Mateu Roberto chuckled humorously, shaking his shoulders.

“This will be a very good signing for us to dominate Asia.”

As football became more commercialized, player transfer fees skyrocketed.

Now, even hundred-million-dollar transfer fees were commonplace.

There were two main factors that allowed football clubs to pay such enormous fees.

Firstly, it was the ‘Sugar Daddy’ owner with immense financial power. Secondly, it was the immense popularity of football, especially in Asia.

Based on that popularity, the massive broadcasting rights fees from Asia poured in, making it no surprise that clubs were targeting the Asian market.

Even for a top team like Real Madrid.

“Of course, we’re not just looking at marketing alone. We’re already the best in Europe and Asia. This player is a must-sign, regardless of marketing. You’ve all seen it – his performance in the Champions League round of 16 against Barcelona.”

Mateu Roberto, the scout team leader of Real Madrid, recalled the shock he felt while watching the video.

He was no stranger to this player.

In fact, he thought he knew him quite well.

After all, who wouldn’t know him?

No scout would overlook his sensational performance in his debut season.

But… but his performance against Barcelona in the Champions League was beyond expectations.

“If you watched the World Cup, you’d know – he’s a 19-year-old Korean player. But his skills are undeniable. He proved it himself by winning the Golden Ball and Bronze Boot. With a height of 187cm, he’s a perfect player as a center-back, skilled with both feet. He’s got everything – marking, defense, leadership. Nothing is lacking. His physical abilities and spatial awareness are also impressive. He’s a bit passive in aerial battles, but that’s not a weakness either. Honestly, it’s astonishing.”

Mateu Roberto paused, recalling the complex data on the Bim project.

“What’s even more surprising is this young Asian center-back’s forward-thinking abilities. As you’ve seen, he broke through Barcelona’s tight marking and successfully sent the ball forward. His technique is flawless.”

“It’s still astonishing to see. He easily broke through Teo’s defense.”

“His center of gravity is quite high, but his body balance doesn’t collapse. He’s agile and reacts quickly.”

“Is this data accurate? It’s impossible.”

Mateu gestured to the executives, telling them to calm down.

“Although he’s a center-back, he shows incredible overlapping abilities, making him a threat in the final third. His success rate is extremely high, even in dangerous plays. He’s also skilled in creating chances from the back, making him a professional playmaker.”

As various play scenes and data flashed by, Mateu exclaimed confidently to the executives.

“Can you believe it? This player is only 19! 19 years old! Everything I’ve explained so far is the performance of a 19-year-old player. Who else has shown such skills? Jose Santamaria? Roberto Carlos? Zendo? Fernando Hierro? Sergio Ramos? I’m convinced. This kid has the potential to surpass them all.”

“Calm down. We also know how great Juzitai is.”

Real Madrid’s CEO, Angel Emilio, opened his mouth with a tired face.

“What’s the expected transfer fee?”

“It’s around 90 million to 115 million euros. Munich wants to set the price at 100 million euros for symbolic reasons.”

“Tsk. They think they’re Bayern. They’re looking down on us.”

“There are many teams interested, so we should aim for at least 100 million euros. The EPL is already moving.”

“Again.”

“Luckily, Italy is quiet. Except for the EPL, there’s Paris… and those busy Catalans…”

“Paris… Paris is dangerous. But we don’t need to worry about the other side. How can those poor guys without money prepare 100 million euros?”

Angel Emilio, who was asking various questions to Daniel Alonso, the finance director, nodded his head as if it was troublesome.

“Alright. Up to 120 million euros. Let’s do it.”

“I will definitely succeed.”

“Good. Contact Fernando and see if he has any connections. With the best striker and the best defender… it’s promising.”