While Ivanka was still fretting over rumors, far away in London, Anna was representing Gilbert, preparing to engage with the management of Arsenal.
Before meeting the Arsenal board, Anna first approached Professor Arsène Wenger to secure his support.
In a quaint London café, Anna and Professor Wenger met first.
After some polite small talk, Anna got straight to the point. "Professor, Mr. Landrini has a strong interest in Arsenal. He wishes to acquire the club and hopes to earn your support."
Wenger sighed, admitting his limitations. "Madam, as you know, I am merely the head coach. I have no sway over the board's decisions."
"Yes, of course, we understand," Anna said. "But your influence at Arsenal is immense. With your support, I believe the board would encounter far fewer obstacles."
Wenger suspected that the American's intentions were purely financial. Anna seemed to anticipate his thoughts and smiled.
"Professor, I understand Arsenal is building a new stadium and finances are tight. Mr. Landrini has promised that once he takes charge, he will not only ensure the stadium's completion but also be generous in the transfer market."
Her words made Wenger pause. The promise was tempting.
Gilbert was not only a famous Hollywood director, but also one of the wealthiest people in the world. Supporting a club like Arsenal was well within his means.
Yet Wenger still had questions. "Why does Mr. Landrini want to acquire Arsenal? There are many clubs in the Premier League."
Anna explained, "Indeed, there are many clubs, but very few have both heritage and stature. Besides Manchester United, only a handful, like Arsenal, fit the criteria.
"Additionally, I won't hide it: Mr. Landrini believes football and film can be connected—to build a cultural and tourism industry for long-term growth."
She continued, "I've already reached out to some minor shareholders; negotiations are nearly complete. With your backing, we can approach the board immediately and advance the acquisition."
Professor Wenger considered carefully. "Allow me some time to think."
Anna understood; such deals were never settled overnight. One needed patience, like a hunter lying in wait.
Having helped Gilbert secure multiple acquisitions, Anna had ample patience.
After speaking with Wenger, Anna called Gilbert and summarized the conversation in an email to Ivanka, adding her own insights.
Back in Los Angeles, Gilbert read Anna's email carefully. He was pleased with the progress.
"Acquisitions are never instantaneous," he explained to Ivanka. "Anna had already contacted several Arsenal shareholders last year."
Gilbert elaborated on the deal: "Football is the world's most popular sport. Its influence is unparalleled—from Europe to South America, even Asia—millions of fans follow it.
"Acquiring Arsenal will also serve our film brand strategy. It's a win-win."
Ivanka voiced a small concern. "If fans support Arsenal, surely others support rival clubs. How do you get those fans to watch your films?"
"That's not an issue," Gilbert replied calmly. "Films and football are distinct, but linked through me.
"A family can watch a match one week and a film the next. There's no conflict.
"More importantly, this opens markets in many developing countries."
Gilbert's films had always performed well in South America. Several soccer stars had even declared in interviews that they were fans of his films.
Arsenal was not only a top Premier League club; it had a considerable following in South America. While it didn't rival La Liga favorites, it was far from unknown.
At home, Gilbert told Cameron Diaz, "Once the new stadium is completed, we should be the first to brand it. How about calling it 'Melon Stadium'?"
Cameron Diaz rolled her eyes. "Your naming skills are… uninspired."
Despite her critique, Gilbert was pleased with the choice. After some research—and because sports like baseball, football, and hockey were foreign to him—he decided to acquire both a football and a basketball club first.
This wasn't just for film brand promotion. Aside from the forbidden energy and defense sectors, his empire needed diverse investments.
Moreover, with children on the way, he couldn't remain immortal; he needed industries and ventures for them to inherit. Perhaps some would even enjoy becoming club owners.
Choosing Arsenal was a calculated decision. Some doubted the club could be acquired, but where there's a will, there's a way.
Before Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea, Fleet Street media had claimed he could never take over Stamford Bridge. Yet the deal was completed, and Abramovich promised £200 million in transfer funds to the new coach.
The audacity left football fans in awe.
Acquiring Arsenal was now a perfect milestone. Since the 2003/2004 Premier League season, Arsenal had consistently triumphed, a club on the rise.
By July, Arsenal had begun constructing a modern stadium with a 60,000-seat capacity. Everything seemed prosperous, the club thriving.
Yet the internal struggles were hidden. Stadium construction required immense funding, and Wenger spent heavily each transfer season.
Though Arsenal had enjoyed glory in recent years, its finances had begun to deteriorate. Soon, the board would have to tell Wenger to tighten the belt.
A lack of money was an open secret and Gilbert had plenty.
Before hearing from Wenger, Anna decided to probe the reactions of Arsenal executives via Fleet Street journalists.
During the heated Premier League season, British media suddenly reported that the famous Hollywood director Gilbert intended to acquire Arsenal.
The news ignited a storm across the UK.
Football's influence in Britain far surpassed that in the United States. One could say that going to watch football was almost a compulsory part of British life.
Every Brit had a team they supported, passionately and unwaveringly.
As a traditional powerhouse of the Premier League, Arsenal naturally commanded countless fans. Once the news broke, regardless of the club's official reaction, the fans were already in an uproar.
Fans had always opposed foreign investment in their beloved clubs, believing these businessmen were only after profit and didn't truly care for football.
The reaction to Gilbert was no different. Arsenal fans were furious.
Even before the club's executives responded, enraged supporters had already surrounded the club's offices, staging protests.
The Arsenal board was baffled. Apart from a few shareholders who had prior contact with Gilbert's team, most had no idea why such baseless news was circulating.
In response, the club's press officer quickly held a news conference, officially denying the acquisition rumors.
The team even lost a match, seemingly affected by the swirling gossip.
Yet in the world of football, most rumors eventually turn out to have some truth behind them. This case was no different. After the press conference, Anna arrived in person.
The club naturally rejected her request, yet they were still taken aback by Gilbert's generosity.
Gilbert had promised that if he acquired the club, he would not only expand the stadium but build a massive, modern venue capable of holding 100,000 spectators.
He also pledged that every transfer window, he would provide at least £200 million in transfer funds.
Previously, Abramovich had stunned Chelsea by spending £200 million, while Arsenal had mocked Chelsea's management for lacking resolve.
"Two hundred million pounds? That's nothing to me," Gilbert had implied.
But when this promise was directed at their own club, along with increased investment in the stadium, the board found themselves tempted.
Of course, this acquisition war would be a long and drawn-out struggle—likely taking more than a year—but Gilbert made it clear he had patience.
He even personally called Wenger, promising to help build the most luxurious, strongest team possible.
"Real Madrid spends on superstar policies, right? Money isn't an issue for me. Professor, tell me who you want, and we'll buy them directly."
Naturally, this depended on Gilbert first becoming Arsenal's owner.
Wenger was both irritated and enticed by Gilbert's audacity, muttering insults about the American tycoon while secretly excited.
With sufficient transfer funds, the Champions League would no longer be a dream.
There was no denying it: Abramovich's approach—spending big—was effective, and Gilbert's wealth allowed him to treat Arsenal almost like a personal toy.
With money no longer a problem, Anna's actions proved extremely effective.
The football acquisition was a long tug-of-war, but the basketball side moved smoothly. Almost immediately upon contact, the other party agreed.
Gilbert wasn't acquiring the Cavaliers. Although the team had drafted LeBron James that year, its only true asset was James himself.
Gilbert knew a bit about James—friends in his previous life had told him that James was like an NBA version of Lü Bu.
If one didn't know James, one could at least know Lü Bu: the mercenary of the three surnames.
So losing LeBron would mean the Cavaliers lost their value.
In the NBA, the most valuable acquisitions were undoubtedly the purple-and-gold Lakers and the green Celtics.
Though Gilbert was from Los Angeles, the Lakers were the Buss family's prized asset and would never be sold to him.
The Celtics were equally untouchable; a storied franchise, even if currently underperforming, was not something Gilbert could simply buy.
In the end, Gilbert set his sights on the Seattle SuperSonics. After calls with NBA commissioner David Stern and the team's largest shareholder, he swiftly secured the team.
The SuperSonics' staff hadn't expected such a quick change in ownership.
Yet this new owner seemed uninterested in day-to-day management. Beyond announcing that the team would be renamed the Thunder starting next season, he made no other moves.
Thus, the SuperSonics continued operating as before, with Ray Allen still the team's centerpiece, though performance remained lackluster.
Gilbert believed it was not yet time to intervene in management.
Some things couldn't be rushed. Move too quickly, and the fish would rot.
....
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