Chapter 981: Can’t Stay
"According to the reliable intelligence we have obtained, Barcelona has only one candidate for the left back."
Cantarero is the technical director of the team, in charge of the technical department, leading the first team, youth team, scouts and data analysis department, and taking charge of the club's competitive affairs. Transfers and signings are one of his responsibilities.
"That is Alba from our team. Barcelona is very interested in him. Sports director Zubizarreta called me personally yesterday and hoped that we could seriously study the possibility of Alba's transfer to Barcelona."
"What do you say?" Gao Han raised his head and looked at the technical director, asking with concern.
Cantarero shook his head and laughed, "I told him that Alba is not for sale."
After hearing this, everyone in the conference room laughed.
Not for sale, this transfer term has become a special term for many media and fans to tease Chinatown. Almost every time a player in Chinatown is poached, they will repeatedly emphasize that the player is not for sale, but what is the reality?
Last season, Gao Han repeatedly stressed that James Rodriguez was not for sale, and he said seriously that he was serious this time, but what was the result?
When Real Madrid raised the transfer fee to 80 million euros and was willing to pay the release fee for James Rodriguez, Gao Han could no longer insist and had to break his promise to sell the Colombian midfielder, which made him ridiculed by the media and fans, but everyone in the know could understand Gao Han's decision.
In the professional league, there is no such thing as a non-saleable player. The so-called non-saleable player is just that the transfer fee offered by the other party is not sincere and does not want to sell, so it is called a non-saleable player.
Let's not talk about other people, just Messi. If someone is willing to pay 150 million euros or even 200 million euros for Messi, Barcelona will probably sell the Argentine superstar because they think it is worth it.
Therefore, Gao Han just laughed at the ridicule and sarcasm.
"Barcelona's left-back weakness has been around for a long time. They should have recruited last summer, but there was no movement. After the downturn last season, it is estimated that they will not hesitate this season. It is not surprising that Vilanova wants to get Alba." Gao Han sighed softly. He had a hunch that Alba might not be able to stay.
First of all, Alba came from the La Masia youth training camp, and it is not practical to talk about the so-called youth training feelings. To put it bluntly, Barcelona is one of the top giants in European football. It is natural for Alba to want to go back.
This situation is exactly the same as Fabregas last year. If Fabregas is a youth training of Arsenal, but plays in Barcelona and serves as the captain of the team, then he will abandon Barcelona and return to Arsenal for the so-called feelings?
This second point is exactly the same as Alba and Fabregas. They are both from the Barcelona area. Returning to Barcelona to play is like returning home in glory for them.
There is an old Chinese saying that goes, "If you don't return home when you are rich, it's like walking in the night in fine clothes."
"What does the technical department think?" Gao Han asked Cantarero again.
Not only him, but everyone in the conference room looked at the technical director, waiting for his opinion.
"Alex Sandro has performed well in the team. After comprehensive evaluation, we all agree that even if Alba is really sold, the Brazilian left back can quickly take over, but we need to introduce a qualified substitute player in the left back position, preferably a younger one."
Alba is a veteran who has played for the team for many years. Alex Sandro has always been his substitute, but the Brazilian left back is only 21 years old. He is the main player in the King's Cup, and he has also been a substitute in the league and the Champions League, or started when Alba was absent. He has many opportunities to train in the game and his strength is also very good.
The same situation is with Danilo on the right. Although the Brazilian right-back is one year older than Carvajal, he is Carvajal's substitute and performs equally well. Chinatown has always made a plan. Once Carvajal and Alba leave the team, Danilo and Alex Sandro will take over.
At the same time, Chinatown will also introduce players as substitutes to fill the vacancies.
Cantarero's words are equivalent to giving the green light for Alba's transfer.
Gao Han thought about it and nodded, "In this case, it's decided, but now there is an extreme shortage of excellent full-backs in European football, especially left-backs. Chelsea is also in urgent need of a left-back, so Barcelona wants Alba. Yes, the termination fee is 50 million euros."
Everyone looked at each other. A 23-year-old full-back asked for 50 million euros. Is this too outrageous?
"According to the information revealed by Zubizarreta, Barcelona is only willing to give 30 million euros at most."
"That's impossible." Gao Han shook his head and waved his hands, "If they are determined, then tell them to talk after the European Cup."
The European Cup is the most important event this summer. Alba is the main left back of the Spanish national team.
According to the current situation, Spain's overall strength is still stronger than all other teams, and the possibility of winning the championship is very high. Alba and Carvajal are both Spanish internationals. The two attacking full-backs are likely to perform well in the European Cup, especially Alba.
In contrast, Carvajal still has to compete with Arbeloa for the main position, but Alba is the absolute main force.
In this case, if Alba can perform well in the European Cup, his value will definitely soar again, which is why Barcelona chose to contact Chinatown before the European Cup.
"Barcelona also wants to get Rakitic, Real Madrid is investigating De Gea, Hazard, Rakitic and Aubameyang, Atletico Madrid is very interested in Herrera and Godin, Chelsea is investigating Aubameyang and Alba, Inter Milan, Juventus and Roma are very interested in players such as Miranda, Pelle and Rakitic."
Cantarrero's words made everyone present silent.
Chinatown performed very well last season, but the poaching that followed was also overwhelming.
"They are now treating us as a player training factory and a player supermarket. As long as they can afford the money, they can buy players." Gao Han's eyes flashed a stern look, and he sneered maliciously.
This is indeed the current situation of Chinatown, which cannot be denied.
In order to build a new stadium and fill the financial deficit, the team had to sell its star players again and again in the past few years. From Falcao to Diego Costa to Michu, from Ramirez to Schneiderlin to Mkhitaryan to James Rodriguez, Chinatown has fallen in front of the opponent's checks again and again.
There is no doubt that this is caused by the black shop model promoted by Gao Han. It cannot be said to be wrong. After all, Chinatown can come to this day, proving that the black shop model promoted by Gao Han was correct. But times have changed. Last season, Chinatown has basically balanced its financial revenue and expenditure.
What's more, the downturn at the beginning of last season and the ups and downs of the team's performance have taught the management a lot of lessons.
"Armando, what do you think?" Gao Han turned his head and looked at the general manager.
Armando Marcos looked at Cantarero, then at other colleagues, and finally at Gao Han.
"I think the team cannot allow other teams to poach players. Even if we want to sell players, we cannot do it without restraint. Otherwise, how can we continue the game in the new season? Moreover, it is more important to keep the Champions League qualification than to sell players."
After a pause, the general manager of the club continued to elaborate on his views.
"We have done a detailed research and analysis. The outstanding performance of the Champions League last season not only brought us 40 million euros in bonus sharing income, but also greatly promoted the brand of our club. Many sponsors who had doubts about us before have now taken the initiative to come to us and seek cooperation."
"Also, according to data from a well-known third-party agency in Germany, the players in our team are not old. The outstanding performance in the Champions League has increased the value of the players. So I think we should appropriately adjust the club's strategy, keep pace with the times, and strive to ensure the qualification for the Champions League."
How much benefit does participating in the Champions League have? Everyone has seen it from the previous financial revenue and expenditure report. This is the first time in the history of Chinatown that it has achieved a balance between revenue and expenditure without selling players. It can be said that the temptation of the Champions League is too great.
Arsenal sells players every year, but in order to keep the Champions League, Wenger also paid a huge amount of money for Michu.
It is reported that after missing the Champions League qualification for two consecutive seasons, Valencia has learned from its mistakes and decided to strengthen its recruitment this summer, including Lyon's left back Sissoko, Real Madrid's Gago and Canales.
"I agree with Armando's opinion." Cantarero also responded.
"Before, we were a newly promoted team, and our goal was to avoid relegation, but don't forget that we have played in La Liga for three years. In the first year, we won the tenth place in the league, and the next two years were the fourth place in the league. Although the process was very hard, I can guarantee that no one will treat us as a newly promoted team anymore."
"So, I support Armando's opinion. We should adjust our strategy and strive to keep the top four in the league."
The support of the two powerful bosses of the club also made the heads of various departments in the meeting room talk about it.
Judging from the reactions on the scene, the majority of people support keeping the top four. Even those who do not support it basically believe that the team should not sell players in large numbers. Last season, the team was greatly weakened by the loss of the entire central axis, which everyone saw.
If it were not for the downturn at the beginning of the season, Chinatown would have a chance to go further and even pull down Atletico Madrid.
Of course, this is a hindsight statement, but it clearly conveys a positive signal to Gao Han that he can no longer look at Chinatown today with the eyes of three years ago.
Sell, it must be sold, but only those who cannot be kept.
After careful consideration, Gao Han nodded heavily and said: "Okay, since everyone agrees, then follow the opinions of Armando and Carlos and do our best to retain the players."
This decision means that Chinatown will inevitably break the club's salary structure again and give a group of players another salary increase in exchange for the players to renew their contracts with the club and stay in the club with peace of mind.
However, in this way, the team's financial expenditure will increase significantly again.
Given the current situation in Chinatown, if the salary increases, it will definitely catch up with the level of Valencia and Sevilla. Will the club's finances be able to bear it?
After all, the team's match-day income is at the bottom of the La Liga.
But Armando Marcos seemed confident.
"Mr. Gao Han, you must have forgotten another thing."