Niklas landed at Heathrow on a cloudy London morning. The summer transfer window was closing in fast, and he had one major target left on his list: Bukayo Saka.
The seventeen-year-old Arsenal academy star was the last big piece he wanted before the season started. He stepped out of the airport and climbed into a black Mercedes that Jonas had arranged. The drive toward north London felt long. Niklas stared out the window at the familiar streets, thinking about how different his life had become.
He arrived at Arsenal's training ground in Hertfordshire just after lunch. The Hale End academy buildings looked clean and impressive. Young players moved between pitches carrying training bags. Niklas could feel the history here. This was where many English talents had grown up dreaming of the first team.
Unai Emery waited for him in a quiet meeting room. The new Arsenal manager was polite but firm. He shook Niklas's hand and offered coffee. Two other club officials sat beside him.
"You have come a long way for one of our boys," Emery said in his accented English. "Bukayo is very special to us."
Niklas smiled calmly. "I know. That's why I'm here in person."
They talked for nearly two hours. Niklas laid out his full plan. He offered a package that included a high fee, good salary, guaranteed first-team minutes, and a clear development path. He even promised that if a bigger club came calling in two years, HSV would not block the move. The numbers were strong, far above what a scholarship player at Arsenal earned.
Emery listened carefully. He leaned forward at one point and spoke with real passion.
"Bukayo has been with us since he was seven years old," the manager said. "This is his home. His family lives ten minutes from the training ground. He trains with the first team already. I have watched him closely. He has the discipline, the intelligence, and the hunger. I will give him chances this season."
Niklas respected the honesty. He could see Emery was not just protecting a player. He genuinely believed in Saka. The Spaniard had already started integrating young talents into senior sessions. Reiss Nelson, Emile Smith Rowe, and others were training with the first team. Saka was next in line.
The meeting moved to the financial side. Arsenal's officials were polite but clear. They would not accept any offer below a level that reflected Saka's homegrown status and potential. Even a compensation fee would be high. They made it obvious they had no intention of selling.
Later that afternoon, Niklas got the chance he had hoped for. Arsenal arranged a private meeting with Bukayo Saka and his parents at a nearby hotel. The boy walked in wearing a simple tracksuit. He was tall for his age, with quiet confidence and a warm smile. His parents sat protectively beside him.
Niklas spoke directly to the family.
"I know Arsenal feels like home," he said. "But I am offering your son something different. Regular first-team football in Germany this season. A modern style that will develop him faster. High wages that can change life for the whole family right now. And when he is ready for the very top, we will support the next step."
Saka listened carefully. His eyes showed interest, especially when Niklas talked about playing every week and learning a high-pressing system. For a moment, Niklas thought he saw a crack.
But then Saka's father spoke.
"Bukayo has dreamed of playing for Arsenal since he was a little boy," the man said. "This is where his friends are. This is where his life is. We appreciate your offer, but we want him to stay here."
Saka himself nodded slowly. "I want to fight for my place at Arsenal. Coach Emery believes in me. I want to prove him right."
The meeting ended politely. Niklas shook everyone's hands and wished them well. As he walked back to the car, he felt the weight of the failure. This was his first real transfer rejection of the summer.
Jonas waited in the car. "No luck?"
Niklas shook his head. "Emery has them tight in his grasp. The boy also loves the club and his family is settled. Arsenal is giving him a clear path. I can't compete with that kind of emotional pull right now... But I also won't give up so easily. We need to get this done before he signs a professional contract."
He sat quietly for a moment, then added, "We almost got him. But almost is not enough."
On the way back into central London, Niklas asked the driver to stop at another training ground. He had one more target in mind, Emile Smith Rowe. The young attacking midfielder was another Hale End product. Niklas spent an hour speaking with Smith Rowe's representatives. The boy was talented and creative, exactly the kind of player who could add depth to his attack.
But Arsenal blocked this move even faster, frustrating him further. Emery had marked Smith Rowe as another player for the future. The message was clear: Arsenal would not let more young English talents leave easily.
That evening, Niklas sat alone in his hotel room overlooking the Thames. The lights of London stretched out below him. He poured himself a glass of water and thought about the day.
He had flown across the continent expecting to bring back at least one, maybe two English wonders. Instead, he hit a wall. The Hale End connection was stronger than money. Emery's belief in the young players was real and also the defining factor. Arsenal's desire to keep homegrown talents for squad quotas made business difficult.
But Niklas refused to feel defeated. He picked up his phone and called Jonas.
"We didn't get Saka or Smith Rowe," he said. "But that's okay. It tells us something important. We need to make HSV a place where young players feel the same emotional pull that Arsenal gives them. We build our own Hale End. Stronger. Smarter. With better wages and better development."
Jonas laughed on the other end. "So what now?"
Niklas paused for a long while in thought. His eyes finally lit up and he replied. "I need you to get in touch with Le Professeur and set up a meeting in Monaco. He's our only hope of convincing these young lads from Hale End."