Chapter 475: Salah and Mbappé
Another target for Manchester United's forward line was AS Roma's Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah. In the 2016-2017 season, the "Little Pharaoh" played 41 games in all competitions for Roma, scoring 19 goals and providing 15 assists, helping Roma secure the runner-up position in Serie A.
However, given Salah's demonstrated strength and potential, Roma was not likely to be his long-term home. Top European clubs were eyeing him, so it was only natural for Manchester United to show interest. Because of Salah's good personal relationship with Bruno, United's CEO Giampaolo Giaretta even had Bruno call Salah to persuade the Egyptian to join Manchester United.
To Bruno and Manchester United's disappointment, Salah did not consider joining United. Salah explained to Bruno that he was not optimistic about playing under Mourinho. However, Bruno could tell this was not the whole truth, or at least not entirely. Considering Salah's future achievements in another timeline, Bruno had some insights.
Notably, media reports soon revealed that Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp personally flew to Rome to meet Salah. No one knew what they discussed, but Roma and Liverpool quickly announced Salah's transfer to Liverpool on June 23. According to Roma's official announcement, the transfer fee was only €42 million!
Yes, although this amount set a new transfer record for Liverpool, it was nothing for Manchester United. Describing it as "only" was not an exaggeration. Manchester United's first offer to Roma had been £40 million, equivalent to over €45 million!
In this context, Salah's eventual move to Liverpool indicated that the player's choice played a key role.
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Another target for Manchester United was the young French forward Kylian Mbappé from Ligue 1 club Monaco. This 18-year-old had an incredible season with Monaco and was considered one of the most promising talents in European football.
In the 2016-2017 season, Mbappé played 29 Ligue 1 matches, scoring 15 goals and providing 11 assists; he also played 3 matches in the French League Cup, scoring 3 goals; 3 matches in the French Cup, scoring 2 goals and providing 3 assists; and 9 matches in the Champions League, scoring 6 goals. His total record was 44 matches in all competitions, with 26 goals and 14 assists.
Such performance was that of a top-tier striker!
Because of his outstanding performance, Mbappé was regarded as one of the best young talents in Europe last season, alongside Manchester United's own Marcus Rashford.
In the 2016-2017 season, Rashford had secured a starting position at United, playing 30 Premier League matches, scoring 11 goals and providing 5 assists; 5 FA Cup matches, scoring 3 goals and providing 2 assists; 6 League Cup matches, scoring 2 goals and providing 2 assists; and 11 Europa League matches, scoring 4 goals and providing 5 assists. His total record was 52 matches in all competitions, with 20 goals and 14 assists.
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While Rashford's scoring efficiency wasn't as high as Mbappé's, he played a crucial role in helping Manchester United win five trophies in the season, making him an essential member of the team. However, in terms of team honors, Rashford had a clear advantage over Mbappé. While Mbappé's Monaco only won the Ligue 1 title, United secured the Premier League, Europa League, FA Cup, League Cup, and Community Shield.
In the current European Golden Boy Award odds, Mbappé and Rashford were the top favorites, with similar odds.
During negotiations with Monaco, Manchester United's first offer reached £60 million, a sum many media outlets considered very sincere, showing United's strong desire to secure Mbappé.
Considering Mbappé was only an 18-year-old with just one outstanding season under his belt, the offer seemed astronomical. In the world of football, many young talents rise quickly only to fade away just as fast.
However, only Bruno knew that while the offer seemed like a hefty sum, it was not enough compared to Mbappé's eventual transfer price.
Nobody foresaw that Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) would spend an astronomical sum that summer. First, they paid €222 million to secure Neymar from Barcelona, and then they "loaned" Mbappé from Monaco for €180 million.
Yes, Mbappé did not officially transfer to PSG that summer; instead, he joined on loan, with PSG set to buy him the following summer for €180 million, which included a €45 million loan fee and a €135 million buyout clause, bringing the total deal value to €180 million. This clever maneuver allowed PSG to avoid violating Financial Fair Play regulations, as they had already spent €222 million on Neymar and couldn't afford to sign Mbappé outright that summer.
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The transfer market continued to simmer with activity. Although several major deals had already been made, no one expected the transfer market to be so wild this summer.
Most of Manchester United's players had returned to Manchester to start their summer training.
Although it was the first training session of the new season, the usual rules still applied. After medical examinations, a few players were found to be out of shape, which angered Mourinho. But everyone was used to it by now; after a long break, there were always a few players who weren't in top condition. As long as they shed the excess weight during the training camp, it would be fine.
In addition to the usual criticism of players' discipline during holidays, Mourinho introduced United's new summer signing from Benfica, Swedish international Victor Lindelöf.
Standing at 1.87 meters and weighing nearly 80 kilograms, Lindelöf towered over Mourinho. Although primarily a center-back, Lindelöf could also play as a right-back and defensive midfielder, making him a versatile addition to the defense. This versatility was likely one of the reasons Mourinho signed him, as bringing in one player could strengthen multiple positions.
United's center-back roster was relatively well-stocked, with Van Dijk, Maguire, Smalling, Phil Jones, Rojo, and Blind. However, Mourinho considered only Van Dijk and Maguire as reliable. Smalling, although free of major injuries, was prone to making basic errors on the field. Phil Jones, a known "glass" player, spent more time injured than healthy. Rojo and Blind did not meet Mourinho's expectations and were likely to be offloaded.
Thus, Mourinho decided to bring in a dependable center-back to avoid the embarrassing situation of lacking a competent replacement if either Maguire or Van Dijk got injured.
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After Lindelöf introduced himself, vice-captain Michael Carrick took him around to meet the team, as Rooney had transferred to Everton and no new captain had been appointed yet.
"Hello, Victor, glad to have you as a teammate," Bruno said, extending his hand with a smile.
Lindelöf knew Bruno was younger but also the team's star player and the previous season's European Golden Boot winner, so he didn't dare to be careless. He stepped forward and shook Bruno's hand.
"Thank you, I believe we will work well together. I'll do my best to support you."
"Let's help each other and work hard together," Bruno replied, giving Lindelöf a friendly hug.
In Bruno's memory, although Lindelöf had earned the unflattering nickname "the leak" among United fans, he would become one of the more stable elements in United's defense in the coming years.
So far, United had signed only two new players: Lindelöf, who had already reported to the team, and Cancelo, who was still on holiday.
After introducing the new player, the coaching staff prepared to start training. Bruno sat on the grass, slowly removing the black ankle weights from his calves.
These ankle weights, weighing three kilograms each, were something Bruno used for extra training. While not heavy, they added to his workout. However, for regular team training, he always removed them.
Lindelöf, standing nearby, noticed Bruno removing the weights and felt a sense of respect. Initially mistaking them for knee supports, Lindelöf realized they were training aids for leg strength. Reflecting on how Bruno wore them during stair sprints and team drills, Lindelöf was impressed. He understood that Bruno's achievements weren't accidental but the result of relentless effort.
Realizing this humbled Lindelöf, suppressing any remaining pride he had. After all, Manchester United was a top club, and every player was a star with their own strengths and reputations.
(End of Chapter)
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