The principality with beautiful scenery and pleasant climate is backed by the Mediterranean Sea. Summer is the peak tourist season, and the streets are bustling with people. Aldridge, dressed in sports and leisure clothes, put his hands in his pockets and wore a pair of sunglasses and walked into an elegant cafe.
Sitting in a booth in the corner of the cafe was an elegant man in his late fifties. He was looking at the scenery outside the window in a daze.
Aldrich came and sat down opposite him, took off his sunglasses, smiled like a sunshine, and said: "Hi, Arsene."
The gentle man looked at Aldrich with admiration and said calmly: "We haven't seen each other for four years, and that kid has become a very talented person. Your sudden visit to Monaco is just in time. Otherwise, I would have to go to London to find you. Tell me.
, what method did you use to steal my people."
Aldrich pretended to be confused, spread his hands and said: "Sir, I don't know who you are talking about."
"That French young man, yesterday I asked the club to make an offer and planned to bring him back to France from Argentina. However, he had already packed his bags and left. After asking, I found out that he had transferred to Millwall."
The man sitting opposite Aldridge is the current head coach of Monaco, Arsene Wenger. Five years ago, Aldridge witnessed the glory of Wenger leading the team to win the French Ligue 1 championship in Monaco, but it was a pity that in the next five years, Aldridge
, Marseille won five consecutive championships domineeringly, Wenger's life is not easy now.
Aldridge knew that the other party was talking about Trezeguet, and smiled and said: "I have no choice, I want to fight for myself, and now I just want to rob people. As for what method I used, haha, it's very simple. More than a year ago, I
My brother already knows David. In addition, I gave him the high salary of a first-team player, uh, a weekly salary of three thousand pounds."
"He's only 17 years old."
Wenger frowned and said solemnly, seeming to be dissatisfied with Aldridge's behavior.
Aldridge said playfully: "Well, 17 years old is the age of rebellion. If you want to stand alone, of course you must have an independent financial source. Making a lot of money will not only make you confident, but also make you proud in front of your family. Haha,
Arsene, times are about to change. You probably think I am burning money, but do you still remember what we talked about on the phone half a year ago?"
Wenger showed a look of recollection, and after a while he said in surprise: "Bosman's lawsuit?"
Aldrich nodded and shrugged: "This summer, many football critics will ridicule me as a prodigal and a fool. It doesn't matter, time will prove everything. Let's not talk about it anymore. Let's get down to business. My purpose here is very simple.
, I want you to be noble and give me someone."
Wenger suddenly looked unhappy and said angrily: "What? You are also poaching my people. Who do you fancy?"
"The offer of 500,000 pounds has been sent to the Monaco club. I want Henry. Monaco is making money in vain. They have spent so much on Henry. I'm afraid they didn't even invest 10,000 pounds."
As soon as Aldridge finished speaking, Wenger suddenly stared and said: "No! He is the future of Monaco! 500,000 pounds? Do you think Monaco is a small team that has never seen money?"
Aldrich smiled toothily and said nothing.
Wenger continued to frown and said: "The Times reported that I have followed a lot of your movements since you took charge of Millwall. Most of the players signed by your team recently are from low-level leagues.
It is a helpless move for the team to leave the star of hope when they see money. This is the rule of the football market, but Monaco is not the German Bundesliga, Dutch Second, Serie B..."
"Don't get excited, don't get excited, let's continue discussing."
"No need to discuss, Henry won't sell."
"What if I pay 1 million pounds? Will Monaco still not let him go?"
Wenger fell silent and stared at Aldrich helplessly.
Finally, he sighed heavily: "Marseille poached my people, Paris Saint-Germain poached my people, and now, even you, a little guy, poached my people..."
Although Marseille won five consecutive French Ligue 1 championships, Wenger was able to lead the team to the top despite being poached for several consecutive years. This is enough to demonstrate his coaching ability. Unfortunately, it is difficult for a clever woman to make a meal without rice. This is inconsistent with
His situation after his glory days at Arsenal was so similar.
Aldridge couldn't bear to "bully" this old friend and said calmly: "Thuram."
Wenger looked confused, and Aldridge said: "1.5 million pounds, I don't want Henry anymore, don't stop Thuram, Arsene, Monaco can't keep Thuram, I'm sincere enough to pay 1.5 million pounds for a defender
, if you don't let him go to me, are you waiting for other teams to dig him up? I can give him a top salary, a weekly salary of eight thousand pounds."
Wenger was slightly moved, mainly because Aldridge's words, "Are you waiting for other teams to dig him?" irritated him.
He trained many good players in Monaco, but in the end they could not escape the fate of being poached. Even George Weah, who was grateful to him, still left him.
"My captain, you just want to take away 1.5 million pounds?"
"Well, I won't be nagging, isn't 3 million pounds enough for a defender?"
In this era, 3 million pounds is already the value of a first-class star. Although there is still a gap between him and a superstar, you must know that Maradona's transfer value was only 3 million pounds at that time more than ten years ago. Of course, it is also
The purchasing power is much stronger than today's equivalent value. Just seven years ago, Gullit's world record value was no more than 5 million pounds. Just two years ago, the transfer value of the Premier League's top stars was only about 3 million pounds.
, coupled with the fact that the transfer value of offensive players is generally higher, the price offered by Aldrich is enough to impress the Monaco club.
And he believes that the contract benefits he offers can also seduce Thuram. In this era, if you want a player who wants to offer Baggio tens of thousands of dollars a week like Juventus, what kind of talent must he be? And there are
How many stars can have a TV station follow their daily life reports like Gascoigne and still have high ratings in the UK as a program?
What's more, the contract offered by Aldrich also includes annual salary increase clauses and bonuses.
Wenger just sighed heavily and agreed to Aldrich's proposal.
As for Henry, Aldrich wanted it, but he knew he had no chance.
When Henry becomes famous in Ligue 1 next season, I am afraid that he will not be able to take away 1 million pounds. And after the Bosman Act is settled next year, he will no longer have any loopholes to exploit. What will be more headache for him then is how to retain him.
Stop the person in your hand.
After chatting with Wenger in the cafe all day, Aldridge rushed to Nantes, a city on the Atlantic coast of western France, the next day, where he also had an important transfer that needed to be reached.
An offer of 1.5 million pounds was sent to Nantes Club for Claude Makelele!
The final negotiated price was set at £2 million.
Aldridge also successfully lured Makelele with a high salary, but for these outstanding players, Aldridge did not hesitate to include a clause in the contract that will automatically terminate the contract if they cannot be promoted next season.
After returning to London, Aldrich received a phone call from Italy.
"Mr. Hall, please forgive my presumption, but your team is chasing my son. I don't know what this means. Although your team is in the second division of England, I think the intensity of competition should be
It's higher than the Italian Serie C, and I hope my son gets better training, but I want to know your sincerity and your plan to build the team."
Listening to the poor English on the other end of the phone receiver, Aldrich was confused, but asked calmly: "Excuse me for the offence, who are you?"
"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself, my name is Giuseppe Materazzi."
Aldrich suddenly understood, and then said respectfully: "Hello sir, I do intend to introduce your son. I have high expectations for the team next season, the next season, and even the next 5 to 10 years. I need many young talents.
To achieve this goal, your son, Marco, is an important part of my plans and if you follow my club, you will know that we have recently signed a number of quality players."
"But I don't want Marco to develop in the UK for a long time."
"But as you said, he stayed in Italy and only played in the third division. When he came to Millwall, he will play in the English first division next season. A year later, he will appear in the top league in England, and he will play in the top league in England.
Wouldn't it be better for his growth to compete against top teams like Arsenal, Manchester United, and Liverpool? Forgive me, if Marco stays in Italy, how many years will it take before he can compete against top teams?"
"When Marco goes to England, can you guarantee his main position?"
"Sir, there are 46 league games in a season of English League One, plus two cup competitions. A conservative estimate is that there are 50 games in a season. If Marco can play 20 games, he will make great progress."
The other end of the phone pondered for a moment, and finally, Giuseppe Materazzi said: "Mr. Hall, thank you for your sincerity, but I also hope to get a guarantee from you. If one day, one day Italy will be more competitive,
The team wants Marco and you won’t stop him.”
Aldrich sighed in his heart. The Giuseppe Materazzi opposite him was not an ordinary player's father, but a well-known coach in Italy. It was reasonable to envision his son's future, and deep down, the other party
I definitely don’t look down on English football, but I just hope that my son’s development will have a bigger springboard. No matter how it compares, it is better than the Italian Serie C. The salary is also good, and with the experience in different environments, Mal can make it better.
Co-Materazzi has accumulated richer experience.
However, in the future, we should go back to Serie A, the highest competitive arena in the minds of Italians.
"Sir, I can assure you that if Marco wants to leave one day, I will not stop him. I run the club and coach the team with a simple philosophy: get together well and stay together."
