Chapter 96: Total Breakout! Final League Standings
At Loftus Road, the UEFA Cup semifinal ended with Bayswater Chinese FC crushing Roma 3–0, shutting out the Giallorossi and denying them an away goal.
Džeko bagged a brace, and the clean sheet at home marked a near-perfect result.
Back in the dressing room afterward, Yang Cheng was overjoyed as he praised his players—
Especially Džeko, whose performance he rated extremely highly.
After all, this was a core piece of his future strategy.
If they missed out on Džeko, who knows how long it would take to find another center-forward as complete as him?
In the other semifinal, Schalke 04 and Sevilla played to a goalless draw.
Unlike Bayswater's dominance, the Bundesliga and La Liga clash was evenly matched.
Following the matches, German media began comparing Manuel Neuer to Schalke's veteran keeper Frank Rost.
Shockingly, the just-turned-20 Neuer outperformed the far more experienced Rost.
German fans, especially those loyal to Schalke, were not pleased.
The media reported that Germany national team manager Jürgen Klinsmann had been watching Neuer—
which only added to Schalke fans' regret.
They never should have let him go.
And for so cheap, too!
Right now, four goalkeepers were in contention for Germany's World Cup squad:
– Oliver Kahn (Bayern Munich)
– Jens Lehmann (Arsenal)
– Robert Enke (Hannover 96)
– Timo Hildebrand (Stuttgart)
Kahn and Lehmann were still considered the clear #1 and #2.
Once the undisputed starter, Kahn's age had caught up with him.
Since Klinsmann took over, he began gradually favoring Lehmann.
Both were born in 1969—Kahn on June 15, Lehmann on November 10.
With both nearing retirement, fans were desperate to see a new generation of keepers rise.
Hildebrand had once been a strong candidate, but his move to La Liga ended in disappointment.
His form never recovered—and he was already 27.
Enke, born in 1977, had found his stride in the Bundesliga and was finally earning praise.
In that climate, the spotlight shifted to three young keepers from Germany's youth setup:
– Michael Rensing (Bayern)
– René Adler (Leverkusen)
– Manuel Neuer (Bayswater Chinese FC)
Rensing had been the early favorite—Bayern's heir to Kahn.
He debuted with the first team at 19 and had been groomed carefully over the last three years.
In February, Rensing played for Bayern in the Champions League Round of 16 first leg and performed well—conceding just once.
But Kahn let in four goals in the second leg, knocking Bayern out—
and fans began calling for Rensing to take over full-time.
Adler had yet to debut for Leverkusen's first team, playing only in the reserves—but showed promise.
Neuer?
Hardly noticed before.
After leaving Schalke for Bayswater, he quickly claimed the starting spot.
At first, playing in the Championship, few paid attention.
But this season, as Bayswater excelled in the Premier League, League Cup, and UEFA Cup, Neuer's standout performances drew more and more attention.
Of the three young German goalkeepers, he had the most experience—and the best form.
Even Hildebrand, also in the UEFA Cup, had been outshone by Neuer.
Now, public demand for Neuer's call-up to the national team was growing louder.
Fans agreed:
Germany needed to settle on Kahn and Lehmann's successor soon.
Unlike in Yang Cheng's previous life, this time, Neuer had pulled ahead of both Rensing and Adler.
...
Besides Neuer, the other media darling was Bosnian striker Edin Džeko.
British press, as always, didn't care about introspection—only what generated traffic.
After Džeko's brace sent Bayswater to the UEFA Cup final, the media exploded with stories of his "genius."
They praised his rare combination of size, technical finesse, and surprising pace—attributes seldom found in big strikers.
Crouch was known for his technique, but in the match against Roma, Džeko looked even better—faster, stronger, more mobile.
His versatility left everyone stunned.
Now, no one dared question whether Džeko truly deserved the "special talent" designation.
As The Times put it:
"If every player signed with the Special Talent Clause was this good, the Premier League's level would rise significantly."
And then there was Ribéry.
The best performer in the Premier League this season.
He had already hit double digits in both goals and assists.
He also led the league in successful dribbles.
His value was skyrocketing.
He was now considered a strong contender for Premier League Player of the Season.
But winning the award?
Unlikely.
Because his biggest competitor was Arsenal's Thierry Henry.
Arsenal might've struggled in the league, but Henry's form was undeniable—
Scoring goals and assisting with ease, harvesting them like heads of cabbage.
...
Premier League, Round 35.
Having just battled Roma at home, and with the second leg in Italy coming up, Yang Cheng rotated the lineup again.
But since it was a home game, he kept the changes limited.
Martin O'Neill's Aston Villa smelled blood—they hoped to snatch a win while Bayswater juggled competitions.
As a result, Villa started strong.
But the match turned in the 25th minute.
Matuidi intercepted in midfield and led a counter.
He continued his run, received a clever pass from Ribéry on the left, and slammed the ball home with his left foot.
1–0!
After the break, Villa hit back.
Colombian striker Juan Pablo Ángel scored in the 53rd minute to level things.
With the attack faltering, Yang Cheng made his move in the 55th minute.
Džeko replaced Andreasen, switching to a two-striker formation.
The impact was immediate.
Just two minutes later, Džeko held up the ball outside the box, turned past a defender, and delivered a beautiful pass.
Ribéry sprinted into the left side of the box and finished low into the far corner.
2–1!
Five minutes after that, Džeko again dropped deep to receive and spread it right.
Arshavin broke into the box from the right.
With no angle to shoot, he squared it across.
Lambert missed the near post—
But Ribéry was at the back, tapped it in.
3–1!
The scoreline held till full-time.
Ribéry's brace gave Bayswater another victory.
Elsewhere in Round 35:
– Liverpool thrashed Fulham 5–1 at home
– Chelsea beat Everton 3–0
– Manchester United won 2–1 at Tottenham
– Arsenal beat Manchester City 3–1 away
So in the Premier League standings, not much changed—only that Arsenal had once again caught up to Tottenham.
...
April 27, evening — Stadio Olimpico, Rome.
UEFA Cup semifinal, second leg: Bayswater Chinese FC away to Roma.
If Yang Cheng had to sum up this match in one sentence, it would be:
"A pack of wolves without a leader fighting desperately at home."
After Totti's injury, Spalletti had tried to use Brazilian midfielder Taddei as a replacement.
And to be fair, he was a well-rounded player.
But Taddei was no Totti.
He simply couldn't replicate what Totti did.
Without a true central figure to connect the attack, Roma's "wolf pack" system looked like chaotic, aimless football.
The players were trying—fighting hard, pushing forward, defending tirelessly—
But it all lacked cohesion.
With a 3–0 first-leg advantage, Yang Cheng played calmly in Rome, taking time to study Roma's tactics with Brian Kidd and, especially, set-piece coach Gianni Vio, who had a particular interest in their system.
Was Totti Roma's only issue?
"No," said Vio. "Totti's brilliance masked Roma's lack of true midfield organization. He did everything—attack, drop deep, connect the play… he was the father and the mother of that team."
As an Italian, Vio felt a pang of regret helping to defeat his own countrymen.
But he knew the problem wasn't new—Italy had long lacked creative midfielders.
Besides Pirlo, who else had emerged in recent years with elite playmaking vision?
Even Inter's midfield leader Cambiasso had been a castoff from Real Madrid.
Same with Figo and Solari.
On the surface, Serie A still looked glamorous—carrying the aura of the "Mini World Cup"—but its decline was no secret.
"If their midfield had real creativity, Totti's absence wouldn't have hurt them this much," said Kidd, echoing Vio's sentiment.
De Rossi, Dacourt, Perrotta… none of them were natural organizers.
Yang Cheng thought of Aquilani, but oddly, he hadn't appeared in either leg. Maybe injured? Or just too young?
"We still need to strengthen our own midfield," Vio advised. "Especially someone who can control the tempo. Relying only on Modrić is too demanding."
A fair point—both for the present and the future.
"You're not asking me to fight United for Carrick, are you?" Yang Cheng joked.
But judging from Vio's expression—that's exactly what he had in mind.
Academics were always too idealistic.
Sure, snatching Carrick would both weaken United and strengthen Bayswater.
In Yang Cheng's mind, the ideal setup was simple:
Switch to a 4-2-3-1 with Carrick and either Touré or Diarra as the double pivot, with Modrić in the No.10 role.
It would raise the team's midfield to the next level.
The problem?
Carrick was expensive.
Not just expensive—absurdly expensive.
His current market value? Maybe £12 million.
Spurs hadn't done much this season, and Carrick wasn't flashy.
But when United asked about him recently, Spurs quoted a price of £25 million.
Highway robbery.
Why?
Daniel Levy had his reasoning:
"If Wright-Phillips and Aaron Lennon can go for £20 million, Carrick is worth even more."
Was this guy serious?
You think this is online shopping? Comparing prices?
Word had it that after Touré and Diarra renewed with Bayswater, United turned their sights to Carrick and Hargreaves.
Both would cost a fortune.
At this point, Bayswater Chinese FC didn't have that kind of financial muscle.
They could only watch from the sidelines.
Yang Cheng believed his current midfield was already strong enough for the Champions League.
If no ideal targets came along, he wouldn't disrupt the structure.
...
In the second leg, Bayswater and Roma played to a 1–1 draw.
Both goals came from set pieces.
In Spain, at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán, Sevilla and Schalke also played a tense 0–0 draw in 90 minutes.
In extra time, Jesús Navas assisted Puerta, who scored the golden goal to knock Schalke out.
So the UEFA Cup Final was set:
Bayswater Chinese FC vs. Sevilla.
...
Premier League, Round 36 — the table began to settle.
Arsenal, playing with a man advantage, still only managed a 1–1 draw at home against Tottenham in the North London Derby.
That left the point gap unchanged—Arsenal with 61, Spurs with 62.
Liverpool beat West Ham 2–1 away with a Cissé brace, climbing to 73 points.
So neither North London club would make the top four.
With Bayswater Chinese FC already securing a top-four finish and a League Cup title, whether they finished 5th or 6th didn't matter—they were guaranteed a UEFA Cup spot if needed.
That might explain Arsenal's lack of urgency.
In Europe, Wenger's side had just eliminated Villarreal 1–0 on aggregate to reach the Champions League Final.
The opponent? Barcelona.
But with Aaron Lennon and Chimbonda ineligible for the Champions League, Yang Cheng wasn't sure whether Arsenal could pull it off.
Meanwhile, United drew 0–0 at home to Middlesbrough, and Chelsea beat Blackburn 1–0 away.
Bayswater edged Fulham 1–0 away, holding their position.
The standings after Round 36:
– Chelsea: 87 pts
– Bayswater Chinese FC: 80 pts (24W, 8D, 4L)
– Manchester United: 77 pts
At this point, the title race was nearly decided.
The only real drama left was in the relegation zone.
Birmingham, in 18th, trailed Portsmouth in 17th by just 2 points.
The final two rounds would be decisive.
As for Bayswater, Yang Cheng had shifted his full attention to the UEFA Cup Final.
One big advantage for English teams?
This season's final was set to be held just across the English Channel—in Eindhoven, Netherlands.
...
Even after sealing the title, Chelsea didn't let up.
In Premier League Round 37, they thrashed Manchester United 3–0 at Stamford Bridge.
Ferguson's midfield issues were once again exposed.
Against Chelsea's ironclad midfield, United looked helpless—utterly overwhelmed.
From the 2–0 loss to Bayswater to now this 0–3 embarrassment, United's midfield was crying out for change.
After the match, pundits warned:
If United don't fix their midfield this summer, forget about winning the league next year.
And some even said—
"Look at Arsenal. They're a cautionary tale."
Because of this, Ferguson continued to publicly urge the club to go all-in on signing Carrick and Hargreaves, pushing to upgrade United's midfield as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, Bayswater Chinese FC, thanks to a goal and assist from Ribéry, edged Portsmouth 2–1 at home.
The Pompey side, fighting for survival, played with intense urgency.
As for Yang Cheng, if this hadn't been a home match, he wouldn't even have fielded his first-choice players.
Elsewhere:
– Arsenal won 3–0 away to Sunderland.
– Liverpool beat Aston Villa 3–1 at Anfield.
– Tottenham narrowly defeated Bolton 1–0 at home.
– Birmingham drew 0–0 with Newcastle at home.
Which meant: the last relegation spot would be decided in the final round.
...
Premier League, Round 38.
Tottenham lost 1–2 away to West Ham, slipping in the battle for 5th.
The difference in prize money for one position wasn't massive—but it still stung.
Manchester United finished strong, crushing Charlton 4–0 at Old Trafford.
Yang Cheng and Wenger both took things lightly.
Arsenal had to prepare for the Champions League final, while Bayswater had the UEFA Cup final ahead.
But this was also the last-ever match at Highbury.
After this, the historic ground would be demolished, and Arsenal would move to the Emirates Stadium.
So Wenger played his full-strength squad.
Yang Cheng fielded a mix of starters and backups.
Henry scored in the 8th minute.
But Yaya Touré and Ribéry each netted to flip the score.
Right before halftime, Henry equalized.
In the second half, Yang Cheng rotated further. Bale and Walcott both came on.
In the 56th minute, Fàbregas delivered a brilliant pass that sent Henry through on goal.
He was fouled—penalty.
The Frenchman converted and completed his hat-trick.
But in the 76th minute, Walcott made a surging run on the counter and assisted Džeko, who scored to level it again.
Final score: 3–3.
...
The Premier League season officially ended.
– Chelsea topped the table with 90 points, defending their title successfully.
– Bayswater Chinese FC finished 2nd with 25 wins, 9 draws, and 4 losses, totaling 84 points.
– Manchester United followed with 80 points.
– Liverpool claimed 4th with 79.
These four would represent England in next season's Champions League.
Arsenal and Tottenham both finished with 65 points, but Arsenal edged ahead on goal difference.
Both North London clubs secured UEFA Cup football.
Because of Yang Cheng and Bayswater's rise, Arsenal's usual "Top 4 insurance policy" had collapsed.
It caught Yang Cheng's attention.
Looking at the Premier League landscape, as long as Bayswater stayed stable, Arsenal would no longer have an easy path back into the top four like they did in Yang Cheng's past life.
On one side: the massive debt from building a new stadium.
On the other: pressure for results and revenue.
Yang Cheng didn't know how they'd solve it—he could only watch.
As for relegation, Birmingham ultimately went down.
The three teams relegated this season: Sunderland, West Brom, and Birmingham.
Which, in a way, once again confirmed a familiar truth:
"Do you want money—or do you want to survive?"
West Ham chose survival—they finished 10th and secured safety early.
And as for Bayswater?
Sure, there were transfers in and out—but their activity clearly strengthened the squad.
– £2 million for Leighton Baines
– £2 million for Yaya Touré
– £3 million total for Bale and Walcott
Compared to some mid-table Premier League clubs, Bayswater's investment was quite strong.
Of course, the funding came from selling players like Huddlestone and Kitson.
In contrast, Sunderland barely made any moves.
They finished with just 15 points across 38 rounds—only 3 wins all season.
An ugly record, to say the least.
...
In the Championship, the butterfly effect of Yang Cheng and Bayswater was even more pronounced.
In Yang Cheng's past life, Dave Kitson had starred at Reading, helping them win promotion.
But now?
He was at Middlesbrough.
Steve Coppell's Reading only finished 3rd in the league.
Wigan and Sheffield United were the automatic promotion teams.
In the playoffs, Reading beat Leeds in the semis but lost the final to Watford.
So, Reading missed out on the Premier League.
Wigan, Sheffield United, and Watford went up instead.
Yang Cheng found it fascinating.
His first thought?
"Cech's head is safe!"
In his previous life, Reading's promotion led to a freak accident in October 2006—when they fractured Petr Čech's skull, derailing his peak years.
But now, Reading wouldn't even be in the Premier League.
No promotion, no Cech injury.
Unless there was some horrible twist in a cup match, he should be fine.
Even as a Chelsea rival, Yang Cheng was relieved.
Whether as a fan or as a coach, he didn't want to see that kind of tragedy again.
So yes, this outcome?
Pretty great.
...
Right after the season ended, the Premier League announced huge news.
The new domestic TV rights deal for the 2007/08 to 2009/10 seasons had concluded.
Sky Sports' monopoly had finally been broken.
This time, the Premier League divided the broadcast rights into six packages.
Sky only won four.
The remaining two were scooped up by Setanta Sports.
Together, the two broadcasters paid £1.7 billion for the three-year domestic rights—
Up from the previous £1 billion.
This season, league champions Chelsea would earn around £30 million.
Bayswater Chinese FC, despite finishing second, were only ranked fourth in payouts—about £27 million.
Why?
Because United and Liverpool had more televised matches—even more than Chelsea.
Even last-place Sunderland would get £14 million.
Starting in 2007, those figures would climb dramatically.
The league winner could make over £50 million, and even the bottom club would get at least £25 million.
For the Premier League, it was a financial revolution.
And that was just the domestic deal.
The league was still finalizing global broadcast rights and other licensing.
Total income was projected to exceed £2.5 billion.
This—this was what you call a "golden league."
After the announcement, Adam Crozier confidently told Yang Cheng two things:
Prepare for a new wave of salary inflation.Expect more foreign investment entering the league.
Why?
Because it was a money-printing machine.
What—football doesn't make money?
Clubs can't be profitable?
Then explain how the Glazer family bought Manchester United with loans and used United's own revenue to pay off the debt.
Was that profitable?
Yang Cheng had spent three years carefully building Bayswater Chinese FC.
If he sold it now—how much would it be worth?
You tell me—is that profitable?
With the Premier League shifting toward capitalized operations, the rules and playing field had fundamentally changed.
Yang Cheng knew—everything Adam Crozier predicted would eventually come true.
By the time the 07/08 season kicked off and the Premier League experienced another round of salary inflation, Bayswater Chinese FC's current top wage of £20,000 per week would be completely uncompetitive.
Honestly, it already was.
Compared to the top six clubs—where weekly salaries easily soared into the tens of thousands—Bayswater's wages were laughably modest.
But some things just had to come slowly.
Push too hard, too fast, and you risk tearing a ligament.
Yang Cheng, Xia Qing, and Adam Crozier were fully aligned: follow the plan and gradually raise wages in a controlled manner.
However, some things simply couldn't wait.
...
Two days after the Premier League's final round, Yang Cheng sat in Bayswater's modest stadium conference room, facing a media panel organized by UEFA and several major international outlets.
It was routine coverage for a European final.
They'd interview the manager and a few key players.
But Yang Cheng, intentionally or not, steered the conversation toward the long-maligned, unfinished stadium.
He brought up the days when the club was on the brink of bankruptcy—how Westminster Council supported Bayswater, how the London government and FA helped them through the dark times.
"Today, our financial health has improved dramatically. If not for the massive investment into our training facility, we'd already be operating at a profit. That aligns with what the government, the FA, UEFA, and fans expect from us."
"After discussing with our CEO Adam Crozier and our executive team, we've decided—we will no longer hold back London's urban development."
"The Olympics are coming to London in 2012. We refuse to leave this scar in the north of Hyde Park unattended."
"Which is why we plan to invest at least £1 billion over the next six years to build the most modern, most luxurious, most advanced football stadium in the world on that very site."
"It will incorporate the best architectural technology on the planet, cutting-edge innovation, and deliver an unmatched matchday experience for fans."
"We won't hold London back—we'll build a new city landmark."
The press room went silent.
Weren't we here to talk about the UEFA Cup Final?
And you just dropped a £1 billion bombshell?
...
The story exploded.
Not just in Britain—it rocked all of Europe, even reaching the rest of the footballing world.
£1 billion for a stadium?!
Did people even know what £1 billion looked like?
The media landscape detonated.
Skeptics, supporters, analysts, critics—
The debates were endless.
Everyone agreed on one thing:
This rich kid Yang Cheng must be crazy.
Why not just focus on managing your club in the Premier League?
But others were genuinely curious.
If Yang Cheng really had £1 billion to play with—what would that stadium even look like?
Arsenal's Emirates Stadium? Far cheaper.
Even the 90,000-seat Wembley had only cost £780 million.
And let's not forget—who knows how much of that money actually made it to the construction site.
The FA's inefficiency was legendary.
So when Yang Cheng said he'd spend more than Wembley, people responded in one of two ways:
You're either insane. Or you're full of it.
Your choice.
Still, many media outlets pointed out:
Yang Cheng had a history of delivering on bold promises.
And if that's the case?
Then it's not bragging. It's just called being a badass.
Of course, others raised questions.
Bayswater's revenue this season likely hadn't even hit £50 million.
And now they want to build a £1 billion stadium?
"You could lock your entire squad in a room for 20 years with no food or water, and you still wouldn't earn £1 billion!"
"Anyone who believes that kind of talk is an idiot!"
The backlash was so wild that Yang Cheng got multiple calls by lunchtime the next day.
First came Lin Zhongqiu from China.
Though far away, he had always followed Bayswater closely.
As soon as he saw the news, he called:
"Where the hell are you getting £1 billion from?!"
Clearly, he was terrified that Yang Cheng was too ambitious—too reckless.
Then, Yang Cheng's parents rang.
Yang Jianguo, laughing heartily on the phone, said:
"You've got more guts than me. That's £1 billion, son. That's 10 billion yuan! My God!"
Yang Cheng knew—no one believed him.
And that was fine.
The fact that even his parents had seen the news meant the story had gone global.
By now, people in every corner of the world were talking about it.
"Well, then," Yang Cheng joked, "if I'm going to raise £1 billion, the Yang Group's sponsorship payments had better not only continue, but increase."
His father retorted, laughing, "Aren't we all the same family? What's with the hard bargaining?"
"Business is business, Dad. What if you and Mom have another kid? What if the inheritance doesn't come to me?"
On the other end, Li Hongying—his mother—burst out laughing.
"Another kid? At our age? Seriously?"
Then Yang Cheng got serious.
"Oh, and Dad? Consider this an official notice. The Yang Group's front-of-shirt deal?
We're not renewing it."
"You found a new sponsor?"
"Of course. Deal's already done."
"Who?"
"Prudential UK."
"Damn, that's a serious company."
"They're offering more too."
"How much?"
"£8 million."
"Okay, that's not… wait, what? That's like two or three times what we gave you!"
"Yeah, well—they're actually paying, Dad."
"Yang Cheng, if you keep rubbing it in like that…"
Yang Jianguo just couldn't stay mad.
Even though his son roasted him a few times, he was beaming with pride.
To see his son achieve so much—it made him happier than making a few hundred million himself.
This was better than money.
"Signing Puma, now Prudential… sure, your income's way up. But still—where's this £1 billion coming from?" Yang Jianguo finally asked, doing some mental math.
Three years had changed his son.
"Chelsea's Russian owner has been sniffing around," Yang Cheng explained.
"He's trying to pressure us through the Westminster Council to sell our land."
"So Adam and I thought—why not stop playing defense and go on the attack?"
"But what about the money?"
"No rush. Building a stadium like this isn't fast. And the mess you left me…"
"Cough cough!" Yang Jianguo choked.
"Easy, son. No need to go for the throat."
"I have to tear down that rotting shell and build something worthy. We're playing at Loftus Road right now—18,000 seats. That's nowhere near enough."
"Now we're building a 10,000-seater?"
Yang Jianguo agreed with his son.
Even though he wasn't young anymore, he still had the boldness of an entrepreneur.
"You know building a stadium in the UK isn't easy," he warned.
"Especially when it involves demolition. That's going to require jumping through a lot of hoops."
Yang Jianguo had been through the process himself, so he knew just how long and painful it was.
First, you needed an initial concept plan, then you had to gather public feedback from local residents, and get approval from the Westminster Development Control Committee.
And that's just the start.
Once you get that approval, you can begin detailed planning and design, and submit the construction proposal.
Then comes a full plan submission to the Westminster Council, including a public announcement.
After council approval, the plan gets formalized into a petition, which is then submitted to the Mayor's Office and the Home Office for review.
Only once both the Mayor and the Home Secretary approve can Westminster Council sign the legislation.
Only then can construction legally begin.
For example, Arsenal's Emirates Stadium was announced in late 1999.
They gathered public input in early 2000 and received approval from the Islington Development Control Committee.
They submitted the full plan at the end of 2000, and didn't receive final approval and clearance to escalate to higher authorities until December 2001.
With the Mayor and Home Office approvals following, Islington Council signed the legislation by mid-2002.
All in all, it took two and a half years just to get to groundbreaking.
Then came construction. Arsenal worked at full pace and didn't officially open until the 2006/07 season—four years of building.
Tottenham? Even worse.
Their new stadium was an epic struggle.
To gain public funding, they tied their construction into the Northumberland Development Project, aligning it with the city's urban renewal program.
Originally, this was supposed to speed things up.
But they ran into land acquisition issues.
From 2009 to 2015, they fought tooth and nail—only beginning actual construction after six years of red tape.
Then it took another four years to finish.
This is why Yang Cheng was determined to start as soon as possible.
Normally, trying to build a new stadium in central London, let alone in Hyde Park or Notting Hill, would be nearly impossible.
But now? London was gearing up for the Olympics.
And Bayswater sat right in the heart of the city, with its iconic Queensway and the famous Queensway Underground Station just 250 meters from the proposed stadium site.
To the north stood Bayswater Road, to the west was Queensway—a prime commercial artery of Central London.
Bayswater's charm, once called "vintage," was now simply outdated.
For years, the city had wanted to rebuild the area, and Queensway was at the center of that plan.
Bayswater's current stadium sat right on the western edge of Queensway, occupying a rectangular block nearly 500 meters wide and 350 meters deep—absolutely central to the redevelopment blueprint.
If you wanted to rebuild Bayswater, that land had to be involved.
In Yang Cheng's past life, after the London Olympics, the city finally committed to redeveloping Bayswater.
The Queensway Revitalization Project alone received £3 billion in investment.
So what Yang Cheng wanted was to ride the Olympic wave and push the entire redevelopment forward early.
After all, Bayswater Chinese FC were ready to invest £1 billion.
Wouldn't that take some pressure off the government?
More importantly, the land where the stadium sat had no private or corporate ownership conflicts.
It was a clean, square lot—surrounded by public roads.
No worries about the kind of legal battles Tottenham had.
Yang Cheng wanted to seize the moment and leverage every asset he had in negotiations with the city.
"I'm putting down a billion—how about loosening the rules a bit on planning permissions?"
Like what?
"Well, we'd like to build some hotels and shopping malls around the stadium."
Wait—what?
"That land is zoned only for stadium or training use. No malls or hotels!"
"No no, you're misunderstanding. We're building club offices, a trophy museum, a fan shop, ticket counters..."
"Standard stadium infrastructure, right?"
No high-rises in the city center?
Of course not—five stories max.
Fully consistent with the area's aesthetic.
And anyway, with the amount of land we have, even five stories is plenty for luxury hotels, malls, and entertainment spaces.
The Bayswater area was already overflowing with hotels.
As Adam Crozier pointed out, if the stadium gets approved, top global hotel chains will come running.
And you think high-end department stores won't want in?
It's all money.
Crozier still had government connections and knew people.
He also knew that normally, Bayswater's plan would hit plenty of walls.
But with the Olympics on the horizon?
Perfect timing.
Yang Cheng deliberately dropped the £1 billion bombshell during the UEFA interview to generate maximum media buzz.
With the public attention high, the aim was to leverage the hype into political pressure and get the government on board.
Yang Jianguo, being in real estate, saw right through the playbook.
After Yang Cheng explained his strategy, he supported it immediately.
He even offered to invest himself—which terrified Yang Cheng.
His dad's money didn't come free.
If he took it, and Dad started offering "suggestions" later, then what?
So Yang Cheng decided to go it alone.
He didn't need Dad's money.
...
As Yang Cheng predicted, the strategy worked.
Once the story went viral, Westminster Council got wind of it immediately.
So did the Mayor of London's office.
The day before the UEFA Cup Final, as Yang Cheng prepared to fly to the Netherlands, Adam Crozier got a call:
Ken Livingstone, Mayor of Greater London, would fly to Eindhoven to cheer on Bayswater Chinese FC.
When Crozier shared the news with Yang Cheng, the two exchanged a knowing glance—then smiled.
Hook, line, and sinker.
We're talking £1 billion here.
In China, that's 10 billion yuan.
Forget watching one football match—the Mayor would watch ten for that kind of money.
And in Europe?
Mayors attending football matches was totally normal.
Oh? Arsenal also invited Livingstone to their Champions League final?
The Mayor's office said they didn't have time?
Totally reasonable.
After all, the Mayor is busy.
He can't attend every event.
Maybe, just maybe...
He happened to have time on UEFA Cup Final day.
"Use this chance to talk," Yang Cheng told Crozier.
He also asked Xia Qing to join.
Not because he didn't trust Crozier—but because he trusted Xia even more.
"What if the Mayor asks about our funding?" Crozier asked.
He needed to be ready. Politicians weren't easily fooled.
"You need to make it believable," Yang Cheng replied.
"Our Yang Group is doing well in China. The real estate business is booming. Our fashion division ranks top three domestically, and we've partnered with Umbro."
"Got it," Crozier nodded.
It was all about waving the big banner.
The club would start small with internal funding.
When it came time for real construction?
Bank loans. Naturally.
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