Chapter 202 – Record-Breaking Transfer! Bayern's Limit! Yang Cheng, Where Does Your Confidence Come From?
Before the 2010 South Africa World Cup kicked off, the three major European bookmakers all released their odds for the tournament winner.
Interestingly, England ranked second—right behind Spain—with odds of 6.0.
Spain's odds were 5.0.
Yang Cheng found this absurd.
Poor England… favorites every year, and every year they came up short. And they still didn't get the message?
Spain, on the other hand…
Yang Cheng genuinely didn't dare place a bet.
The reason? Simple. Journalists were everywhere. If it ever came to light, his entire coaching career would be ruined.
Even involving family members was out of the question.
As for using random third parties? That would be handing over a loaded gun to someone else.
In his previous life, a friend of Yang Cheng's once tried to squeeze more compensation during a housing demolition by having his uncle-in-law handle it. He had over 200,000 to 300,000 yuan deposited into his uncle-in-law's account.
When it was all over and he went to ask for the money back, what happened?
His uncle and aunt cried in front of the entire family, saying, "We're getting old and can't make money anymore. We were counting on that money to survive. How can you take it away from us? Are you trying to kill us?"
So yeah—nowadays, if they're not blood relatives, you can't trust anyone.
When it came to betting, placing a small wager meant nothing for Yang Cheng.
A big wager, however, and if the media found out? He'd be socially dead.
The way the World Cup unfolded was roughly the same as in Yang Cheng's previous life.
France still crashed out in the group stage.
Uruguay's attacking trident was dazzling once again.
Rumors were already circulating that Liverpool might sign Ajax striker Luis Suárez after the World Cup.
And the transfer fee wouldn't be cheap.
A Torres–Suárez strike partnership would be downright terrifying.
Argentina's problems still stemmed from Maradona.
Italy couldn't escape the curse of defending champions and went out bottom of their group with two draws and a loss.
Spain, on the surface, looked pretty quiet during the group stage.
They even suffered a shocking upset at the hands of Ottmar Hitzfeld's Switzerland.
But the most frustrating thing was how Vicente del Bosque's Spain kept winning… by exactly one goal.
Especially in the knockout rounds.
Whether it was Portugal, Paraguay, or Germany in the semis, Spain won each match by a single goal.
It was ridiculous.
And what's more, most of Spain's goals came in the second half—after the 60-minute mark.
It was clearly part of Del Bosque's match strategy.
Rely on Spain's refined possession game to control the pace and slowly wear down the opposition.
And there wasn't much other teams could do against it.
Even in the final, the Netherlands had no answer.
They racked up nine yellow cards trying to stop Spain—but it wasn't enough.
In extra time, Iniesta scored the decisive goal.
It was inevitable.
If you couldn't disrupt Spain's passing and movement, eventually they'd sap your energy and strike.
Del Bosque's Spain was very different from Guardiola's Barça.
Guardiola's teams were extremely active—his players covered huge distances, and their fitness was exceptional.
It had been statistically proven that the two most hard-running teams in Europe were Yang Cheng's Bayswater Chinese and Guardiola's Barcelona.
The World Cup was a knockout-format tournament, totally different from a club season.
So Del Bosque intentionally slowed the tempo, which helped conserve his players' stamina.
Teams like Bielsa's Chile, which played at a frantic pace, simply couldn't sustain it.
They looked decent in the group stage but were promptly dismantled by Dunga's Brazil in the knockout round.
Ignore stamina management in football, and you're just fooling yourself.
The players from the Bayswater Chinese performed decently at the World Cup, but having just come off a grueling season, they were running on fumes and couldn't hit peak form.
This was the awkward reality of the World Cup and the Euros.
Yang Cheng's main focus was on one player in particular: Bayern Munich's Toni Kroos.
Kroos made four appearances during the tournament, playing 9, 14, 28, and 9 minutes, respectively.
Thomas Müller, on the other hand, played every game except for the semifinal against Spain, which he missed due to suspension.
Five goals and three assists—Müller's performance was electrifying.
He won the Golden Boot and Best Young Player awards.
The Golden Ball went to Diego Forlán, and the Golden Glove to Iker Casillas.
Still, Manuel Neuer continued to impress, building on his excellent club form.
After this World Cup, Neuer firmly cemented himself as Germany's number-one goalkeeper.
As for the tournament's Best XI—there wasn't much room for the Bayswater Chinese.
Coach: Vicente del Bosque.
Goalkeeper: Iker Casillas.
Defenders: Lahm, Ramos, Puyol, and Van Bronckhorst.
Midfielders: Schweinsteiger, Xavi, Iniesta, Sneijder, Thomas Müller.
Forwards: David Villa and Diego Forlán.
All in all, the 2010 World Cup had little direct relevance to the Bayswater Chinese.
The only notable mentions were Marcelo and Thiago Silva, who secured starting roles for Brazil, and Di María, who also broke into Argentina's starting eleven.
Due to the "Gerrard–Lampard dilemma," Capello's England underperformed, and Walcott didn't make much of an impact either.
As for Modrić, Lewandowski, and Gareth Bale—they didn't even participate in the tournament.
According to Yang Cheng, that was a good thing.
At least they could now fully focus on the new season ahead.
…
As the World Cup drew to a close, the European transfer market started heating up.
This summer, the Bayswater Chinese found themselves in a different situation than in previous years.
The biggest difference? There were plenty of clubs drooling over their players—but few were making actual offers.
During the winter window, Yang Cheng had made a statement by ruthlessly offloading Andy Carroll. It had served as a strong warning to any club thinking of poaching.
Carroll's subsequent struggles at Chelsea only reinforced that message.
Players were now more cautious.
Still, the Premier League's transfer war hadn't slowed down.
For example, not long ago, Manchester United CEO David Gill publicly stated that the club was giving Ferguson the green light to pursue any summer targets.
He even boasted, "We have the financial muscle to back our manager in the transfer market!"
Now that's confidence—money talks!
Even before the transfer window officially opened, Ferguson had already secured signings.
He brought in Chris Smalling from Fulham and Javier Hernández from Chivas Guadalajara.
Though United didn't disclose the fees, the general estimate was that both transfers cost around £13 million combined.
For a club as wealthy as United, that was pocket change.
The real big moves on the market were coming from the Middle Eastern oil barons.
After the Saudi consortium officially took over Liverpool, the Reds adopted a "retain first, expand later" strategy.
First, they secured new contracts with key players like Mascherano, Gerrard, and Torres.
That immediately shut the door on Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Chelsea—who had all been eyeing Liverpool's stars.
But with deep pockets now, Liverpool simply refused to give them a chance.
Right after the World Cup, Liverpool announced the £30 million signing of Uruguayan striker Luis Suárez from Ajax.
Amid a global economic downturn—especially with the European debt crisis worsening—£30 million was a massive fee.
Yang Cheng had always believed that Liverpool's struggles in recent years were largely due to one thing: they only had one reliable goal scorer.
Benítez has been sacked.
But Yang Cheng felt that while it was unfair, it wasn't entirely undeserved either.
Liverpool never gave him a proper striker, which left his tactics crippled in many games.
Take Torres, for instance—whenever he got injured, Liverpool's attack collapsed.
Yet the real problem was that Dirk Kuyt, who scored freely for the Netherlands, was turned into a mere workhorse on the wing under Benítez.
Now that the Benítez era was over, who would take over at Liverpool remained a mystery.
Rumor had it the Saudi consortium had set the bar high for the new Liverpool manager: only a world-class head coach would do.
Names like former Inter Milan coach Mancini and former Real Madrid coach Pellegrini were among the candidates.
As for Pellegrini, his departure was tied to Mourinho taking over at Real Madrid.
Spanish media previously reported that Florentino Pérez's favorite manager was actually Wenger of Arsenal.
But at present, Wenger was full of ambition at Arsenal, ready to lead a grand revival. Why would he abandon ship for Madrid?
To Yang Cheng, Liverpool signing Luis Suárez was a masterstroke.
The Uruguayan striker had been on the radar of many top European clubs.
Liverpool had missed out on the Champions League, but thanks to their deep pockets and swift action, they still pulled it off.
Had they waited any longer, they might have lost him altogether.
Now, with Suárez joining, Liverpool had two reliable strikers.
But the problem was the midfield.
If they stuck with a 4-4-2, Gerrard and Mascherano could hold the center, but the flanks lacked bite.
Besides, 4-4-2 was increasingly outdated.
On the striker market, other stars being watched closely by top clubs included David Villa from Valencia, Agüero from Atlético Madrid, Pato from AC Milan, and Balotelli from Inter.
But these players had different circumstances.
David Villa had already made it clear—he wasn't leaving Spain.
So that basically narrowed it down to either Real Madrid or Barcelona.
Based on Yang Cheng's knowledge from his past life and current intel, Villa was all but confirmed to be heading to Barça.
The reason? Simple. Valencia had no intention of selling him to Real Madrid.
It was the same situation with Spain midfielder David Silva.
The transfer market was as turbulent as ever, but Yang Cheng stayed out of the fray.
These days, he rarely got involved in direct negotiations.
Still, every move the Bayswater Chinese made and every tremor in the transfer market—he knew it all.
…
Munich, Germany – Säbener Straße, Bayern Munich headquarters.
Whenever the bigwigs of Bayern Munich's supervisory board gathered at the HQ, it meant something important was going down.
Four years ago, this same group met here to make the decision to poach Franck Ribéry from the Bayswater Chinese—snatching him right out from under Real Madrid's nose.
And everyone had seen how successful Ribéry had been at Bayern since then.
Now, the same heavyweights had gathered once again, in the very same conference room.
This time, the topic of discussion was signing a new goalkeeper.
"Among all the new-generation goalkeepers in German football, the one we've always rated the highest is Manuel Neuer," Uli Hoeneß stated firmly.
"He has physical strength, exceptional reflexes—traits that make him more reliable and less prone to injury."
"Plus, his footwork is outstanding, which fits perfectly with current European tactical trends."
"And most importantly, his status in the national team is already far ahead of his peers."
By "others," he was clearly referring to keepers like René Adler of Bayer Leverkusen.
"Everyone here should remember, we've always had a tradition: the German national team's goalkeeper plays for Bayern Munich!"
Hoeneß considered that his strongest point.
It wasn't just club pride—it was Bayern's legacy.
A tradition that stretched back decades.
The line of goalkeepers at Bayern had always been closely linked to Germany's national team legacy.
Retired national keepers became goalkeeper coaches, mentoring the next generation—that was Bayern's heritage.
Previously, both Bayern and the German federation had high hopes for Michael Rensing.
But he'd proven a disappointment.
And now, no other young keeper could realistically catch up to Neuer.
The problem? Neuer was born in 1986—only 24 years old.
For a goalkeeper, that meant at least another ten years at the top.
"So, getting Neuer from the Bayswater Chinese—how hard is it going to be?" asked Kaiser Franz Beckenbauer.
Everyone in the room was a major figure—patriotic, nationalistic, and fiercely loyal to German football.
They all believed the best German players should be playing for Bayern.
Especially the goalkeeper.
That's why, back when Ballack left on a free to Chelsea, they considered it a betrayal—and ripped him to shreds in the media.
"It'll be very difficult," said Rummenigge, taking over.
"For reference, Juventus's Buffon has drawn interest from clubs like United and City. His market valuation is £28 million."
Clearly, he and Hoeneß had already reached an understanding.
"I've spoken with Adam Crozier a few times recently—just a few days ago, we had a phone call."
He paused to explain, "We're taking part in the International Champions Cup this summer, and the group stage draw is coming up. I used that as an excuse to chat and brought up transfers."
Everyone in the room turned to Rummenigge with eager looks.
"Yang Cheng has no plans to pursue any transfers this summer. He believes that if it weren't for their overloaded fixture list last season, the Bayswater Chinese would've won the treble."
The whole room sucked in a cold breath.
Damn it, Yang Cheng—where do you get your confidence?
It's like you're treating the Premier League like the Bundesliga!
Across Europe's top five leagues, only Bayern had the guts to say something like that.
But truth be told, the Bayswater Chinese had put up an incredible season.
Double champions and two semi-final finishes—that was an elite record.
Hoeneß chimed in, "I also spoke to Neuer's agent, Thomas Kroth. He said the player is very happy to return home and join Bayern—but he won't participate in the negotiations."
Everyone exchanged glances. Clearly, they were a bit disappointed.
For a blockbuster transfer like Neuer's, having the player involved would've made everything easier.
Beckenbauer scanned the room and sighed. "Remember Andy Carroll's transfer to Chelsea six months ago? That was all Yang Cheng's doing!"
Everyone nodded.
Since then, many details from that transfer had been leaked.
Everything—from how Yang Cheng negotiated with Carroll's agent, Mark Curtis, to the behind-the-scenes drama—had been dug up by the press.
After all that, which player at the Bayswater Chinese would still dare step out of line?
Yang Cheng's authority at the club had already far surpassed what Ferguson had at Manchester United.
"So there's no room to negotiate?" asked Adidas CEO Herbert Hainer.
As Puma's rival, Adidas was also competing for a partnership with the Bayswater Chinese.
In fact, they'd already worked together on individual player sponsorships several times.
Still, Hainer genuinely hoped Neuer would come back to Germany—to Bayern.
Blood runs thicker than water.
"I don't think it's impossible," said Hoeneß. "But we'll have to offer a transfer fee they can't refuse."
Then he dropped a bombshell about the Bayswater Chinese.
"I heard their new stadium's construction budget has already exceeded £1 billion—possibly even £1.2 billion."
Everyone in the room gasped again.
Absolutely insane!
A £1.2 billion stadium?
The Budget Overrun Was Caused by Two Main Factors: the Pound's Depreciation and the Bayswater Chinese's Investment in High-Tech Stadium Features
"Right now, the Bayswater Chinese not only have to repay massive bank loans every year, but they're also investing at least £100 million annually into the new stadium's construction. That's a heavy burden for them to bear."
Everyone in the room frowned.
If it were Bayern Munich in their shoes, there's no way they could sustain that kind of spending.
"But I heard that last season, the Bayswater Chinese had total revenue exceeding €430 million. They were first in the Premier League and second in world football, just behind Real Madrid."
As soon as Beckenbauer said that, everyone gasped.
€430 million?
That was insane.
In the 2008/09 season, Bayern's total revenue was €289 million. This season, it was expected to surpass €300 million.
Which meant Bayern had been thoroughly left behind by the Bayswater Chinese.
Just a few years ago, that club couldn't even compare to Bayern!
"Last season, their revenue growth was 30%," Hoeneß revealed.
Everyone at the table had experience running massive organizations, but even so, they were stunned.
Only those who've actually run a billion-euro enterprise know how hard it is to achieve 30% growth—especially in the mature market of European professional football.
"Adam Crozier truly is a business genius," Beckenbauer praised.
Back when Crozier worked at the FA, his results were known all across Europe.
Now he was performing miracles at the Bayswater Chinese.
"And credit to Yang Cheng for recognizing his talent—and don't forget, it was Yang Cheng who made the final call to lease Wembley," added Rummenigge, Bayern's chairman.
Everyone nodded in agreement.
That move had been a masterstroke.
Back when the FA was strapped for cash, Yang Cheng swooped in and leased Wembley Stadium until 2012—offering to pay just £5 million a year.
Today, that same stadium generated £150 million annually in matchday revenue for the Bayswater Chinese.
Adam Crozier was a genius businessman, no doubt. But without Yang Cheng's bold decision, the club might still be stuck playing at tiny Loftus Road.
"He's got youth on his side," Adidas CEO Herbert Hainer said with a sigh.
At first, it sounded like a compliment toward Yang Cheng's energy and boldness.
But after thinking about it, it clearly held deeper meaning.
If Buffon's market value was £28 million—and even that might not be enough to buy him—then what about Neuer?
Younger, German, and just entering his prime—how much would he cost?
"Do we have the funds to make this transfer happen?" Beckenbauer asked Karl Hopfner, Bayern's financial officer.
Hopfner had already been briefed by Rummenigge and Hoeneß—he was ready.
"With our current resources, if we keep the summer transfer budget under €50 million, we can afford it."
That was around £40 million.
Neuer's current estimated market value in Germany was £30 million.
But everyone knew getting him for just £30 million was wishful thinking.
"In that case, I'll go to London myself and talk to Adam Crozier," Hoeneß proposed.
Everyone nodded—they agreed it was the right move.
Rummenigge also nodded, but added, "Take Christian with you."
Hoeneß gave a small nod.
Christian Nerlinger—Bayern's sporting director.
…
Just as the football world was still digesting the buzz from Luis Suárez's £30 million move from Ajax to Liverpool, news broke from Spain.
Valencia striker David Villa had transferred to Barcelona for €40 million.
That fee surpassed Suárez's and made Villa the new record signing of the summer transfer window.
Real Madrid, who had been on a spending spree the year before, lost out to Barça on this one.
At the same time, Manchester City officially announced they had signed Spanish midfielder David Silva from Valencia for £25 million.
Another dagger in Real Madrid's back.
Madrid didn't get either of Valencia's two brightest stars—Villa or Silva.
But after Mourinho took over at the Bernabéu, Real quickly adjusted.
Under the recommendation of super-agent Jorge Mendes, they signed Portuguese center-back Bruno Alves from Porto for €30 million.
Alves had performed well at the World Cup.
According to Marca, Real Madrid had initially targeted Pepe or Thiago Silva from the Bayswater Chinese, but the club refused to negotiate.
So Madrid had to shift their focus and settle for Alves.
In addition, at Mourinho's strong request, Real also signed Benfica's left-back Fábio Coentrão for €30 million—another player who impressed at the World Cup.
Those two deals alone cost Madrid €60 million.
But the Galácticos weren't done.
They spent €6 million on Canales, €10 million on Pedro León, €14 million on German international Sami Khedira, and €15 million on Mesut Özil from Werder Bremen.
Real's summer activity couldn't be described as anything short of massive.
In the Premier League, after signing David Silva, Manchester City followed up with a £10 million deal to bring in Jerome Boateng from Hamburg—a major step to reinforce their defense.
Ancelotti was also keen on bringing Juventus midfielder Giorgio Chiellini to England.
Meanwhile, Benfica's Brazilian center-back David Luiz had become one of the most coveted defenders in the market.
In today's transfer market, where top defenders were scarce, players like Chiellini and David Luiz were in red-hot demand.
Their transfer fees were expected to exceed £25 million.
And even then, money alone might not seal the deal.
Clubs had to persuade both the player and the selling team—while also fighting off fierce competition.
How many elite clubs were eyeing David Luiz?
Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Liverpool, Arsenal…
Nearly every club looking to strengthen their defense had him on their radar.
Simply put—there weren't many options out there.
As European media continued to hype the shortage of center-backs, Liverpool suddenly made a bombshell announcement.
Italian manager Roberto Mancini had officially taken charge at Anfield!
Another earthquake-level headline!
And Mancini's first signing for Liverpool?
Left-back Aleksandar Kolarov from Lazio—for a whopping £23 million.
When Yang Cheng heard the news, he was momentarily stunned.
Mancini managing Liverpool?
That was unexpected.
But on second thought—it actually made sense.
There weren't many world-class managers available at the time. Mancini and Pellegrini were among the few.
Stylistically, Liverpool still carried a strong imprint from Benítez—known for their gritty, no-nonsense style.
Pellegrini, on the other hand, embodied Latin American flair, fluid movement, and elegant football—great to watch, but perhaps not a natural fit for Liverpool.
In Yang Cheng's view, the manager who best matched Liverpool's identity was Jürgen Klopp.
But back then, Klopp hadn't yet earned the right to take over a giant like Liverpool.
Mancini's coaching credentials were beyond question. As an Italian, he had tactical precision and structure in his blood—very similar to Benítez.
So in that sense, bringing him in wasn't a bad move at all.
Whether he'd succeed, though—that was still uncertain.
Kolarov came from Lazio, and everyone knew Mancini had close ties to the club.
Liverpool's left side had long been a weak spot, so signing Kolarov was a timely reinforcement.
Ironically, Manchester City—despite having both Wayne Bridge and Leighton Baines—hadn't shown much interest in Kolarov.
So, Kolarov's Transfer to Liverpool Was Perfectly Logical
The Liverpool Echo, known for its close ties to the club, revealed that Mancini intended to clean house, removing several players who simply didn't meet his tactical and technical standards.
Players like Emiliano Insúa, Philipp Degen, and Albert Riera were all on the chopping block.
What truly shocked people, however, was that even starting goalkeeper Pepe Reina wasn't valued by Mancini.
"Reina's goalkeeping style doesn't suit Mancini's preferences, and his inconsistency is something the manager simply can't tolerate."
"By contrast, Mancini is leaning toward signing veteran Gianluigi Buffon from Juventus."
The Echo reported that Juventus was undergoing a period of internal turmoil, and many of its players were unsettled.
Buffon himself had admitted in a recent interview with Italian media that although his contract with Juve ran until 2013, he wouldn't rule out other options.
"Leaving Serie A for the Premier League would certainly be a great move."
Three Premier League clubs were reportedly vying for Buffon's signature: Manchester United, Manchester City, and Liverpool.
United had lost Van der Sar and were struggling to stabilize their goalkeeping situation.
City, despite having Joe Hart, still found him too erratic and were keen on acquiring the most reliable goalkeeper in the world.
Interestingly, while Neuer had been linked with a few clubs during the summer—mainly Bayern Munich—mentions of United or City were rare.
As if everyone already understood they had no realistic shot at signing him.
…
At the end of June, the organizers of the International Champions Cup held a grand press conference in London.
They officially announced that the inaugural edition of the ICC, featuring 12 of Europe's elite clubs, would kick off this summer.
A draw ceremony was held at the same time.
The rules were straightforward: three clubs from different leagues would be placed in separate groups.
Real Madrid was sent to the U.S. West Division, Barcelona to the East Division, and Manchester United to the Asia Division.
Then, the rest of the teams were drawn into their respective groups.
Real Madrid drew Juventus, Arsenal, and Chelsea.
Barcelona drew the Bayswater Chinese, Inter Milan, and Bayern Munich.
Manchester United drew AC Milan, Manchester City, and Liverpool.
Once the draw was complete, the full match schedule was released.
Representatives from all 12 clubs were present at the draw and officially signed their participation contracts.
Event organizer David Pensell told reporters that the ICC aimed to become the flagship event of every summer, organized to the standards of the UEFA Champions League.
"We want to bring the highest level of football to fans in North America and Asia!"
Pensell also revealed that, even though it was the first edition, the ICC had already secured broadcasting deals across North America, Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa. The matches would be broadcast live in over 50 countries and regions around the world.
"Our goal is to make this the most impactful pre-season tournament of the summer!"
All of the top clubs were optimistic about the ICC's future.
After speaking with David Pensell and Richard Masters and learning more about the broadcasting, sponsorship, and ticket sales strategy, the clubs were genuinely excited.
With the match schedule now public, ticket sales were officially opened worldwide.
Having twelve footballing giants in one tournament was a massive draw in and of itself.
Coupled with the heat of the ongoing summer transfer window, fans all over the world were eagerly anticipating the action.
Broadcasters like FOX in the U.S., China's Huaxia Television, as well as major networks in Japan, Korea, and beyond, had secured rights at relatively low costs and were already rolling out promotional campaigns.
All of this significantly boosted the ICC's global visibility.
Even before a single match had been played, the hype was through the roof.
…
The draw took place in London.
Once it concluded, the club executives began to head back home to prepare for the tournament.
After all, participation came with appearance fees, and there were bonuses for winning.
However, Bayern Munich's general manager Uli Hoeneß and sporting director Christian Nerlinger stayed behind.
In a quiet hotel suite, they held a private meeting with Adam Crozier, CEO of the Bayswater Chinese.
Joining them was Sporting Director Dan Ashworth.
"Gentlemen, I think you already have some idea why I stayed behind," Hoeneß said bluntly.
A titan of European football, Hoeneß didn't beat around the bush.
"To be completely honest, we sincerely hope to have a proper discussion with you about the future of Manuel Neuer."
He then launched into an impassioned explanation of the deep-rooted tradition and emotional bond between Bayern Munich and the German national team's No.1 goalkeeper.
He wanted Crozier and Ashworth to understand that not only Bayern fans—but all of Germany—was hoping to see Neuer return to the Bundesliga.
Germany and England were historic footballing rivals. It just didn't sit right with German fans to see their national team's No.1 keeper playing abroad in the Premier League.
"Just a few days ago, during our supervisory board's routine meeting, we were pressured by the board members to reinitiate talks with your club about Neuer. We are approaching this with genuine sincerity," Hoeneß said earnestly.
Crozier and Ashworth exchanged glances, a shared understanding flickering between them.
There was no doubt—Bayern's sincerity was real, and the pressure was high.
But Hoeneß was a seasoned fox. He wouldn't reveal his full hand all at once.
"I'll be straight with you, Uli," said Ashworth, not Crozier.
"Before going on vacation, Mr. Yang Cheng gave us explicit instructions not to sell a single player this summer. That's why no matter how wild the transfer market gets, we've been untouched."
"That's not how it usually is—but this summer, we truly don't plan to make any transfers."
Hoeneß looked between Ashworth and Crozier, silently trying to gauge how much of what they said was truth and how much was just smokescreen.
"Then how come I heard your head scout, Gary Worthington, was in Belgium scouting players? And Mike Rigg was seen at Atlético Madrid?"
He was fishing for more. Clearly, Bayern had done their homework.
They'd been spreading their own rumors while closely monitoring the Bayswater Chinese's activity.
Any movement, no matter how subtle, was met with vigilance.
"Routine business, you know how it goes," Ashworth replied with a chuckle.
"Football directors, head scouts, chief talent officers—we're all constantly assessing players. That's our job."
He added with a grin, "We even had a scout watching Thomas Müller during the World Cup in South Africa. Does that mean we're planning to sign him?"
"You understand, Uli—we're interested in every promising young talent. It's all part of maintaining a strong reserve pipeline."
And of course, part of that was collecting intel on potential future opponents.
The whole football world operated this way.
Ashworth's words were airtight, leaving Hoeneß with little room to push further.
"Where's Yang? Is he in London?" Hoeneß shifted the topic.
Ashworth glanced at Crozier, who smiled and said, "As soon as the season ended, he went on vacation to Scandinavia with our CFO. He hasn't answered a single call—we can't even reach him ourselves."
The way he said it was clearly exaggerated, and even Hoeneß chuckled.
Everyone knew the club's CFO, Xia Qing, was also Yang Cheng's girlfriend.
"So how are you handling payments for the new stadium construction?" Hoeneß asked with concern.
Adam Crozier Let Out Another Laugh, "The Finance Department Is Still Operating Normally, and Our Cash Flow's Actually Quite Healthy."
The message was clear: we're not short on money.
Considering how the Bayswater Chinese had secured massive loans from multiple banks before, it wasn't hard to believe.
"Adam, let's not beat around the bush—sell Neuer to us," Hoeneß said, finally laying his cards on the table.
"I really can't, Uli. You know how it is—after losing both the FA Cup and Champions League semifinals last season, the club took a big hit. Yang's already made it clear—this season we're going for all the trophies. No one is for sale!"
"Look around—the market's crazy with center-backs, strikers, midfielders being snatched up left and right. But no one's come knocking on our door, right?"
Hoeneß nodded. "I understand. But consider it a favor to us at Bayern. Do us this one kindness."
In the European transfer market, gestures of goodwill between big clubs weren't unheard of.
It's part of why someone like Florentino Pérez could always get his deals done—unlike Calderón, who never quite had that pull.
Adam Crozier fell silent at just the right moment.
Hoeneß wasn't fooled—he was a master of reading the room.
And just like that, he sensed an opening.
He leaned in and upped the offer.
"Alright. We're willing to offer… €40 million for Neuer!"
Originally, he'd planned to start the bidding at €30 million and try to negotiate down. But after some thought, he decided to go aggressive.
"It's not that I don't want to help you out, Uli, but you know this isn't a decision I can make on my own," Crozier replied, shifting tone.
Then, with a sly turn, he asked, "Let me ask you this, Uli—if you were in my position, and someone offered you €40 million, could you go out and buy a keeper of Neuer's caliber?"
Buffon, age 32, was currently valued at £28 million—about €35 million.
And that's a 32-year-old.
Neuer was just 24.
Whether in the Premier League over the past few seasons or at the World Cup, Neuer had consistently proven himself at the highest level.
He was widely considered the top goalkeeper in the Premier League—even ahead of Čech in most rankings.
So trying to land someone of Neuer's level for €40 million? Virtually impossible.
If such a keeper existed, Bayern wouldn't be trying to buy Neuer in the first place.
Did they know what Bayer Leverkusen wanted for René Adler?
€25 million—that was the internal Bundesliga price.
Reports said that when Manchester United asked for a quote, the asking price jumped to €30 million.
And Neuer?
A keeper who had dominated in the Champions League, Premier League, and the World Cup?
What was his value really?
Suddenly, a wild thought flashed through Hoeneß's mind.
Veteran fans would remember this well.
In 2001, Juventus paid €54 million to sign Buffon from Parma—the highest fee ever paid for a goalkeeper.
But if you think that was a straightforward deal, think again.
Buffon had already visited Barcelona and had agreed terms. Barça's offer was higher than Juve's.
But after Buffon returned to Italy, Juve's GM Luciano Moggi made a call—one that involved a lot of "persuasion"—and flipped the situation.
Sometimes, to land the best, you have to pay the price.
But Bayern had their own reasons.
From Beckenbauer to Rummenigge to Hoeneß, Bayern viewed the Bundesliga as their personal backyard.
And results alone weren't enough. Money and trophies weren't enough.
They wanted Bayern to be the symbol of German football.
The idea was to make every young German player dream of playing for Bayern from day one.
That required effort, branding, and strategy.
That's why they pushed the narrative that "Germany's best players always play for Bayern."
Because the moment the best start choosing other clubs over Bayern, the brand is weakened.
So they had to bring Neuer back.
Even in the past, they'd refused to let someone like Ballack walk quietly into the night.
Now, they were determined to bring Neuer home—no matter the cost.
In the end, Hoeneß made one final offer.
€50 million.
That was Bayern's limit.
In recent years, the club's wage bill had soared, and the transfer budget was stretched thin.
And they still needed to renew contracts for Ribéry and Thomas Müller.
Oh—and that kid from East Germany too.
Adam Crozier's reply remained as noncommittal as ever.
"I'll need to speak with Mr. Yang."
He didn't give a direct answer—which basically meant no answer at all.
Hoeneß watched as Crozier and Ashworth left the hotel suite, feeling more than a little frustrated.
He hadn't gotten what he came for, and it gnawed at him.
After thinking for a moment, he took out his phone and dialed Thomas Kroth—Germany's well-known agent.
This guy had won nothing as a player, barely earned a single cap for West Germany, and had no real highlights in his career.
But as an agent?
He was thriving.
He managed a number of top players—including Neuer.
Kroth wasn't surprised to hear that Hoeneß had failed to convince Crozier.
To him, it made no sense for the Bayswater Chinese to sell their top keeper.
What club in the world would do that willingly?
And with the club's skyrocketing revenue, they didn't need to sell anymore.
Kroth actually had some insider info about the club.
"Oh, by the way," he added, "when I was at Grosvenor Square negotiating a contract extension, I overheard Dan Ashworth on a call with Yang Cheng. He mentioned Thomas Müller."
Hoeneß's heart skipped a beat. "What did he say about Müller?"
"I think they were talking about German youth development. Yang seemed to rate Bayern's young players. Aside from Müller, I also heard him mention Badstuber and Toni Kroos—but I didn't catch all the details."
"Maybe… you should consider including Thomas Müller in the deal."
"No way. Absolutely not!" Hoeneß rejected the idea instantly.
Thomas Müller?
Golden Boot and Best Young Player of the World Cup.
And Badstuber? A fan favorite at Bayern.
Offer them up in a deal? The German public would crucify Bayern.
Hoeneß would be run out of the club.
As for Toni Kroos…
That East German kid had been having contract issues lately.
Rummenigge wanted to let him stew a bit and was deliberately putting off renewal talks.
He might—might—be negotiable.
But the Bayswater Chinese already had a midfield stacked with talent.
Would they even need someone like Toni Kroos?
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