However, after sifting through a full three pages of invitation letters, Cao Faming finally spotted an email with a peculiar signature compared to the others.
Amidst a uniform collection of emails from the world's top clubs, one stood out: an offer from Espanyol, a Spanish team not considered particularly outstanding in La Liga.
Cao Baming's eyes lit up.
Was this the only email? Was there truly only one club that wasn't a powerhouse?
With this question in mind, Cao Baming meticulously reviewed the entire three pages of emails. They were filled with other information, but regarding club invitations or what seemed like flattery, he had already skimmed through them. He could now definitively confirm that this was indeed the only team.
Not seeing any weak clubs from the Premier League as he had initially hoped, Cao Baming felt a tinge of disappointment. After all, his preferred choice would have been to remain in the Premier League, a league he deeply admired. The competitive intensity and standard of play in that league were top-tier among the Big Five, a fact universally acknowledged.
What could be more exhilarating than leaving Arsenal, joining a weaker team, and then completely dismantling his former club in a league match? Nothing could compare to such excitement.
Even coveted clubs like Everton, Wolves, and Crystal Palace showed no signs of contact, and there were no external rumors. Cao Baming's agent, Mike, had also received no news from these teams.
Upon reflection, it wasn't entirely their fault. Cao Baming was aware of his current market value. Even if these teams dared to borrow five hundred courage from the heavens, they wouldn't directly make such a request.
It wasn't that they didn't want to sign Cao Baming. How could that be? Any club in the world, any team, wouldn't need him?
They wanted to sign him, but they lacked the means and the strength. Ultimately, it came down to the most realistic problem: they had neither the money nor the capability to afford him.
So, where did Espanyol get the audacity to send an email? At this point, Cao Baming found himself somewhat intrigued by them. At least their attitude seemed a bit unconventional compared to the other teams.
Upon closer inspection, the email was sent by a high-level executive from Espanyol, not the head coach. Typically, player recruitment was handled by a member of the coaching staff. To show sincerity, the head coach might meet with the player beforehand.
However, this email originated from Espanyol's executive level, and the sender directly stated their identity in the first sentence.
Cao Baming began to feel a flicker of interest, as this was quite an unusual occurrence.
He carefully read through the contents of the email. In terms of clarity, the message wasn't entirely straightforward; it felt like there were hidden meanings and unspoken implications. Nevertheless, it did present an invitation, which was quite explicit.
As he had anticipated, Espanyol wanted to lure Cao Baming to play for their team during the transfer window.
Furthermore, if he were to join, he would be the undisputed core player, with all decisions resting with him.
Even some of the coach's authority would be transferred to Cao Baming. Such an offer was undoubtedly brimming with sincerity.
It seemed that an email from a high-level executive was not so inexplicable after all. Perhaps the head coach's position wasn't high enough within the club's hierarchy.
Cao Faming mused that it was indeed interesting. If he remembered correctly, Wu Lei, another player from China, was currently playing for Espanyol.
If he were to go to that team, meeting a fellow countryman and a national teammate would be a positive development. Therefore, Cao Baming gently clicked the save button on this email and moved it to another folder.
As for the other emails, such as those from Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City, despite their full sincerity, Cao Baming had no interest. He didn't even bother to open them and simply deleted them all.
The emails might have mentioned the benefits and treatment upon joining the team, but these were unimportant to Cao Baming. In terms of money, he wasn't lacking. Regarding team strength, it wasn't a critical factor at the moment.
After careful consideration, Cao Baming directly called his agent, Mike, and conveyed his thoughts and intentions.
The decision-making process among these favored teams would be a joint effort. Mike would be responsible for gathering information on these clubs and personally traveling to negotiate with their executives. Cao Baming would only need to make the final decision.
Time flew by. In the blink of an eye, the clock on his phone had advanced by an hour. As expected, when a person is deeply engrossed in thought, time seems to pass much faster than anticipated.
Coupled with his enhanced temporal perception, Cao Baming felt this phenomenon was even more pronounced than before or compared to others. He felt as though only ten minutes had passed, yet an entire hour had elapsed. This was somewhat surreal.
While he couldn't make a decision about his team yet, the process had begun. He had at least two months to make his final choice, which was ample time. For now, he could shift his attention to another equally important matter.
This matter had been in his mind and in the planning stages for quite some time: Cao Baming wanted to buy a team. This team was almost certainly confirmed, and that team was Manchester United.