After essentially settling the club's uniform team, Zhao Zhao finally started to target the players!
First up were the defenders, which Sunderland currently needed most.
Last season's campaign had already proven that Sunderland's weakest links were the two full-backs, and these two positions needed strengthening.
With the season over, the two original starting center-backs, O'Shea and Lescott, also left the team, which worsened the already thin defensive line.
Although Kone, the strong center-back from Cote d'Ivoire, was still with the team, it was clear that if Sunderland wanted to make an impact next season, the entire defensive line needed new signings.
This is how renewal works.
The old players leave, new strong players come in to be starters, while the original starters become substitutes, an iterative upgrade!
And Zhao Zhao's first defensive target was also the one he was least confident about.
It wasn't because the young defender's club would create any obstacles; it was mainly because the defender's name was Ben White!
He is a very individualistic player.
To use Zeng Xiaoxian's words, it would be, 'I am the bad man, and I am Ben White.'
In the future, when he became a key player for Arsenal, helping the team challenge for the Premier League title, he refused a call-up to the England National Team.
The reason for this was a quarrel he had with England National Team assistant Coach Steve Holland during the 2022 World Cup, where Holland called him a 'filler,' and Ben White simply walked away.
After that, he never forgave the England National Team.
From this perspective, it's not easy to attract Ben White with football honors, as he can even refuse the chance to participate in major tournaments!
And he once said in an interview:
'Many players can fill all 24 hours a day with football, but I can't. I'm willing to put all my focus into training and matches, but beyond that, I don't want to spend another minute thinking about football.'
'I don't like watching football matches on TV. For me, being on the pitch every day, constantly striving to be the best version of myself, that's what I truly love about football.'
'After my playing career ends, I don't want to stay in football in any capacity. In the future, I might follow in my father's footsteps and become a good gardener.'
In other words, from childhood, football was never Ben White's belief; he was just an ordinary worker who happened to make a living from football.
He gives his all during work, but after work, Ben White does whatever he wants!
Such a player is actually quite difficult to deal with.
So for Zhao Zhao, why did he insist on buying him?
First, of course, are technical reasons.
Ben White can be described as a versatile player in the backline, with very comprehensive technical abilities, and he is willing to play a supporting role.
At Brighton, Ben White was molded into various shapes by Coach Potter.
He could play in a two-center-back or three-center-back system, as a full-back and right wing-back, and even as a defensive midfielder.
Because his technique could support his role as a ball-playing defender from deep in his own box, he could orchestrate play with long passes and carry the ball all the way to the halfway line, and even actively attract opponents to press him, creating space for his teammates.
And no matter what position he was assigned, Ben White would strive to adapt without complaint.
Later, at Arsenal, Mikel Arteta first played him as a center-back, then moved him to right-back.
His defense was consistently terrifyingly stable, and he often made forward runs to create space for his right winger, Saka.
'Even if he doesn't score, the opponent's winger has to track back to defend, and this wear and tear makes Saka more incisive in attack,' he said.
In other words, his working philosophy at right-back was solely for Saka's performance!
Wasn't this selfless dedication exactly what Zhao Zhao needed?
Furthermore, Ben White refusing to play for the National Team is actually a good thing for the club.
Think about it, a 鐵人 (iron man) like him, who can play almost every game, has a household registration, yet he can choose not to use it and even rest during international breaks?
In the world of football, where else can you find such a chosen worker!
Therefore, Zhao Zhao quickly submitted a formal transfer offer to Brighton, for three million euros.
This price was quite reasonable.
Firstly, Ben White, who was not yet 20 years old this year, had only just been promoted to the first team last season, starting to appear on the first team's bench in matches and playing in some cup games.
For most of the other time, he was still only playing for the team's youth squad.
Secondly, Brighton was only playing in the EFL Championship last season, and although they were promoted to the Premier League this season by finishing second, Ben White's highest playing experience was only with an EFL Championship team.
In other words, Sunderland was offering three million to buy a young substitute from the EFL Championship, which was not a big problem.
This was pretty much the market price, even including the potential premium for a young player.
In fact, in the normal timeline before Zhao Zhao's transmigration, in the upcoming 2017-2018 new season, Ben White was loaned to League Two team Newport.
Although he was called 'our best loan signing ever' by Newport's then-Coach Michael Flynn and eventually won the League Two Player of the Year award, it was still only League Two.
Many rising stars of the same age were already dominating in top Leagues at this time, so Zhao Zhao offering three million for a League Two-level player truly showed great sincerity.
Of course, if they waited a little longer, this price would no longer be enough to acquire Ben White.
Because his growth was very rapid, almost a step up every year!
During his loan spell at Newport, Ben White shone in the FA Cup third round, helping Newport defeat Leeds United 2-1 at home, which was Newport's first time reaching the FA Cup fourth round since the 1978-79 season.
In the fourth round against Premier League team Tottenham, he led his team to a tenacious draw against Tottenham, giving the team a chance for a replay.
After the match, headlines like 'Harry Kane was completely shut down by a League Two defender' were everywhere, making it hard for Ben White's brilliance to be hidden.
And Tottenham's Coach Pochettino indeed took notice of Ben White and wanted to sign him.
Brighton naturally agreed immediately, but Ben White refused.
Facing such a rare opportunity to jump from League Two to the Premier League, Ben White's primary criterion was that he had to be able to play.
After considering the caliber of Tottenham's defenders—Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen, and Dier—Ben White felt he wouldn't get much playing time, so he directly stated, 'No.'
Ben White goes wherever he wants to go!
So in the next season, he chose to continue on loan, but this time to a League One team, Peterborough United.
Then, it was the EFL Championship—this time with Leeds United, who had seen his prowess in the FA Cup, and he ultimately helped the team win the EFL Championship title and return to the Premier League, also being selected for that season's EFL Championship Team of the Season.
Finally, it was the Premier League, where he eventually transferred to Arsenal for a high price of 50 million pounds! And established himself in the team.
So, it's best to act early; later, it won't be this price!
And very quickly, Brighton replied: five million euros!
For a team like Brighton, there are no untouchable players; as long as the price is right, anyone can be sold.
Ben White was indeed a promising player from their youth academy, but in their eyes, he hadn't reached first-team standard, otherwise he wouldn't have been loaned out consistently in the coming years.
So now that someone was inquiring, as long as it met their psychological expectations, they could sell!
Faced with such a reply, Zhao Zhao smiled.
He wasn't afraid of the other party asking for too much; he was only afraid they wouldn't bargain!
Finally, after a tug-of-war negotiation, both sides took a step back.
The final transaction price: 4 million euros!
Of course, reaching an agreement between clubs is only the first step.
Ben White even refused Tottenham's invitation, so who could say if he would accept Sunderland's contract?
So Zhao Zhao had to personally visit him and use his eloquent tongue to persuade Ben White to join...