Gao Shen had always believed that when trying to persuade someone, forceful methods were the least effective and could even provoke a rebellious mindset. The best way was to lay out the pros and cons clearly.
Of course, if you ask someone to give up benefits and accept disadvantages, do not bother trying to persuade them.
No one in this world is a fool.
Why was Mbappé hesitating?
Because Real Madrid were restructuring, and he was unsure what would happen afterward.
Letting Ronaldo go was a great opportunity for him. But what if the rebuild failed?
If Gao Shen were still coaching Real Madrid, Mbappé would choose them without hesitation.
But unfortunately, Gao Shen had left.
Gao Shen explained Paris Saint-Germain's issues thoroughly. He even warned that once he went to Paris, it would not be easy to leave, and he would need to be mentally prepared to stay in Ligue 1.
Had Mbappé not thought about these things?
He had, which was exactly why he hesitated.
Gao Shen presented the option he had ranked last before, staying another year.
With Leeds United's current strength, they would still be competitive next season, and Mbappé could be the top star.
At 19, if he could genuinely lead Leeds to strong results as the undisputed main man, he would have a chance at the FIFA World Player of the Year and the Ballon d'Or. If he transferred then, it would be the same as now.
But by this time next year, Real Madrid's situation would certainly be clearer.
Would they decline like Manchester United did, or rebuild successfully and step out from the shadow of their past?
Or perhaps…
"Gao, can I ask you a question?" Mbappé suddenly said.
"Go ahead," Gao Shen replied casually.
"If Real Madrid fail in their rebuild, like Manchester United now, would you consider going back?" Mbappé asked seriously.
It was obvious the answer he wanted to hear was yes.
"You know what? I actually asked Ferguson the same question. Guess what he said?" Gao Shen asked with a smile.
"What did he say?"
"He said he was very proud."
Mbappé was stunned. "What do you mean?"
"He was proud because he realized Manchester United really could not do without him."
Mbappé was amused. That old man really was something.
"Did he consider returning?"
"He said he was retired," Gao Shen answered.
"But you are not retired," the French youngster pressed.
Gao Shen smiled bitterly, thought for a moment, and sighed. "All I can tell you is that I have not thought about that question."
Mbappé did not push further. "If you were the head coach of Real Madrid, I would go to Real Madrid now. If you were the head coach of Leeds United, I would stay at Leeds United. If you coached Paris Saint-Germain, I would not have so many worries."
At the end, the 19-year-old let out a long sigh.
It was clear this decision had tormented him.
"Think it through carefully and talk to your family. You will find an answer." After a pause, Gao Shen added, "But I must remind you, you need to perform in the World Cup final. This is a crucial opportunity for you."
"I understand. I promise I will not let you down," Mbappé said confidently.
If you want to wear the crown, you must bear the weight.
To become a top star, you need strong mental fortitude.
For a player like Mbappé, confidence was a good thing.
…
When Gao Shen and Zidane left the hotel, the French national team had already begun winding down for the night.
It was the period of preparation for the final, and the schedule was strict.
In the car, Zidane asked with concern about Gao Shen's progress. It was clear he cared about the young Frenchman.
This was the most eye-catching newcomer of the World Cup, carrying the expectations of countless people.
With a stranger driving, Gao Shen did not say much, only telling Zidane that progress was not ideal.
Zidane understood.
After returning to the hotel, Gao Shen said goodbye to Zidane and went back to his room.
Xiao Gaoming was already asleep, but Su Qing was still waiting.
Gao Shen took a shower, then called Lucas.
A lot had been happening at Leeds United, so Lucas certainly would not be asleep.
As expected, the Leeds CEO was still working.
Gao Shen briefly recounted his meeting with Mbappé. The main points were that Mbappé was indeed hesitant, and Paris Saint-Germain's offer was extremely tempting.
An annual salary of 20 million euros was astonishing.
Do not think that number means nothing because it looks lower than Ronaldo's or Messi's peak wages.
Remember, Mbappé was only 19.
In the foreseeable future, he would renew multiple times. If he started at 20 million, what would it look like later?
Before Gao Shen transmigrated, Mbappé had still been at Paris and had already refused to renew. Gao Shen did not know whether he eventually left.
But it was entirely predictable that wherever he went, he would command a sky-high salary.
"We cannot offer that kind of deal at all," Lucas said, speechless.
Twenty million euros was about £350,000 per week in the Premier League.
That was outrageous.
"There is no way we can accept those terms. They are too high and would seriously damage our wage structure. I also do not think it makes sense to keep Mbappé under those conditions," Lucas said, a little agitated.
He now feared Gao Shen might waver.
It was so hard to build a sound and sustainable wage structure, and so easy to destroy it.
This was a red line Leeds United had to hold.
"Relax. We do not need to compete with Paris financially. Frankly, we cannot beat them," Gao Shen reassured him, adding that he had no such plans.
"We should prepare two plans. First, try to keep Mbappé with a max weekly wage of £150,000. At the same time, increase our commercial support and tailor a marketing plan to offset his lower salary with commercial income."
Mbappé's commercial income exceeded 5 million euros last year, making him one of the most marketable players at Leeds United.
After the World Cup in Russia, he was truly a sensation. Leeds could use the momentum to push his commercial deals further and strengthen their hand.
Paris Saint-Germain were not strong in commercial operations.
They had many stars, but most just collected wages. Commercial deals were largely passive.
There was no helping it. With a wealthy backer, that was how it went.
More importantly, Leeds United held half of Mbappé's image rights.
"I understand. I will start arranging it tomorrow," Lucas said, understanding Gao Shen's intent.
A weekly wage of £150,000 was roughly 9 million euros per year, which was low, but if his commercial income rose further from last season, say to around 8 million, the overall package would be attractive.
"If he is willing to stay, we will probably have to sell Mané," Gao Shen reminded him.
Gao Shen, Mbappé, and Pochettino all knew Mbappé's best position was left wing. Unfortunately, that role had been occupied first by Felipe Anderson, then by Mané, both earlier than Mbappé and both excellent.
So Mbappé had mostly played on the right and occasionally on the left.
But now, if Leeds truly wanted to keep him, they had to make room and let him play where he was best.
This would also allow Pochettino to set up more effectively.
On the right, there was Ousmane Dembélé and others.
"Understood. I will arrange it."
…
After hanging up, Gao Shen frowned and thought.
The most important thing was to consider the various scenarios and changes if Mbappé stayed or left.
This was a trait of Gao Shen's. He always wanted to plan ahead to avoid scrambling later.
Interestingly, both the coaching team he had created and the Leeds United he had built had inherited his character.
That was why Lucas kept saying, "I understand, I will arrange it," because he probably already had a plan.
But it had to be said, people like that often lived harder lives.
By the way, after Gao Shen's coaching team disbanded, Raúl stayed at Real Madrid as a youth coach. Zidane was happily unemployed, saying he was waiting for the right moment to return. Analyst Carlos Vargas continued at Real Madrid.
Like Gao Shen, Carlo, Buenaventura, Pintus, and Lopis turned down offers from several clubs and chose to take a break.
It was foreseeable that if Gao Shen did not return to coaching for a while, they would seek other opportunities.
Given the reputation they had built over the years with Gao Shen, they would be welcomed anywhere and had nothing to worry about.
"To be honest, sometimes I really think you bring this on yourself," Su Qing said from behind, placing her hands gently on his shoulders and massaging to relax his muscles.
"What do you mean?"
"With our wealth, why bother? You do not need to coach. You could sell Leeds United. Did the Saudi tycoon not offer a sky-high price? Sell the club and keep the stadium, training base, mall, and commercial street to collect rent."
"If you cannot let go, sell half your shares and let the Saudis inject capital, then let them run it. When they burn through their oil money, they can pry Messi away, let alone Mbappé. Wouldn't that save you a lot of trouble?"
Gao Shen was amused by his wife's words.
Believe it or not, such proposals really had been put in front of him.
Wealthy investors from the Middle East, like Saudi Arabia and Egypt, were eager to buy Premier League clubs. Leeds United was attractive due to its strong reputation and academy.
But Gao Shen had rejected them all.
"Do you know why?" Gao Shen gently stroked the back of her soft hand.
"Why?"
"Because I love football," he replied naturally.
Everything he had now had been brought by football, and he loved it from the bottom of his heart.
Otherwise, why work so hard?
Did he still need to worry about life, or the future?
But Gao Shen increasingly understood what Ferguson meant. He was addicted.
Addicted to the thrill and pressure of leading a team forward, and the sense of achievement after beating opponents and winning titles. That was the most intoxicating thing.
It was something those who had never experienced it could never imagine.
(To be continued.)