Chapter 147 – Transfer Theory (1)

147

After returning from a winter break, the club was full of vitality.
We had a successful first half and we played hard for two weeks. There is certainly a reason why the Bundesliga consistently performs well in European competitions.

There are long breaks in between so players can recharge.
… It’s not a story about taking a break. In fact, experts also cite the long winter break as one of the Bundesliga’s greatest competitiveness.

The Bundesliga has an average of one month of rest, but this year, a three-week break was given, which was reduced by one week due to the World Cup.

However, the actual team enjoyed only about two weeks.
If you really take 3 weeks of rest, you have to play the next day with a full body, but common sense makes no sense.

January 11, 6 days before the start of the second half.
Frankfurt’s official schedule has resumed. Time to reheat and quench the stretched body.

“Heh, heh…”

After all, no matter how much physical training you do, you won’t be able to adapt.
As I calmed down and sat down, the physical fitness coach came rushing to me.

“Hey, Hong! Get up! Get up and rest!”
“Ja.”

As I stand up and rest with my hands on my hips, the stress I have suffered from reporters is relieved. After all, it’s refreshing to sweat.

Anyway, what’s the mood like today?
No matter how much the vacation has just ended, I am dissatisfied with the appearance of the athletes who are exceptionally unable to concentrate on training.

If I were the captain, I would say one thing, but no matter how ace you are, you transferred this year, and the youngest level comes out….

It’s not that Europe doesn’t have a culture of seniors and juniors.
This is also a place where people live, so there is no hierarchy. Of course, there isn’t a military-style hierarchy like Korea in the 90s, but even so, it’s a bit overkill for a ‘newbie’ to point out the attitude of a ‘veteran’.

‘Ah. Is it because it’s the transfer period?’

Come to think of it, it is now the winter transfer period.
As soon as they are promoted from the second division, the Frankfurt squad that creates a sensation in the Bundesliga and Europa League is enough for clubs that need immediate power to salivate.

First of all, since I came up from the second division, the ransom and salary of the players are relatively cheap.
Besides, the club is on a winning streak, so the evaluation of the players can only be relatively poor.

It is an environment where there is no choice but to be tempted to take advantage of this opportunity by transferring, even if I am in the position of another player.

Frankfurt is not the only team in the world that has caused a sensation after coming up from the second division, and countless teams have created a sensation in the meantime, whether it is a promotion or a team that has been bilking in the lower ranks.

But why would a gust end in a gust?
There are factors such as checking and analyzing other clubs, but the biggest factor is the failure to prevent the outflow of key players.

Whether it’s a promoted team or a lower tier team, they can’t compete with big clubs financially, so they can’t attract outstanding players.
That’s why the atmosphere is so messy.

Thing true… The club is on the rise, so what kind of transfer is it? I’ll do it after the season… It was when I was thinking about it.

“Minjun Minjun!”

Chicharo, who had finished training first, came running with his hands clutching something. Next to him is the team’s midfielder Sergei and left defender Bruno.

Including me, all the members that fans call the future four members of the eagle corps have gathered.
I’m the youngest at 21, followed by Bruno and Sergei at 23, the shortest but the oldest at Chicharo at 25, so if you’re young, you’re on the young side.

“What’s with the sudden rush?”
“Tell me! Who’s right!?”

He was shaking something he was clutching and saying something out of the blue, so I did something…

『Hong Min-joon’s girl?』

Under the title of the article, there were printed side by side photos of me with Oh Harin, Yoon Daye, and Heeyeon noona respectively.

“To me, Miss Oh is Minjun’s girl. I’m sure. I saw her the other day, and the look in her eyes looking at Minjun was that of a woman in love?”
“Ah~ Miss Yoon. Did you guys see the gaze of Yoon who always follows Min-jun?”
“Oh really. What do people who aren’t married know? You can’t believe everything on the outside. They look like these two, but in real life, Min-jun’s girl must be this tennis player, right?”
“…”

I’m bored, really.
After revealing her girlfriend, her stress is not the only one because of reporters and paparazzi who persistently followed her.

Originally, the private life of a soccer player does not create a big repercussion unless it has serious moral, ethical, and legal problems, but why am I like this?

It has already been 4 months that I endured, thinking that it would be like this, it would be volatile interest.
Far from subsiding, people’s interest grew more and more.

Oh Harin and Yoon Daye said it was because I became an idol, different from a normal soccer player… Ha, I’m really tired even though I’m so handsome.

Ignoring the chattering idiot trio and continuing to stretch, the atmosphere was strange.
It’s strange when you think about it. No matter how casual and thoughtless these guys are, they haven’t lived in Europe for a year or two, where privacy is important, and they’re not the ones who will persistently ask about other people’s girlfriends.

“What are you doing? What’s wrong?”
“Uh… Well… Nothing happenedhehe.”

The faces of the three awkwardly smiling faces look equally stupid as if they were stamped on a plate.

“It’s okay, so tell me quickly. Why are you so upset?”
“That’s it… Minjun, are you transferring?”
“What?”
“Transfer… I’m sorry, I know I shouldn’t ask these things, but I still care too much. Isn’t Min-joon transferring?”
“What nonsense are you talking about all of a sudden? Why am I transferring?”
“That’s because the newspapers are talking about your transfer…”
“What’s new? Did you flirt once or twice?”

I’m annoyed, but my expression is strange.

“Minjun. It’s not a joke.”

At the same time, it shows the wad of paper and the screen of the cell phone that was secretly hidden.

As well as a heartwarming article posted this morning by The Guardian’s Christoph Teruer, a well-known journalist who is quite well-matched, Jochen Koenen, editor-in-chief of Sport Bild, and the Frankfurt newsletter Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

What’s this.
Chelsea bid? Are Manchester United and Newcastle bidding after that?

It’s a transfer rumor I’ve never heard of, but it’s not a crap press like The Sun or Donballon, it’s not a credible media company, and an article written by the editor himself under his own name can’t be simple crap.

Shit… How is it going

“Minjoon.”
“You’re not really transferring…?”

I was really anxious, but when I saw the three idiots who looked more anxious than me, I crumpled the newspaper casually with a calm expression.

“What about the transfer. I haven’t even heard of it.”

Somehow, I thought the team members were hanging around today… Even now, the team members who prick up their ears pretending not to hear are walking around.

“Hong! Call the director. Go to the director’s office.”

I was organizing my thoughts pretending to stretch as if nothing happened, but one of the coaches shouted.
Shit. I have to secretly convey those things. What if I openly do this in the current situation? That idiot can’t even read the atmosphere.

As I enter the director’s office with a puzzled expression on my face, director Franz Balder smiles and gestures as usual.

“Sit down. What would you like? Coffee? Juice? Tea?”
“Bottled water-“
“Ah. By the way, they’re learning the tea ceremony these days. It’s an East Asian tradition, right? I really like it. From the temperature of the water to the temperature of the teacup, you have to handle it delicately.”
“Hmm. I’m bottled water—”
“I made up my mind and bought a famous tea this time. Is it the tea that the Chinese emperor drank in the past? The name is… Yes. Ziu Yuxin?”
“…I’ll drink it thanks.”

No matter how much I think about it, I’ve never heard of a car like Tzuyu Xin.
Could it be that you were scammed by a fake made in China?

I took a sip at the beckoning of the director who gave me the brewed tea with a serious expression.
Well…

“How about it. Is it delicious?”
“…I’m suing you.”

… It’s green tea

“Actually, I thought I could stay with you for two more years.”
“Cool!”

I almost sprayed the car at the attack that came in unexpectedly.
Is this inspiration tank a surprise attack?

“However, you are a better player than I thought. Even I, who was sure that you would become a world-class player, did not expect this kind of growth.”

I wondered if the transfer offer really came.
Then why didn’t O’Harin contact me… Ah… Come to think of it, when you train, you leave your phone in the locker room.

Perhaps by now, I have dozens of calls and messages from Oh Harin piled up on my cell phone.

“Director. I’m sorry, but I don’t know the situation yet. May I know what’s going on?”

In response to my question, the director handed out the documents.

“It’s a transfer offer. They sent it to Chelsea, Manchester United and Newcastle this morning as if it were a competition.”

It was real.
I guessed that, but when I saw the documents in front of my eyes, it felt realistic.

Chelsea, Manchester United, Newcastle.
They are all EPL teams. Well, since the EPL is a place that has more money than any other league, it must be spending a lot of money in the winter transfer market.

Even if Frankfurt isn’t financially rich, it’s not a lacking club.
Besides, I still have 3 years left on my contract, so I wouldn’t even have a meeting with the coach like this for a decent amount of money.

I checked the documents to see how much the EPL trio had spent.
Let’s stay 30M, 32M, 34M is over 30 million euros. Then to Hanwha… 40 billion to 45 billion?

“Huh… The minimum price is 30 million euros. Certainly, the EPL teams are rich. But considering my age, growth expectations, role and performance in the club, and above all, the winter transfer market, it’s not enough to sell.”
“Hey. You’re misunderstanding something.”

Uh? What?
Frankfurt is a club that is struggling financially enough to sell me for 40 billion right now… ?

No, no matter what anyone says, I am the core of the team right now.
In addition, the Bundesliga championship race is in progress, and the Europa League also advanced to the finals as 1st place in the group. 40 billion is a lot of money, but I’m selling it with ‘barely’?

“First look at the symbol. It’s the pound, not the euro.”
“So 30 to 34 million pounds?”

If the pound… 50 billion?

“And that’s not the total. It’s much bigger when you include options.”

I hurriedly flipped the back page.
Total including options… 50m? 50 million pounds?

“80 billion…!”