Looking at the energetic Barnett standing before him, Leo Lin felt a rush of heat course through his body. His thoughts drifted to the other well-known agents in modern football.
Take Jorge Mendes, for example. The money he made from Cristiano Ronaldo alone would be enough to let Mendes retire in absolute comfort. His mastery of player management was plain to see—leveraging every possible opportunity to maximize his clients' earnings.
Leo Lin had also heard of Mino Raiola. Raiola's most famous client was undoubtedly the young Paul Pogba. Orchestrating Pogba's departure from Manchester United, only to engineer his return for a €100 million fee, was more than enough to demonstrate just how formidable Raiola's influence was. He was the kind of agent who would gladly fall out with club owners if it meant securing better deals for himself and his players. The more club chairmen hated him, the more fiercely his players adored him.
As for Barnett, Leo Lin admittedly didn't know as much. But judging from the reverence so many young players showed him, he was clearly a capable agent.
It just so happened that Leo Lin was also in need of a suitable agent. Given his recent performances, he knew it was only a matter of time before someone came knocking. Yet until now, no agents had reached out to him at all, which struck him as odd.
Watching Leo Lin prepare to leave, Barnett had his beautiful secretary step forward to invite him—not with a contract offer, but simply to meet and talk.
Barnett hadn't expected Ocho to bring Leo Lin to the party. He had been following Leo Lin's progress for some time, but had never formally approached him. The reason was simple: Barnett had already been considering retirement. Nearly seventy years old, burdened by the daily operations of his agency and the responsibility of managing so many young players, the pressure weighed heavily on him. Signing Leo Lin would only add to that strain.
Yet deep down, Barnett carried a lingering regret—one that rival agencies, especially Mendes' camp, often mocked him for. Barnett's agency had never produced a Ballon d'Or winner.
The Ballon d'Or was football's highest honor. Any agent who guided a player to that award would be hailed as a gold-standard agent—Mendes being the prime example. The reason some fans refused to call Barnett a top-tier agent was precisely because he lacked a Ballon d'Or client.
When he worked with Bale, Barnett had truly believed he could help him win the Ballon d'Or. Unfortunately, at Real Madrid, Bale was overshadowed by Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo's performances were simply too dominant, and he was also the centerpiece of Florentino Pérez's long-term plans.
Barnett had thought he would retire with that regret—until he noticed Leo Lin.
Others might not see it, but Barnett had spent a lifetime evaluating players. He knew instantly which young talents had the makings of a Ballon d'Or contender. A player like Leo Lin, with such a distinct personality, already met the mental criteria for challenging for football's highest individual honor, regardless of current ability.
Players like that also tended to be media darlings—loved by journalists and fans alike—and that popularity was a crucial factor in Ballon d'Or voting.
So Barnett hesitated. The question was whether he should place his final hope on Leo Lin.
By chance, after seeing Ocho bring Leo Lin to the party that day, Barnett finally made his decision to meet him.
At the top floor of Barnett's imposing agency building, the two met face to face. Barnett greeted Leo Lin with a gentle smile.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Leo Lin understood—Barnett wasn't here to propose a contract. He was still undecided.
But Leo Lin felt Barnett was the perfect fit for him. And he wanted this partnership.
"I need an agent," Leo Lin said.
"And you need a player who can help you fulfill your ultimate dream."
"We'll be the best partners—the perfect combination."
Leo Lin spoke with complete confidence. He understood exactly what Barnett wanted. And given the long-standing rivalry between Barnett's agency and Mendes', Leo Lin was certain that as long as his performances were good enough, Barnett would pour every resource he had into him.
Barnett would turn him into a weapon to challenge Mendes' agency.
Barnett looked at Leo Lin and knew—he had been moved.
In that case, there was no need to hesitate any longer.
The mature British accent that followed was identical to the voice Leo Lin had heard at the party.
"You know, three years ago I announced that I would gradually step back from the agent business and move behind the scenes."
"After helping Gareth Bale complete a record-breaking transfer to Real Madrid, I knew I'd already done all I could for him."
"Gareth Bale doesn't fight for attention. Even holding up a club flag for photos feels like a chore to him. A player like that can't be pushed toward greater individual achievements."
"There are many players under my agency now, but very few truly belong to me."
"I've seen your talent. I've followed you since the youth leagues, all the way to your first-team appearances."
"Since you've said all that, Lin, then I can promise you this."
Barnett suddenly stood up, locking eyes with Leo Lin.
The desire and hunger in his gaze were identical to those burning in Leo Lin's own eyes.
"I, Barnett, may not have started from nothing, but I know what hardship looks like—and I've also lived at the very peak of luxury."
"I no longer crave money. I already have more than enough."
"What I want now is respect. I want to cultivate a truly top-tier player."
"Sign with me, and in European football, every honor that should be yours will be yours."
"All you need to do is deliver on the pitch and maintain the right image off it. Leave everything else to me."
"I'll focus all the agency's resources—resources worth trillions—on you alone!"
"I'll secure a steady stream of opportunities for you. I can change your current, modest life overnight!"
"I'll have you smoking the finest cigars, driving the most expensive green-plated cars. And when you step onto the pitch, tens of thousands of eyes will be fixed on you!"
"All the applause! All the cheers! All the roars!"
"Only for you!"
Though Barnett had hesitated before, he hadn't been idle. He had already planned out every step of how he would manage Leo Lin's career.
Leo Lin could feel his sincerity.
As for why—perhaps it was simply because Barnett had said so much.
And so, two men—young and old—sharing the same goal and still burning with competitive fire, found instant chemistry and became the perfect duo.
...
(60 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / GhostParser