Between the two legs against Atlético Madrid, there was a Bundesliga match on the weekend. To fully deal with Atlético Madrid and ensure a flawless entry into the Champions League group stage, Klopp adopted a partial rotation in the league. Many key players had played ninety minutes, and the high-intensity two-match week was too draining. Playing substitute players could train new talents and also give the main squad enough time to rest.
Under these circumstances, 18-year-old newcomer İlkay Gündoğan, who had just joined the team, made his first-team debut.
"I'm starting!!" İlkay Gündoğan was understandably overjoyed, his excitement making him look like he had just won the lottery.
As İlkay Gündoğan's senior in the starting lineup, Nuri Şahin couldn't help but tease his younger teammate. "İlkay, you're still too green. When I first started, I was completely calm and collected."
Before Nuri Şahin could finish boasting, Mats Hummels interjected. "Don't believe him. Şahin was even more excited than you when he first started. He was practically bouncing off the walls."
"You—!"
"What? I'm not lying. If you don't believe me, ask Jin!" Hummels quickly used Jin Hayes as a shield.
"Childish." The 16-year-old calmly retorted to the two youths who were four years older than him.
Jin Hayes was also rotated by the coaching staff and was temporarily placed on the bench for the weekend. If everything went smoothly, that would be fine. But if they encountered a crisis in the second round of the Bundesliga away against Cottbus, Jin Hayes would be the team's last resort.
"Can I do it?" İlkay Gündoğan couldn't help but feel a little worried. His position was the main defensive midfielder, the central organiser for the entire field. With Sebastian Kehl and Jin Hayes absent, the team's offensive and defensive transitions and tempo changes would all depend on İlkay Gündoğan himself. He worried that he couldn't handle such a significant responsibility.
"What are you panicking about? Look at Jin. He was only fifteen last season and already carried a huge burden. You'll definitely be fine," Nuri Şahin comforted him from the side.
In reality, İlkay Gündoğan's presence already posed a threat to Nuri Şahin. Şahin, who had debuted at seventeen, prided himself on being a Bundesliga prodigy. He had broken the record for the youngest appearance in the league. All of Europe had reported on him, and he was being watched by giants like Manchester United, Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Bayern.
Şahin originally thought he was a one-in-a-million player and would surely become the world's best in the future. But putting aside Messi at Barcelona and Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United, the fifteen-year-old Jin Hayes, who was on loan at Dortmund, had completely made Şahin lose confidence. Later, he came to terms with reality: a talent like Jin Hayes was a once-in-a-century occurrence, and there was no point comparing himself to him.
However, the team then signed İlkay Gündoğan, who had similar attributes to his own. His footwork, passing vision, defensive positioning, and shooting ability didn't have much of an advantage over Gündoğan—only his experience in official matches was richer. Gündoğan was even stronger in physical confrontation. With just one season of training, Gündoğan's ceiling might surpass his own.
Good friends were good friends, but Şahin had already felt the threat from Gündoğan. It was like a veteran in the workplace who had worked for three to five years suddenly discovering that a newly hired graduate was stronger and more competitive. The boss would definitely choose the younger graduate with a lower salary, and he himself was very likely to be phased out. At twenty years old, Şahin had already learned what workplace anxiety felt like.
…
In Madrid, inside the luxurious Ritz Hotel Presidential Suite.
Florentino Pérez casually wore a hotel bathrobe, crossed his legs, and smoked a cigar. Sitting in front of him was an old acquaintance. Dressed in a suit and tie, with a neatly tied knot, he looked like a meticulous professional.
"Jorge, what's the word?"
"Mr. Florentino—"
"Stop the nonsense. Just tell me if it can be done. Give me a clear answer."
"Yes." Jorge Mendes smiled freely. Even if Florentino wasn't the president of Real Madrid, the aura he had cultivated from his long career in politics and business was still powerful. Since that was the case, Mendes didn't hide anything.
"Then I'll be direct. The deal is not a problem. It's just that Real Madrid will need to pay an astronomical transfer fee—one that could make history."
"Higher than Zidane?"
"Yes, much higher. You need to be mentally prepared. For example—one hundred."
"Oh? That high." Florentino calmly exhaled a smoke ring.
The "one hundred" Mendes mentioned was certainly not one hundred euros. That was one hundred million—one hundred million euros. Any ordinary person would say he was crazy. How could a player be worth a hundred million? It made no sense.
That year's most expensive transfer, Robinho, was €42.5 million—already an astronomical fee in 2008 football. World-class superstars generally moved for between ten and thirty million; anything more expensive was considered excessive. The world transfer record holder, Zinedine Zidane, had cost €77.5 million. That signing had also been led by Florentino, marking the official formation of Real Madrid's first Galácticos era.
With that era ending and Barcelona gradually rising that year, Real Madrid faced issues like an aging squad, insufficient competitiveness, and a chaotic dressing room. The La Liga title was probably not going to be retained.
Facing potential future turmoil, Florentino, who had been lying low, smelled an opportunity to make a comeback. If he were to run for Real Madrid's presidency again, he had to bring a bombshell to ensure his success—just as he had poached Luís Figo from Barcelona back then.
On the coffee table, the photo in the dossier was his top target. The number seven wearing a red jersey. The new king of the Theatre of Dreams, Sir Alex Ferguson's most prized disciple. Florentino was confident in making this deal happen; poaching the number seven from Manchester United wasn't the first time, so it was familiar territory.
"One hundred million it is. Money is not an issue." The astronomical sum rolled off Florentino's tongue as lightly as spending fifteen euros on a restaurant meal.
"Good! With your word, I can go negotiate." Mendes laughed confidently. As long as the money was in place, there was no club he couldn't convince. He didn't care if the player was considered unsellable by Manchester United; he was confident that the move would happen next season.
"By the way, besides him, do you have anyone else to recommend? I also plan to sign Kaká, but the midfield needs to be strengthened."
"I do have a candidate."
"Is it that Chinese player you like the most? How much? I'll take him."
"Wait—" Mendes quickly stopped Florentino. "He's rather special and not suitable for Real Madrid at the moment."
"Trying to raise the price? I'll offer fifty million." Florentino quoted a price even higher than most transfer records at the time. Even Mendes couldn't help but be stunned. Mr. Florentino really dared to speak!
"It's not about the money. He needs a more suitable environment for growth. Even if he leaves Dortmund next season, Real Madrid is not the most suitable team for him."
Jin Hayes had already become the most special player under Mendes's wing. With Mendes's foresight, he couldn't even judge Jin Hayes's potential ceiling. Almost every season, even every month, he could see significant changes in the young player. Unlimited potential.
Florentino was destined to build Galácticos 2.0, and Jin Hayes was clearly not suitable for growing in a team full of superstars. The coach's tactical arrangements would definitely place the tactical focus on Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaká, and others.
If Jin Hayes joined, at most he would serve as a supporting player or a utility man on the wing, unable to be the soul of the team. After all, in terms of fame and current ability on paper, there was still a gap between him and players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi, and Kaká. This was very detrimental to Jin Hayes's growth.
In contrast, Klopp was now unconstrained in his appointments, letting a 16-year-old play as an attacking midfielder, making him the tactical core and soul of the entire Dortmund team. This heavy responsibility would not crush Jin Hayes but would instead allow him to grow rapidly and rise to become a terrifying presence in future football.
Considering Jin Hayes's career, Mendes decisively rejected Florentino. Even if he offered €100 million, Mendes would not be tempted. Compared to a huge transfer fee commission, Mendes hoped more to see a future king who would dominate the world.
"Alright, alright, your precious darling. I won't touch him, okay?" Florentino didn't expect Mendes to be so firm and reluctantly compromised. "But there has to be someone in midfield—"
Looking at the midfield lineup of Gago, veteran Guti, workhorse Diarra, and Rafael van der Vaart, it was simply unbearable. Only Wesley Sneijder was a decent star, but his temperament didn't quite fit Real Madrid.
"I have a recommendation, though he's not under my agency—Liverpool's midfield core, Xabi Alonso."
"Oh? Interesting." Xabi Alonso was more in line with Florentino's first choice.
"Anyone else?"
"Dortmund's current midfielder, the talented youngster Nuri Şahin."
"Emmm—I'll consider it. As for Manchester United's number seven, I'll leave it to you."
"Don't worry."
"Happy cooperation!"
"Happy cooperation."
Jin Hayes didn't realise that the breeze stirred by the butterfly effect had already set the gears of fate in motion. The predicted football landscape had changed due to his existence. Deals that were originally supposed to form years later had already begun to show signs. Just as Nuri Şahin felt threatened by İlkay Gündoğan, his agent had already received a call from Madrid. Even Jin Hayes himself was almost targeted as prey by football's giants.
At that moment, he was still troubled by two things: the second leg against Atlético Madrid next week—they had to defeat Atlético Madrid in one go—and the cost of the "Physical Full-Level Talent."
"I really seem to have forgotten how to flirt." Facing Anna's text message, Jin Hayes was momentarily at a loss for how to reply. No matter how he replied, it felt like something was missing.
"Jin Hayes, warm up!"
"Coming!"
For the second round of the Bundesliga, away against Cottbus, Jin Hayes hesitated in the away dressing room and locked his phone in the locker.
Who cares! My main quest isn't dating. I'm here to chase my dream. Women? Stand aside for now. Football is my true love!
On the other side, Anna sat on the sofa, curled up like a kitten in her usual posture. Holding her phone, she looked exactly like someone waiting anxiously for a reply. Her heart was filled with unease.
"What, Jin still hasn't replied to you?" Frank, who was on rest leave and hadn't travelled with the team, held a beer and looked at his sister, finding it amusing. For the first time in his life, he saw his sister so conflicted over a man. How could the old Anna have such troubles? She used to ignore those little boys at school, looking down on them. Sure enough, my charm as the King of Westfalen is great enough!
"None of your business, nah nah nah!" Anna made a face in annoyance.
"Pfft! With that attitude, I won't tell you what Jin said before he left."
"What did he say?" Anna's ears perked up, and she suddenly looked up, still like a kitten hearing a rustle in the grass.
"He said—oh, the match has started! I'll tell you after the game."
"You!" Anna angrily threw a pillow at him.
"Anna!! Don't disturb us watching the match. Jin might play today."
"Everyone's bullying me!! Waaah—!"
The whole family was focused on the TV; only Anna's world was hurting.