Carlos's office was located in an unassuming office building in the center of Madrid.
When Lu Chuan found the place using the address, he realized it was much simpler than he had imagined.
"Come in."
Carlos's voice came from inside the room.
Pushing open the door, Lu Chuan saw a Spanish man in his forties sitting behind a desk, which was piled high with various documents and video tapes.
Carlos looked up, sizing up Lu Chuan.
"Sit down and talk."
Carlos pointed to the chair opposite him.
"I've watched your video three times."
Carlos got straight to the point.
"Your technical characteristics are very distinct, and your long-range shooting ability is indeed outstanding. But I have to tell you, in the Spanish football system, that's far from enough."
Lu Chuan nodded, waiting for him to continue.
"You are currently in Segunda División B, which is the fourth-tier League. To truly establish yourself in Europe, you need to play at least in the segunda división, and preferably La Liga."
Carlos opened a document.
"I have twelve players under me; three are in La Liga, five in the segunda división, and the rest are in various levels of the League. I won't make grand promises just to sign you."
"I understand."
Lu Chuan replied.
"Miguel told me you went to Old Sun's Restaurant yesterday?"
Carlos suddenly changed the subject.
Lu Chuan was a bit surprised but still nodded in affirmation.
"And you even signed an endorsement for free meals for life?"
Carlos's tone became stern.
"Such childish collaborations must never happen again."
"Why?"
Lu Chuan asked, confused.
"You are a professional player now, and any commercial activity will affect your image and value."
Carlos put down the document in his hand.
"Free endorsements may seem harmless, but they actually devalue your commercial worth."
"If a legitimate brand wants to work with you in the future, they'll think: even a small restaurant can get this player's endorsement for free, so why should we pay?"
Lu Chuan suddenly understood.
"Moreover, professional players have strict dietary requirements."
"By publicly endorsing a Chinese restaurant, you're telling everyone that you frequently eat high-oil, high-salt foods. This is a detriment to your professional image."
Carlos stood up and walked to the window.
"I'm not saying you can't eat there; Old Sun is a good person, and supporting fellow countrymen is not wrong. But commercial endorsements must be handled with caution."
"I understand."
Lu Chuan said sincerely.
"Then let's talk about business."
Carlos returned to his seat.
"If I become your agent, my commission will be ten percent. Since you're not famous yet, if you become a well-known star in the future, I can consider lowering the commission rate."
"I will plan your career development path. The short-term goal is to establish yourself in the Leganés B Team and strive to enter the first team. The mid-term goal is to transfer to a higher-level club, preferably in La Liga or other mainstream European Leagues."
Carlos pulled out a contract.
"Long-term, if you can establish yourself in a top European League, I will help you secure better commercial collaborations. But the prerequisite is that you must prove yourself on the field."
Lu Chuan carefully read the contract terms.
"Any questions?"
Carlos asked.
"The contract term is three years; what if I want to terminate it early?"
"Both parties can give three months' notice to terminate the contract early. However, if the collaboration fails due to your reasons, you will need to pay a certain amount of liquidated damages."
Lu Chuan considered it and felt the terms were fair.
"I agree."
The two signed the contract, and Carlos put away the documents.
"From now on, any commercial activities must have my consent. This includes accepting media interviews; you must inform me in advance."
"Understood."
"By the way, several Spanish media want to interview you next week. I've already turned down most of them, leaving only one relatively authoritative sports newspaper."
"Why turn them down?"
"You don't have enough weight yet. Excessive exposure will only make people think you're all show and no substance. We'll talk more when you have more performances on the field."
Lu Chuan nodded; Carlos's professionalism gave him great confidence.
Leaving Carlos's office, Lu Chuan went directly back to the club.
On the training ground, Chema Rico was discussing something with the assistant coach.
"Lu Chuan, come here."
The coach waved him over.
"We have an official match tomorrow against Real Madrid Castilla."
Chema said.
Lu Chuan's heart trembled.
Real Madrid Castilla, that was Real Madrid's B Team, a traditional powerhouse in the segunda división b league.
"They are very strong, with many future stars in the team. This match is a great test for us."
Chema pulled out his tactics board.
"You'll continue to play as a left winger, but you need to drop back more to participate in defense. Real Madrid Castilla's right flank is very active, and you must help the left-back."
"Understood."
"Also, their midfield control is very strong, so you need to seize counterattack opportunities. Once you successfully win the ball, immediately look for possibilities to advance quickly."
After training, Chema announced the 18-man squad for tomorrow's match.
Lu Chuan's name was in the starting lineup.
In the locker room, the teammates were a bit nervous.
After all, the opponent was Real Madrid's youth team; just the name alone was enough to inspire awe.
"Don't overthink it."
Luis Pereya patted Lu Chuan's shoulder.
"They are strong, but we're not pushovers either. Everyone saw your performance in the last warm-up match."
Joaquín sat in the corner, looking at Lu Chuan with a complex expression.
Since the captaincy incident, although he had outwardly accepted reality, his inner resentment was still very obvious.
"Joaquín, you're also in the squad tomorrow."
Lu Chuan walked over proactively.
"Are you ready?"
Joaquín looked up, hesitating for a moment.
"Of course, I'm ready."
"That's good. We need everyone to perform at their best."
Lu Chuan extended his hand.
Joaquín looked at it, and finally shook it.
At night, Lu Chuan lay in bed, images of tomorrow's match flashing through his mind.
Real Madrid Castilla, this would be the strongest opponent he had faced in his professional career.
Miguel tossed and turned in the upper bunk.
"Can't sleep?"
Lu Chuan asked.
"A little nervous. Even though I'm not in the squad, I'm still worried about you guys."
"Nothing to worry about."
Lu Chuan said calmly.
"It's just a game."
But he knew very well that this was by no means just an ordinary game.
This was his chance to prove himself, and a crucial step towards a higher level.
Chapter 8 The New Captain's Turmoil