Dortmund Airport.
This was probably one of the smallest airports Jin Hayes had ever been to—comparable to an old train station in a small town. It had only one terminal building and just three security checkpoints: A, B, and C. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows not far away, two or three planes on the runway were directly visible. Most of the airport's flights were budget airlines, offering a relatively basic experience.
Aunt Maria had originally suggested Jin Hayes fly from Düsseldorf or Frankfurt, but Jin Hayes chose to fly from Dortmund for convenience—which turned out to be a mistake. Looking at the long queue for security in front of him, Jin Hayes regretted not listening to her advice.
"So, why did you come along too?"
"For tourism, what else?"
"Alright."
The young woman beside him, dressed in a simple striped T-shirt and low-rise jeans, stood out in the crowd. People kept turning their heads to look in their direction. Jin Hayes couldn't help but sigh—every time he went out with Anna, the return rate was very high.
After all, she had shot for fashion magazines multiple times since her debut, and large advertisements featuring Anna could occasionally be seen in Dortmund's commercial district. Her stage name "Aether Hirsch" was gradually becoming well-known. Combined with her usual outstanding demeanor, it was normal for people to stare at her on the street.
Just then, another group of high school-aged girls excitedly rushed toward Anna. Anna remained expressionless but was already prepared to be approached—but these girls actually bypassed her and directly surrounded Jin Hayes.
"Jin! Can I have an autograph?"
"Can I take a photo? Jin! I'm your fan!"
"Please don't leave. Stay in Dortmund!"
So they were looking for me!
Jin Hayes friendly signed autographs and took photos with the female fans, finally remembering that he was also a well-known star in Dortmund. Anna, meanwhile, watched Jin Hayes with a resentful look from the side. The female fans were practically burrowing into Jin Hayes's arms! Was it necessary to be so intimate?
After the satisfied female fans dispersed, Anna quietly came over to Jin Hayes, mimicking the affected tone of the girls just now: "Jin, I'm also your fan. Give me an autograph!"
"Alright."
Without a word, Jin Hayes grabbed her fair, slender arm and was about to write on it with a marker.
"Hey!" Anna looked at him with an incredulous, blushing face.
Jin Hayes, however, looked innocent: "Didn't you want an autograph?"
"Forget it."
Anna realized that Jin Hayes was deliberately annoying her.
"By the way, why did you suddenly decide to travel to China?" Jin Hayes had always been curious.
After the final match against Bayern Munich, the Dortmund club had officially gone on holiday. Theoretically, Jin Hayes's loan contract with Dortmund had ended. In ten days, Jin Hayes would turn sixteen, and he was about to officially become a signed player for Arsenal's first team, subject to Arsenal's deployment next season. Jin Hayes also had no reason to continue living with the Heinrich family.
However, Arsène Wenger had stated that due to work permit issues, Jin Hayes would temporarily be unable to play in the Premier League next season. The club was currently using the once-a-year "Special Talent Clause"—a real provision in UK immigration rules for exceptional talent—to appeal to the FA for a work permit, and was preparing materials for a hearing in the near future. If the application succeeded, Jin Hayes could play for Arsenal next season. If it failed, Jin Hayes would still be loaned to another league.
Wenger had been troubled by this recently.
"Jin, why don't you go back home for a holiday first? I'll inform you of any progress as soon as possible."
Coincidentally, Jin Hayes had been homesick for a long time and wished he could fly back immediately. The Heinrichs had also wanted to invite Jin Hayes to Austria to watch the European Championship, but Jin Hayes politely declined, citing homesickness. Unexpectedly, Anna suddenly jumped in and suggested going to China with Jin Hayes for the summer holiday.
"Aren't you interested in the European Championship?"
"I was quite interested." Anna pouted, rolling her eyes at Jin Hayes. "But you spoiled it by saying Spain would win."
"I just guessed casually."
"Whatever. I lost interest after you said it… You don't want to be with me?"
Anna's expression suddenly became very disappointed.
Jin Hayes initially really didn't want to go with her. Going back home was supposed to be free and easy—but having a German beauty by his side would require him to spend energy taking care of her and taking her out. It seemed troublesome just thinking about it. But Anna had longed for China for a long time, and seeing her pitiful expression, Jin Hayes felt a little soft-hearted.
*Status debuff: Blockhead in full effect
"That's not it. It's a good opportunity to show you around."
"That's good."
Anna's pretty face once again wore a serene smile.
"Attention passengers for Istanbul, your flight PC1052 is now boarding…"
Hearing the announcement, the two quickly pulled their suitcases and headed to the boarding gate.
...
At the same time, Arsenal's training ground in North London.
Club owner Stan Kroenke sat in his executive chair with his arms crossed, silently observing the argument between head coach Arsène Wenger and chief executive Ivan Gazidis.
Kroenke had been building his stake in Arsenal over the previous year, and by 2008 he had become a significant shareholder—with ambitions for full control. This North American sports and entertainment magnate had set his sights firmly on the Premier League market. Arsenal was undoubtedly a cash cow in his eyes.
To help curb Wenger's authority, Kroenke had overseen the departure of CEO Keith Edelman and brought in Ivan Gazidis, a former MLS executive, as the club's new chief executive. According to Kroenke's thinking, the traditional English football manager had far too much power. Coaches should focus on team tactics, while transfers and commercial operations should be handled by more professional people.
Wenger knew the new regime was difficult to deal with. He usually tolerated it, but this time, he absolutely could not.
"We need to appeal again. Otherwise we will lose a genius."
"Is that really necessary?" Gazidis sat on the sofa, legs crossed, looking unconcerned. "He just turned sixteen this year. It's hard to say what his future holds. Besides, his success in Germany doesn't mean he can adapt to the Premier League."
"How will we know if we don't try? I'm confident he can lead this team to a championship."
"Okay, even if Jin is very strong. But we've already done our best." Gazidis spread his hands. "You know the rules. If he were Brazilian, the work permit would be much easier. The key is that he's a Chinese player with no senior national team appearances. The first application using the Special Talent Clause was rejected. A second attempt has very little chance."
"Then what about a larger budget to smooth things over with the FA panel? Using Jin's reputation in Germany and his contributions, we could still succeed."
"No. It would be a waste of money. I advise you to use that budget on transfers instead. Isn't it better to bring in proven players?"
"But—"
"Enough."
Kroenke stroked his white beard, unhurriedly took a cigar from the box, gently trimmed it, lit it, and took a leisurely puff. Watching the smoke curl upward, Wenger sat back on the sofa in disgust.
"Let's talk about reinforcements," Kroenke said. "You mentioned Samir Nasri last time. His transfer fee has been negotiated down to twelve million pounds. I think it's a good deal."
"Exactly!" Gazidis quickly chimed in. "Nasri is your French compatriot—he'll listen to you. He's a French prodigy, the so-called 'new Zidane,' a standout from the 2004 European Under-17 Championship. The two brightest young stars from that tournament—Fàbregas and Nasri—would have excellent chemistry together in the squad. He can pass, dribble, and finish. Much stronger than that Chinese player who only knows how to dribble and can't shoot, right?"
The chief executive had a point. Nasri was a talent Wenger valued, but his potential ceiling was nowhere near Jin Hayes's. The problem was that the owners could only see immediate ability; they couldn't see a player's long-term ceiling.
Wenger also had no way to prove how high Jin Hayes's ceiling was—he lacked sufficient convincing evidence. Jin Hayes had, after all, only played in the Bundesliga for half a season. No matter how outstanding his performances, they weren't as reliable as those of a twenty-one-year-old with multiple seasons under his belt.
"So what do we do?" Wenger asked.
"My suggestion is to sell him directly. Since he can't play in the Premier League, why not cash in?" Gazidis clicked open a webpage on his computer. "Look at the German transfer market. Jin's value has already reached thirteen million euros—almost exactly Nasri's asking price."
"I think it's acceptable." Kroenke took another puff of his cigar, his gaze fixed on Wenger.
The owner had already made his decision. What could Wenger do? Nominally, he was still the "football manager" who controlled transfers, but in reality, he still had to listen to the board.
"Alright. Handle it."
Wenger sighed deeply, slumping powerlessly onto the sofa. He added one last sentence, hoping to make Jin Hayes's career development smoother.
"My advice is to continue contacting Dortmund. They will be very happy to facilitate this transaction."