Chapter 101: Management pressure, Lopetegui must make a choice

[Fans 123: Believe it or not, Jiang Yuan may even play in Porto's Champions League match! ]

What a joke!
Jiang Yuan laughed when he saw the comments from Crystal Fans 123.

It's not my decision whether to play or not, you said so...

[Ding, under the expectations of the fans, the host triggers a hidden mission - Champions League, Champions League! ]

[Task requirements: Find a way to play as a substitute in the Champions League quarter-final against Bayern]

[Task Reward: Mbappe Template Fragment 5%]

"???"

Jiang Yuan had a question mark on his face. What the hell does this mean?
Jiang Yuan now had only one thought in his mind, which was to fuck the dog of Uncle Tom next door, because he was really fucked now.

Champions League, don’t I know my own weight? If I play in the Champions League, let alone my performance on the sidelines, even getting on the field is a problem!

In this crucial game, it’s not that Lopetegui didn’t give Jiang Yuan any chances, but that he couldn’t give him any chances at all.

"Hey--"

Jiang Yuan let out a long sigh. If he had known this earlier, he would not have quarreled with this crystal fan. In the end, he was the one who felt uncomfortable.

According to previous experience, this kind of template fragment task is very difficult to trigger. If the task is not completed this time, Jiang Yuan will not know when he will trigger the task next time.

So, anyway…

"never mind!"

The best way to solve a problem is to avoid it.

Jiang Yuan turned off his phone, covered himself with the quilt, and fell asleep.

He knows his own limitations. A loser is a loser. Now if he plays in the Champions League knockout stage against Bayern, he won't stand a chance at all.

Mbappe template fragments, it’s better not to have them!

……

At night, the coach's office at the Gaya Training Center was brightly lit. The first leg of the Champions League match against Bayern would be held in three days, and the coaching staff did not go home tonight.

As for the reason for not going home, Lopetegui wanted to sort out the team's starting lineup in advance.

"Hermier, the defenders are still Danilo, Maicon, Indi, and Alex. Do you think there will be any problems?"

Lopetegui wrote the initials of four people on the paper with a marker.

Hemiel also had a document in his hand, which was the lineup used by Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga this season, as well as an offensive hot spot map: "Sir, the Germans are likely to use Robert and Thomas as double strikers, and the challenge we face is huge."

Lopetegui nodded. The Robert and Thomas mentioned by Hemiel were naturally the Pole Lewandowski and the German Thomas Muller.

Both of them have good goal-scoring ability, but Lewandowski is better at long-range shots and Muller is better at headers. This complementary double striker system will undoubtedly bring great challenges to Porto's defense in the penalty area.

Lopetegui continued to write down the starting lineup in the midfield: "Hector, Oliver, and Carlos... Casemiro is the key to the game. We need his sweeping ability. Those Germans run very fast!"

Hemiel nodded and said, "What about the forwards? Ricardo, Jackson, and Brahimi..."

"By the way, Brahimi hasn't been in very good form this month. Are you sure you want to put him in the starting lineup?"

Lopez took a deep breath and said, "How can this be possible? We no longer have a left winger who can sustain the intensity of the Champions League. Abubakar? No, he's too slow!"

"That's true, but if we talk about speed, Mr. Hullen, I think of someone..."

Hemiel licked his lips and asked tentatively.

"? You mean Jiang? No no no!"

Lopetegui shook his head repeatedly: "He is very talented. Maybe he can show his skills in the Champions League in the future, but not now. Hemiel, you know, the boy's technical characteristics are too extreme. We are playing in the Champions League, not the Portuguese Super League."

"Sir, you have to know that this kid has very amazing performances from time to time..."

Assistant coach Hemiel still wanted to speak for Jiang Yuan, because he was responsible for the free kick training of Jiang Yuan and Neves. Watching Jiang Yuan grow step by step, Hemiel had a special feeling for the young Chinese boy.

Lopetegui shrugged and wrote an "F" on the starting list, the abbreviation of goalkeeper Fabiano: "Hermier, as a coach, we prefer players with stable performances. Jiang can play volleys and pass wonderful outside insteps. However, his shortcomings are too obvious. He has no vision, and the choices he makes will be very problematic."

After saying that, Lopetegui took a pen and began to write the team's substitute list.

"Neves, Evandro, Hernani, Eltun, Quintero..."

Lopetegui wrote and thought, and finally wrote a capital Y.

"Hu Lun, this Y is..."

Hemiel asked curiously. He knew Lopetegui's habit of abbreviations. There was no Porto player with the abbreviation Y.

Wait……

Yuan...Jiang!

Hemiel suddenly realized: "Hu Lun, do you want Jiang to be the substitute?"

Lopetegui didn't say anything. It was obvious that he was very hesitant because the Y on the paper was written like a V, with a very short vertical line at the bottom. Lopetegui was reluctant to pull the tip of the pen down to make the Y complete.

"I need to think about it again. It's a fact that we don't have many forwards available, Hermione. Just like you said, I need to think about that Chinese kid. Jiang's recent performance is really good. I can consider letting him come on as a substitute for 10 minutes, or 15 minutes..."

"It's true that his skills are a bit extreme, but sometimes we just need his aggressiveness." Lopetegui put the cap on the pen. It seems that the match list will not be decided tonight.

At this time, Hemiel suddenly said: "By the way, Hu Lun, many teams have made offers for Jiang recently..."

Lopetegui waved his hand: "Let them go home and drink milk, you know, I can't sell Jiang"

Since winning the UEFA Youth League, there have been more and more offers for Jiang Yuan, most of which are from second-tier league teams, with prices ranging from 50 to 100 million euros.

Jiang Yuan's penalty is 130 million Euros, and none of the teams' offers exceed 100 million Euros.
"Well...but I think you still need to take a look, because Arsenal is one of these teams."

"?"

Hearing the word "Arsenal", Lopetegui suddenly raised his head.

"Arsenal? Do they know about Jiang Yuan's penalty? And don't you need a work permit to play football with the British? Isn't that a problem?"

Jiang Yuan's penalty clause is only 130 million euros. For the Premier League giants, this is just the weekly salary of all the starting players in the team.

"They have learned about it. The English are surprised by Jiang Yuan's penalty. They can afford it, but Hu Lun, now is not the transfer period, and it is useless for them to pay the penalty. As for the work permit... Arsenal seems to have some way to deal with it."

What Hemiel said is right. There are still at least two months before the transfer windows of the Portuguese Super League and the Premier League open. No matter how rich Arsenal is, they will not be able to get the player.

"Speaking of this, Mr. Hu Lun, the management hopes that you can come forward to negotiate a new contract with Jiang Yuan and increase his penalty as much as possible. The suggestion is that it would be best to increase it to 1000 million euros."

"What? Hemiel, what is the management thinking? I'm just the coach of the team. Weekly salary and liquidated damages are not my business!"

Lopetegui was speechless. If he had known what would happen last time, he would not have shown up.

Hemiel shrugged: "Huren, management just wants to make money"

"Asshole, I will never do this! This is not part of my job. Why don't the management talk to Jiang themselves?"

Lopetegui's attitude towards this is very firm.

"Hullen, Arsenal have already contacted the player. Under such circumstances, it is obviously impossible for us to suddenly increase his buyout clause from 130 million euros to 1000 million euros."

"Impossible, then is it possible for me?"

Lopetegui was very angry, but then he thought of something and his expression became solemn.

Hemiel continued, "There is no playing time clause in Jiang's contract. You know, the management wants you to use playing time to pressure Jiang to change his contract. He is still young, and it will be fatal for him if he can't play in the game."

"..."

Lopetegui remained silent. It has to be said that this move by the Porto management was really ruthless. There are still two months left before the end of the 14-15 season. If Lopetegui uses playing time to pressure Jiang Yuan, then Jiang Yuan must consider whether to change his contract.

After all, for a young player, not being able to play for two months is tantamount to wasting him.

What's more, Jiang Yuan is currently in a period of rapid increase in his value. His sudden inability to play football will inevitably slow down the rate at which his value increases.

"No, no!"

Lopetegui shook his head.

"As Jiang's coach, I can't do such a thing. Hemiel, you should know that strong players should get corresponding playing time. Capital is too controlling!"

Hemiel nodded: "Hu Lun, I understand the reason, but you have to understand that Jiang's current value will not be less than 500 million euros. If he does not sign a new contract, we will not be able to stop him from leaving as soon as the transfer window arrives."

(Liquidated penalty rule: If Team B is willing to pay liquidated damages for a player from Team A, but the player is unwilling to leave, then he can continue to stay with Team A; if Team B is willing to pay liquidated damages for a player from Team A, and the player is open to the transfer, then Team B cannot prevent the player from leaving the team)

By paying a penalty of 130 million euros, you can buy a young player worth at least 500 million euros. Even a fool can see that this deal is extremely cost-effective.

"Hu Lun, if you don't do this, management will most likely put pressure on you"

Hemiel reminded.

"Asshole, I was the one who arranged the transfer for Jiang. Do you know how much I spent on him?"

"0 Euro! 0 Euro! Do you know what this means? We have earned at least 100 million Euro, 100 million Euro!"

Lopetegui raised his hand and made a "1" gesture, his tone gradually becoming excited: "He is not even an adult, this kind of thing is too cruel for him. Can you imagine that a young player with good talent is not allowed to play by the coach because the penalty fee is too low? This is ridiculous!"

In any case, a player should not have to pay such a price for his talent, it is unreasonable and unfair.

Hemiel quickly urged Lopetegui to calm down: "I know it's unfair to the players, but I suggest you come forward. Because if you let the management handle this matter, Hulun, do you understand what I mean?"

"hiss--"

Hemiel's meaning is very clear. As the team's head coach, Lopetegui now has the initiative. If he were to come to negotiate, the situation would be much better. If the team's management came forward, Jiang Yuan might really have a falling out with the club.

"I'm really confused, Hermione, why are you telling me about this, Mateo, that bastard?"

"Hulun, Mateo asked me to tell you what he said to me, hahaha!"

Hemiel suddenly laughed.

"He said that if he were the one to inform you about this, he would be scolded 200 percent of the time. This bastard knew it was wrong but he still did it!"

"I would have scolded him even if he didn't say anything. So what if he's the team manager? He's an evil capitalist who only thinks about money!"

Lopetegui was muttering something, and no one knew what was going on in his mind.

……

(End of this chapter)