Hearing Julien's answer, Elion felt a shadow of disappointment settle over him.
Some things didn't need to be spelled out.
He understood.
Julien hadn't chosen Chelsea—or rather, Chelsea wasn't his first choice.
Elion didn't press further, and Julien offered no explanation. They'd said enough. After chatting for a while longer about peripheral matters, Elion ended the call.
But this wouldn't be the last time Julien discussed his transfer situation that day.
Two hours later, Pierre had arranged a formal meeting with representatives from the Saudi consortium to discuss the possibility of Julien joining a Premier League club. Julien wanted to gauge exactly where the Saudis stood—what their true intentions were beyond the headlines and rumors.
Soon enough, they found themselves in a cafe where Pierre and Julien were introduced to their contact.
A white woman in her forties, impeccably dressed, extended her hand with confidence.
"Amanda Staveley, Head of Investment at PCP Capital."
Staveley's smile exuded warmth as she shook hands with both Pierre and Julien. She and Pierre exchanged pleasantries, and she casually, almost too casually mentioned that she had been instrumental in facilitating Mansour's acquisition of Manchester City back in 2008.
The conversation gradually turned toward Saudi Arabia.
Facing Pierre and Julien directly, Staveley made no attempt to conceal her purpose. "As you know, the Middle East is extraordinarily interested in football right now—or rather, in anything that captures global attention. Mansour's purchase of City was just the beginning. Qatar's successful World Cup bid, followed by their acquisition of PSG, represents the next phase of expansion. In fact, the idea that a tiny nation like Qatar could host the World Cup sent shockwaves through Riyadh that were even more profound than City's transformation. And now, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia has equally ambitious plans to join this feast."
Staveley went on to explain that Saudi Arabia wasn't limiting its ambitions to football—they intended to establish a significant presence across multiple sporting domains.
Pierre had spent the past few weeks frantically educating himself about world football, but he was still struggling to keep pace with the conversation. He could only listen as Staveley laid out the grand vision.
Julien, however, was closely familiar with all of this.
He knew the story well: Qatar had competed against Australia, Japan, South Korea, and the United States for the 2022 World Cup hosting rights. In the fourth round of voting, they'd secured victory with 14 votes to America's 8. On December 2nd, 2010, FIFA President Sepp Blatter announced to the world's media that Qatar had won the right to host the 2022 World Cup.
It marked the first time the World Cup would be held in the Middle East, and the second time in Asia following the 2002 Korea-Japan tournament.
Yet despite being hailed as one of the most significant decisions in sporting history, Qatar's selection had been stuck in controversy from the start. Two major issues dominated the discourse: first, whether Qatar had engaged in bribery during the bidding process; second, whether it was even feasible to play football in 50°C heat, and whether the 2022 World Cup would need to be moved to winter.
Qatar had previously maintained a low profile on the political stage. The royal family planned to transform their development model over the next fifty years, emulating neighboring nations like the UAE by gradually shifting focus toward leisure, tourism, and other tertiary industries.
To win the 2022 World Cup hosting rights, Qatar had adopted an audacious strategy, spending vast sums to recruit football legends like Zinedine Zidane and Pep Guardiola as ambassadors for their bid.
The money-mad Qataris had shattered records left and right, pledging over $200 billion USD for World Cup infrastructure, including air-conditioned stadiums.
As for the darker aspects of the bidding process, France Football magazine had already reported widely on that. Regardless of the methods, the result was clear: Qatar had succeeded.
And now Saudi Arabia was watching with envy.
Julien nodded slightly, processing the information.
Throughout her pitch, Staveley had been carefully observing both Pierre and Julien. For a woman who'd climbed to the top of this male-dominated world, reading between the lines was essential. She was beginning to suspect that Pierre wasn't actually the decision-maker here.
Her gaze shifted more frequently toward Julien.
"So, money is absolutely not an issue for us," She continued smoothly. "Most Premier League clubs can be acquired for a few hundred million pounds; it's pocket change for Crown Prince Salman. Perhaps you've seen the news about him? He bought a yacht for £475 million, a Leonardo da Vinci painting for £350 million..."
Julien remained silent, his expression was neutral.
Pierre felt compelled to speak up. "But European clubs will soon have to comply with UEFA's Financial Fair Play regulations. Without revenue, you can't spend."
Staveley's smile widened knowingly. "Which is precisely why this summer window represents the perfect opportunity, doesn't it?"
Pierre found himself momentarily speechless. As a blue-collar guy through and through, navigating regulatory loopholes was well beyond his comfort zone.
Observing Staveley's attention increasingly focused on him, Julien realized Pierre's role had been exposed. He decided to stop playing the silent observer.
"If your consortium acquires a club, has the management structure been determined yet?" Julien asked directly.
He wanted to understand Dunne's actual role in all of this.
But Staveley's eyes flashed with something like satisfaction, a slight smile appeared at her lips. She'd read Julien's question as predictable youthful ambition—already trying to negotiate positions for his people.
Just a kid after all, she thought.
"Not yet determined," she replied, waiting for Julien to show his hand.
"Then what's Mr. Dunne currently working on?"
"He's in contact with Stan Kroenke. Our primary target is Arsenal."
"And the secondary target?"
"We're confident we can acquire Arsenal. They're struggling right now, and the fans are desperate for new ownership."
Julien looked at her with thinly veiled disappointment, his tone cooling noticeably. "Ms. Staveley, I think I understand your position now. I don't know how long it takes to acquire and restructure a football club, or how long it would take to finalize a squad and tactical system for the new season under such circumstances. But I think what you need right now isn't my answer—you need to actually acquire a club first."
He glanced out the window, then stood. "It's getting late. I need to get back to training. Goodbye, Ms. Staveley."
Staveley clearly hadn't expected the conversation to end so abruptly. She didn't even realize that throughout their meeting, Julien hadn't answered a single one of her questions, while she'd answered many of his.
Pierre was equally surprised by the sudden conclusion, but he trusted Julien's judgment. After offering Staveley a brief apology, he settled the bill and followed Julien out.
Once outside, Pierre asked uncertainly, "They're not viable either?"
Pierre didn't fully understand what Julien was looking for.
Julien shook his head. "It's not that they're not viable—it's that she's not viable. Everything out of her mouth was PowerPoint presentation bullshit. Grand visions, zero substance."
Pierre had actually been impressed by Staveley's pitch—it had sounded sophisticated, even inspiring. The image of billions of pounds as mere pocket change, of Prince Salman transforming a club overnight, had set his imagination on fire.
But Julien didn't explain further. "You contacted the wrong person, father. Staveley's just a middleman—she doesn't represent the Saudis directly. Right now, there are countless people trying to profit from this Saudi acquisition wave. You need to reach the actual Saudi decision-makers—someone high up in the PIF (Public Investment Fund)."
Pierre felt guilty for not handling this better.
Julien clapped him on the shoulder reassuringly. "Take your time. We still have time. And I think it won't be long before the Saudis contact you directly."
He was right.
The day after Bastia's reserve squad fought to a 1-1 home draw with Toulouse, Pierre received a call from a senior PIF executive. They scheduled a face-to-face meeting for the next Friday—the day after the Europa League semi-final second leg.
That would be a genuine, direct negotiation.
After learning this news, Julien spent time mentally reviewing everything he knew from his previous life, planning how to approach the Saudis. Based on what he remembered of their initial spending spree, he suspected the meeting would essentially involve them throwing money at the problem.
What's there to discuss? Just throw cash until it works.
While Bastia's squad prepared for the Chelsea second leg, French media outlets began circulating reports from English sources.
This time it wasn't tabloid speculation.
Sky Sports—a legitimate outlet formally reported that Saudi Arabia was genuinely pursuing Arsenal:
[Sources have confirmed to this publication that the extraordinarily wealthy Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) has formed a strategic alliance with British property billionaires the Reuben Brothers and PCP Capital—the same firm that facilitated Sheikh Mansour's 2008 Manchester City takeover to launch what insiders describe as a "do or die" comprehensive bid for Premier League giants Arsenal FC.
Initial offers are rumored to approach a staggering £1 billion, with the intention of seizing immediate control of the club.
Well-placed sources reveal that the consortium has also set its sights on European football's hottest property: Bastia's creative fulcrum and French international Julien De Rocca. To this end, they've adopted an aggressive "dual-track" strategy—pursuing the club acquisition while simultaneously engaging with Julien's representatives.
According to our sources, regardless of whether the Arsenal bid succeeds, the Saudi consortium is determined to sign De Rocca, intending to signal clearly that he would be the absolute centerpiece and foundation upon which their new Arsenal or another elite club under their ownership would be built.
Meanwhile, this pursuit of Julien will inevitably collide head-on with Arsenal's London rivals Chelsea! Alternative sources indicate that Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has also identified De Rocca as critical to strengthening his attack and restoring the club's glory.
A battle royale between Middle Eastern royal capital + British property magnates versus a Russian oligarch—the "De Rocca Derby" for London supremacy has effectively begun off the pitch!
De Rocca's record-breaking transfer fee and salary package this summer appear all but inevitable.
However, the greatest obstacle facing PIF's grand ambitions remains Arsenal's ownership structure and astronomical valuation. Major shareholder Stan Kroenke, the American sports tycoon, is notorious for his asset preservation mentality and reluctance to relinquish control.
Meanwhile, minority shareholder Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov has long sought to increase his stake or gain outright control, but his relationship with Kroenke remains icy, with both sides locked in a cold standoff.
Sources indicate that convincing Kroenke to sell will be the critical factor determining this bid's success.
According to the latest Forbes Global Football Club Valuations, Arsenal is valued at $1.3 billion USD, making them the fourth most valuable club in the world!
This isn't merely a club acquisition—it represents Saudi Arabia's ambition to reshape the Premier League's elite structure. They've observed Manchester City's success and chosen to partner with domestic heavyweights like the Reuben Brothers while directly targeting a superstar like De Rocca—a highly sophisticated combination punch.
Yet Kroenke is no pushover. As the owner of the world's fourth most valuable club, Arsenal's brand value, historic prestige, prime London location, and stable commercial operation give him every reason to remain unmoved.
At the same time, Bastia's dominant Ligue 1 campaign has only added to De Rocca's transfer leverage and the variables surrounding his destination.
Regardless of whether the Arsenal acquisition ultimately succeeds, and wherever Julien ends up, this summer London's night sky is destined for fireworks.]
Sky Sports' article dropped like a bomb into England's football community—and far beyond just London.
So there really was a consortium attempting a full Arsenal takeover!
Previous reports had been dismissed as merely reflecting the internal power struggle between Kroenke and Usmanov.
Now it turned out a legitimate third party was entering the arena.
Reactions varied wildly. Some still dismissed it as fake news; others believed it was true but impossible to achieve.
But regardless of skepticism, one group was ecstatic: Arsenal fans.
After enduring years of mediocrity and frustration, the prospect of Saudi money with Manchester City's transformation as a reference point had Gunners salivating with envy.
Arsenal fan forums exploded with activity,
"KROENKE OUT!!! Finally someone's coming to save us! Saudi daddy PLEASE buy us! De Rocca! Kanté! De Bruyne! Buy every star from Bastia! I'm DONE with selling our captain every year and fighting for fourth place! WE WANT TROPHIES!"
"If this is real, has the sun finally risen? Kroenke needs to fuck off! You MUST buy De Rocca! That kid is exactly the attacking spark we need—fast, lethal, young! Perfect fit! Make Usmanov sell his shares too!"
"Kroenke, can you hear the fans? SELL THE CLUB, take your money, and GET THE FUCKK OUT! Stop blocking Arsenal's revival! New owners buying De Rocca? Absolutely! Sign a world-class center-back and defensive mid too! Money is no object!"
"Signing De Rocca? Sure, he's brilliant—but if new owners buy him, can he adapt to the Premier League? We don't want another player who can't handle England... Still, he's better than our current forwards! Kroenke, just LEAVE and let the new owners try!"
Even Arsène Wenger was cornered by reporters demanding comment on the rumors.
Wenger gave an usual restrained response: "Regarding ownership speculation, I focus on the team's matches and training. I don't know the details and can't comment on them.
As for Julien De Rocca—yes, I've been following him closely. His performance at Stamford Bridge was genuinely impressive. He possesses exceptional talent and enormous potential. He's only 18—the sky's the limit.
Every manager would love a player like that, wouldn't they? Of course, if he wore an Arsenal shirt, that would be wonderful. He'd suit our style perfectly. Regardless of who owns the club, signing a player of Julien's quality would massively improve the team.
But the transfer market, especially competition for elite players, is always complex—many factors are involved. It's far too early to discuss specifics. Arsenal needs to focus on our upcoming fixtures and secure Champions League qualification. As for transfers, we'll see what's possible in the market once the season ends."
Overnight, news of Saudi Arabia's interest in Arsenal dominated England's headlines and rippled across Europe.
This was Arsenal, after all.
Though the Gunners had fallen from grace, at the turn of the millennium they'd been dazzling—the Invincibles season, Champions League runners-up. Wenger had come agonizingly close to European glory.
Fans of other leagues mostly discussed the broader implications of Middle Eastern oil money invading football. First City, then PSG, now potentially Arsenal. Supporters unhappy with their own clubs began half-jokingly hawking their teams to imaginary oil sheikhs.
Everyone hates financial doping in football—except when it's their club doing it.
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