Half a month ago, the outside world was still madly discussing how strong the players from the Tang Kingdom could be.
Now, everyone is talking about how to snatch up this player and not be beaten to the punch.
After the match, the Arsenal locker room was in a celebratory mood, toasting this hard-won victory!
During his free time, Cao Baiming found a spot to rest and received two system notifications.
"New season achievement unlocked: Ten consecutive league wins! Reward: 100,000 points!"
"New season task completed: Scored braces in three consecutive matches! Reward: 50,000 points!"
Cao Baiming was surprised. When did the system become so generous!
That top-tier talent in the exchange system only cost a million points. It didn't seem that far off. Maybe with some saving, it was actually achievable?
Meanwhile, the Manchester City locker room was deathly silent. Guardiola was preparing his post-match interview talking points.
In Manchester City's executive offices, several high-level officials were already discussing Cao Baiming, the defender who couldn't even trap the ball properly but had an 85% shooting success rate!
Manchester City's owner's evaluation of Cao Baiming: An outrageous player.
Guardiola was already captivated, and the thought of poaching Cao Baiming had crossed his mind.
He had only signed a one-year short-term contract with Arsenal. Even if he waited, it would only be for one season.
However, Guardiola didn't want to wait. It was like a fine gem had appeared before his eyes; if he didn't reach out and grab it quickly, what if someone else snatched it away!
Arriving at the executive offices, Guardiola planned to get straight to the point!
To his surprise, as soon as he entered the office, the executives were discussing the very name Cao Baiming!
Hearing the name, Guardiola went straight to the topic, following the executives' discussion, and voiced his thoughts.
"I want Cao Baiming. I want to bring him to our team!"
Upon hearing this, the executives were not surprised at all. Instead, they nodded vigorously.
"Exactly, I think we can make a move now. No matter what, we have to get him. It's good to start preparing early!"
Guardiola heard this and felt something was off.
Were they talking about waiting for his contract to expire? That was a whole year away!
"No, no, we need him now. His buyout clause is also very low. If we offer him five times his current salary, I don't believe he wouldn't come!"
Guardiola stated his proposal directly, but when it came to financial matters, these big bosses became cautious.
"We can get him directly next season without spending unnecessary money. Why pay extra?"
...
After a lengthy discussion, Guardiola realized he couldn't convince the executives in the short term.
Being the maverick he was, he wouldn't give up. Instead, he began planning his first private meeting with Cao Baiming!
The aftermath of this match's controversy only intensified as the night passed.
Thanks to this stunning comeback victory, Arsenal moved directly from fourth place to third, extending their unbeaten streak to sixteen matches across all competitions!
This consecutive streak even approached a record set by their own club a few years prior!
With only two league matches remaining, the suspense wasn't very high. They were virtually guaranteed a top-three finish, and the Arsenal club's higher-ups were quite satisfied.
The outside world was in an uproar, with many teams actively extending olive branches to Cao Baiming, some even reaching out faster than Guardiola! 138 reading network
The next evening, Cao Baiming received a dinner invitation from a Liverpool scout.
With a "might as well try" mindset, Cao Baiming accepted.
After all, it was just a chat. If he didn't agree, they couldn't force him. Plus, he could get a free fancy meal!
Cao Baiming arrived late. Seeing the older man sitting at the table, who was significantly older than himself, he immediately realized that he was negotiating with Liverpool's manager!
The old man was making a personal appearance?
As the first person to approach Cao Baiming, Klopp appeared very confident. He placed his hands on the table, a smile on his face, as he looked at Cao Baiming, who was walking over.
Looking around, the table was in a secluded corner, likely to avoid being photographed by scouts or the media.
After Cao Baiming sat down, Klopp finally spoke.
The content was nothing more than pleasantries, as Cao Baiming had expected. The goal was to poach him.
Cao Baiming listened, but his mind was churning with one question.
Where do I actually want to go?
A month ago, he wouldn't have had such a dilemma. Playing in the Premier League, even for a relegation-threatened team, would have made him ecstatic. But now, many top clubs were probably calculating their moves.
Cao Baiming listened to the pleasantries with a hint of disdain.
He wanted to skip past all this and get to the part about his benefits.
"Alright, alright, just tell me why you're here!"
Klopp was startled. As a head coach, he had never been spoken to like this before.
It was Paris, but this was Cao Baiming. He'd endure for now and focus on getting him back to the team first!
"Okay, you're a straight shooter, so let's cut the pretense..."
"The purpose of this visit is that Liverpool Football Club is interested in asking if you have any intention of joining our club..."
Klopp paused, awaiting Cao Baiming's reply.
However, Cao Baiming merely gave him a look and then turned his head back in silence.
Seeing this reaction, Klopp could only continue.
"Regarding compensation, you will absolutely not be shortchanged. Your current salary at your club is probably just a basic wage. Come here, and I can directly offer you five times your current basic weekly salary, plus a substantial signing bonus!"
"As for your position on the field, you can choose any position in the defense or midfield, and we'll have the players adapt to your rhythm!"
Hearing this, Cao Baiming's eyes lit up.
Directly making the team adapt to his rhythm? Was that even possible?
He hadn't expected them to start grandstanding right away!
"Are you serious?"
Cao Baiming asked with a smile, his expression suggesting he thought Klopp's words were a joke.
"Don't worry! I'm the head coach of the team, I won't lie to you!"
Cao Baiming said no more, wanting Klopp to continue discussing his compensation.
As he listened, the food arrived, and Cao Baiming began to eat.
After eating his fill and listening to everything, Cao Baiming suddenly stood up.
"No problem, I'll consider it!"
After saying this, he turned and left, heading for the exit.
Klopp was left stunned in his seat, somewhat bewildered.
He... he just left like that?
Watching Cao Baiming's receding back as he left the restaurant, Klopp finally accepted it with a sigh.
Stepping out of the restaurant, the sky had already darkened. The indigo sky, and the streetlights had just lit up. Cao Baiming gazed into the distance.