Starting With Real Madrid

Every head coach has their own philosophy and logic when building a team.

As Valdano and Sacchi once told Gao Shen, managers choose different tactical styles based on their personality and risk tolerance, and then select players accordingly.

But in terms of technical structure, the first step in team-building is almost always the same:

Establishing the central axis.

This means securing a top goalkeeper, center-back, central midfielder, and center-forward, the spine of the team.

In recent years, tactics like Roma's strikerless system and Barcelona's false nine with Messi have become popular, leading some to believe that European football no longer requires traditional center-forwards.

But that wasn't the case.

Roma played without a striker because they simply didn't have a reliable No. 9.

Barcelona used Messi as a false nine because Eto'o struggled to hold up the ball in central areas. Otherwise, why would Guardiola push so hard to sign Ibrahimović?

The center-forward role remains crucial. While its function might evolve, it is indispensable because the striker is closest to goal.

Regardless of whether a team prioritizes attack or defense, scoring goals is fundamental to winning in professional football.

A team can survive without traditional wingers, but it cannot function without a center-forward, especially when breaking down a deep defensive block.

However, with the rise of high pressing and possession-based football, the demands on strikers have increased.

In the past, strikers were judged only on goal-scoring. Then came the era of tactical strikers, players like Kluivert and Drogba, who contributed more than just goals.

Now, the modern striker must do even more.

Take Ibrahimović, for example.

Gao Shen had always believed that the Swedish forward would struggle at Barcelona.

At nearly two meters tall, Ibrahimović could never press and harass defenders with the same intensity as Barcelona's shorter, more agile players.

His rhythm simply didn't match the rest of the team.

A good comparison was Yaya Touré at Barcelona.

Despite his technical ability, Touré's height and movement frequency were not in sync with Barcelona's midfield.

But the key issue wasn't just Busquets replacing him, it was that Barcelona's system revolved around Xavi and Iniesta, not a physically dominant midfielder.

Ironically, when Touré later thrived at Manchester City, it was because the team played through him, allowing him to be the focal point in midfield, something he could never be at Barcelona.

…

Looking at Manchester City's current squad, almost the entire central axis needed reinforcement.

The investment required would be significant, and the challenge of integrating new signings would not be easy.

This made summer training camp crucial, and transfers needed to be wrapped up quickly.

For the striker position, the player Gao Shen wanted most was Benzema.

But Manchester United and Real Madrid were already in the race.

Even if Manchester City came in with a blank check, it would still be difficult to steal him from Real Madrid.

Based on the information Gao Shen received, Benzema had already reached an agreement with Real Madrid.

All of this… was Benzema's fault.

Why was he in such a hurry?

…

With Benzema off the table, Gao Shen had finalized his list of transfer targets and submitted it to Mubarak.

One of his key requests?

Signing Neymar from Santos.

According to Gao Shen's research, the young Brazilian had just broken into the first team and was already showing immense potential.

Given his current contract, Santos would likely accept a transfer as long as the offer was substantial enough.

…

After wrapping up his trip to the Middle East, Gao Shen flew back to Beijing on Emirates Airlines.

The moment he landed and got home, he immediately contacted his coaching staff in Europe.

First, he called Carlo.

Although Carlo was still on vacation, Gao Shen asked him to visit Manchester ahead of schedule.

His task?

Inspect Manchester City's Carrington training base.

Identify areas that needed upgrades.

Ensure new equipment was introduced as soon as possible.

Since the Abu Dhabi consortium had taken over, plans for a new training facility had been set in motion.

However, Gao Shen knew that in reality, the new facility wouldn't be ready for several years, so short-term renovations were necessary.

Carlo had worked with Gao Shen for three years, overseeing training operations. He knew exactly what Gao Shen and the coaching staff needed.

By going to Manchester early, Carlo could get a head start on preparations.

…

Gao Shen then called Lucas, who also had a major task ahead.

First, Lucas needed to track transfer market activity.

Monitor player movements across Europe.

Keep Gao Shen updated on transfer trends.

Identify potential targets that fit the team's needs.

Gao Shen already had specific targets in mind, but this was also an opportunity to train the scouting team.

After all, very few coaching staff members were deeply involved in transfer operations.

Even if Lucas didn't stay with Gao Shen forever, gaining hands-on experience in recruitment would boost his career, potentially making him a future technical director.

Additionally, Gao Shen assigned Lucas another major task:

Assemble Manchester City's new technical team.

The initial plan was to recruit five staff members under Lucas.

But if needed, more could be added later.

The good news was that Lucas had studied at Loughborough University and had strong connections in the industry.

Many of his former classmates and alumni now worked within English football, giving him an advantage in networking and gathering intelligence.

The Premier League was also the first European league to embrace data analysis in football.

Even Sir Alex Ferguson had once relied on data analysis to decide the sale of Jaap Stam—although, in hindsight, many saw it as a mistake.

…

"I figured you'd want to go to the Premier League."

Upon receiving confirmation from Gao Shen, Lucas smiled.

"I've been preparing for this."

Even while on vacation, Lucas had been keeping track of Premier League developments and collecting data on last season's performances to help Gao Shen and the coaching staff adapt more quickly to English football.

"I like a challenge," Gao Shen responded with a faint smile.

For him, taking charge of Manchester City in the Premier League was indeed a huge challenge.

It wasn't the first time he had overhauled a squad, but this time felt different.

At Napoli, Gao Shen had relied heavily on his foresight, scouting undervalued talents and developing them.

This time, he wanted to combine his scouting expertise with a more structured, long-term approach, preparing for a future where his transmigration advantage would eventually disappear.

Of course, he wasn't foolish enough to give up his advantage completely, as was the case with Neymar.

Simply put, he wanted to use this opportunity to challenge himself and refine his team-building philosophy.

…

"By the way, I have some news for you—Xabi Alonso's transfer to Real Madrid is finalized. The fee is €35 million."

Gao Shen wasn't surprised.

Xabi Alonso was a highly capable midfielder, excellent both defensively and offensively.

As a Spaniard, a move to Real Madrid was a logical career step.

But what truly caught Gao Shen off guard was the next piece of news.

"After selling Xabi Alonso, Benítez is pushing Liverpool to sign Biglia.

Liverpool initially offered €30 million, but Napoli rejected the bid.

Now, the Reds are reportedly preparing a new offer of €40 million, as Benítez is determined to bring in Biglia."

This was unexpected.

In Gao Shen's original timeline, Benítez had planned to replace Xabi Alonso with Aquilani from Roma.

However, now Biglia was the target.

Thinking it over, Gao Shen realized there were clues leading up to this change.

Biglia's Argentine teammate and close friend, Mascherano, was already a key player for Liverpool.

If Biglia joined, they could form a double-pivot for both club and country, a solid and competitive midfield pairing.

Moreover, Xabi Alonso was born in 1981, while Biglia was born in 1986, making him five years younger, a long-term replacement.

With a Biglia-Mascherano partnership, plus Gerrard, Liverpool's midfield would be set for years to come.

…

But this shift also made Gao Shen realize something else.

The butterfly effect he had created was growing larger and larger.

In his previous life, Benítez had sold Xabi Alonso and replaced him with Aquilani, a move that failed miserably.

Aquilani never settled, Liverpool's performances collapsed, and Benítez was sacked.

But now?

If Biglia joined Liverpool and adapted quickly, their midfield wouldn't collapse.

Would Liverpool still decline, as they had in Gao Shen's past life?

If Benítez truly bid €40 million, Napoli's De Laurentiis and Marino would almost certainly accept the offer.

After all, even Kaká was sold for €65 million, getting €40 million for Biglia was an incredible deal.

But Gao Shen couldn't shake the feeling that he was creating more obstacles for himself.

Manchester United was signing Valencia.

Liverpool was strengthening their midfield.

The competition in the Premier League was only getting tougher.

…

"Where are Sánchez and Di María in all of this?" Gao Shen asked, concerned.

Both were immensely talented, and he had hoped to bring them to Manchester City.

If he could reunite with them, he'd have a core group of players who already understood his playing style.

But he was clearly a step too late.

"I heard from a Catalan journalist friend that Barcelona has temporarily dropped their pursuit of Ibrahimović," Lucas reported.

"Instead, they're fully focused on signing Sánchez and Thiago Motta.

Reports suggest Barcelona has offered €50 million for Sánchez."

"Meanwhile, Real Madrid has made a €50 million bid for Di María.

It's also said that De Laurentiis and Marino have agreed to the offer."

Gao Shen sighed bitterly.

Even though Manchester City had unlimited financial backing, they still couldn't compete with Barcelona and Real Madrid for star players.

Money wasn't the issue.

It was simple, players wanted to play for the biggest clubs.

Given the choice, why would they leave Barcelona or Madrid to join a project still in its infancy?

Gao Shen knew he could personally convince players to join him, but was it worth it?

Was it really necessary to use his personal relationships just to fight for transfers?

The bond he had with his former players shouldn't be wasted on things like this, right?

…

At this moment, Gao Shen didn't know whether to feel happy or helpless.

From the current situation, Napoli was set to receive at least €165 million from selling four players:

Valencia

Biglia

Sánchez

Di María

And under his previous contract, Gao Shen was entitled to a 20% commission on all sales.

That meant he was about to pocket €33 million in transfer commissions alone.

He had made a fortune, entirely by accident.

…

What now?

Having too much money… was also a problem.