Chapter 9

In the midst of the picturesque scenery and pleasant climate of the Principality of Monaco, which borders the Mediterranean, it was the peak of the tourist season, with the streets bustling with people. Audrich, dressed in sportswear, stood with his hands in his pockets, wearing a pair of sunglasses, and walked into an elegant café.

In a corner booth of the café, a refined man in his fifties sat, lost in thought as he gazed out the window at the scenery.

Audrich sat down opposite him, took off his sunglasses, and revealed a sunny smile, saying, "Hi, Arsène."

The refined man looked at Audrich with a hint of admiration and said calmly, "It's been four years since we last met. The boy who used to be here has grown into a fine young man. You suddenly visiting Monaco is timely; otherwise, I would have had to go to London to find you. Tell me, how did you manage to take away my player?"

Audrich feigned confusion, spreading his hands and saying, "Sir, I don't know who you're talking about."

"That young Frenchman. Yesterday, I had the club make an offer to bring him back from Argentina to France, but he had already packed his bags and left. Upon inquiry, I found out he transferred to Millwall."

The man sitting opposite Audrich was none other than Arsène Wenger, the current head coach of Monaco. Five years ago, Audrich had witnessed Wenger's glory in leading Monaco to the Ligue 1 championship. Unfortunately, in the following five years, Marseille had won five consecutive titles, and Wenger's situation was not good.

Audrich knew that the man was referring to David Trezeguet and said with a smile, "There's no way around it; I need to build my own empire, and now I need to snatch players. As for how I did it, well, it's quite simple. My brother had known David for over a year, and I offered him the high待遇 of a first-team player, uh, a weekly salary of £3,000."

"He's only 17 years old."

Wenger frowned and said in a deep voice, seemingly very dissatisfied with Audrich's approach.

Audrich said with a playful tone, "Yes, 17 years old, the age of rebellion. To stand on his own, he first needs an independent source of income. Making a lot of money not only boosts his confidence but also makes him proud in front of his family. Arsène, the times are changing. You might think I'm just throwing money around, but do you remember the conversation we had on the phone half a year ago?"

Wenger showed a look of reminiscence and then said in surprise, "The Bosman ruling?"

Audrich nodded and shrugged, "This summer, many football pundits will mock me as a spendthrift and a fool, but it doesn't matter. Time will prove everything. Let's get back to the main topic. My purpose is simple: I want you to let someone go."

Wenger's face immediately turned displeased, and he said irritably, "What? You're also trying to poach my players? Who caught your eye?"

"A £500,000 offer has already been sent to Monaco. I want Henry. For Monaco, it's almost a free profit. The total investment in Henry probably didn't even reach £10,000."

As soon as Audrich finished speaking, Wenger glared and said, "No way! He's the future of Monaco! £500,000? Do you think Monaco is a small club that hasn't seen money?"

Audrich smiled, saying nothing.

Wenger continued with a frown, "The Times has reported on your activities since you took over Millwall, and I've been paying attention. Most of the players your team has signed recently are from lower leagues. Those small clubs have no choice but to let go of their promising stars for money. That's the rule of the football market, but Monaco is not a second-tier league in Germany, the Netherlands, or Italy..."

"Don't get worked up, let's continue to discuss."

"There's nothing to discuss. Henry is not for sale."

"What if I offer £1 million? Would Monaco still not let him go?"

Wenger fell silent, staring at Audrich with a somewhat helpless look.

Finally, he sighed heavily, "Marseille and Paris Saint-Germain have been poaching my players, and now even you, a young upstart, are doing the same..."

Although Marseille had won five consecutive Ligue 1 titles, Wenger's ability to maintain the team's top performance despite losing key players year after year was a testament to his coaching skills. Unfortunately, like his future situation at Arsenal, he was facing a similar predicament.

Audrich felt a bit reluctant to "bully" this old friend and said calmly, "Thuram."

Wenger looked puzzled, and Audrich continued, "£1.5 million. I don't want Henry anymore. Don't hold back Thuram, Arsène. Monaco can't keep him. I'm offering £1.5 million for a defender, which is already a sign of good faith. If you don't let him go to me, are you going to wait for other teams to poach him? I can offer him a top salary, £8,000 a week."

Wenger was visibly moved, especially by Audrich's question, "Are you going to wait for other teams to poach him?"

He had nurtured many good players at Monaco, but they all ended up being poached, even George Weah, who was grateful to him, eventually left.

"My captain, you want to take him for £1.5 million?"

"Alright, I won't argue. £3 million. Isn't that enough for a defender?"

In the current era, £3 million was the value of a top player, though still far from the level of a superstar. It's worth noting that a decade ago, Maradona's transfer fee was only £3 million, and even seven years ago, the world record transfer fee for Ruud Gullit was no more than £5 million. In the past two years, the top players in the Premier League were valued at around £3 million, and offensive players generally commanded higher transfer fees. Audrich's offer was enough to impress Monaco.

Moreover, he believed that the contract terms he offered, including salary increases and bonuses, would also attract Thuram. In this era, to offer a player a weekly salary of tens of thousands, like Juventus did for Baggio, required a player of exceptional talent. How many stars could be followed by a TV show and still achieve high ratings in Britain, like Gascoigne?

Besides, Audrich's contract included clauses for salary increases and bonuses.

Wenger sighed heavily and agreed to Audrich's proposal.

As for Henry, Audrich wanted him, but he knew he had no chance.

By the time Henry gained fame in the Ligue 1 next season, it would probably take more than £1 million to sign him. After the Bosman ruling was finalized next year, he would have no loopholes to exploit, and he would be more concerned about how to retain his players.

After spending the whole day in the café with Wenger, Audrich headed to Nantes, a city on the Atlantic coast in western France, where he had another important transfer to negotiate.

A £1.5 million offer was sent to Nantes for Claude Makélélé!

The final negotiation price was set at £2 million.

Audrich also successfully lured Makélélé with a high salary, but he included a clause in the contract that would automatically terminate if the team did not get promoted the following season.

Upon returning to London, Audrich received a call from Italy.

"Mr. Hall, please forgive my boldness, but your team is pursuing my son. I don't know what this means. Although your team is in the second tier of English football, I believe the competition is more intense than in the Italian third division. I hope my son gets better training, but I want to know your sincerity and your plans for the team."

Listening to the broken English on the other end of the phone, Audrich was puzzled but asked calmly, "Excuse me, may I ask who you are?"

"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Giuseppe Matarazzo."

Audrich suddenly understood and said respectfully, "Sir, I indeed have the intention to sign your son. I have high hopes for my team for the next season, the season after, and even the next 5 to 10 years. I need many young talents to achieve this goal, and your son, Marco, is an important part of my plan. If you've been following my club, you'll know that we've recently signed several capable players."

"But I don't want Marco to develop in Britain for a long time."

"However, as you said, if he stays in Italy, he will only play in the third division. At Millwall, he will play in the English First Division next season, and a year later, he will be in the top English league, competing against top teams like Arsenal, Manchester United, and Liverpool. Isn't that better for his development? Excuse me, but if Marco stays in Italy, how many years will it take for him to compete against top teams?"

"Can you guarantee Marco a starting position if he goes to Britain?"

"Sir, in the English First Division, there are 46 league matches in a season, plus two cup competitions, so conservatively, there are about 50 matches in a season. If Marco can play 20 matches, he will make significant progress."

The other end of the phone was silent for a moment, and then Giuseppe Matarazzo said, "Mr. Hall, thank you for your sincerity, but I also need a guarantee. If one day, a more competitive Italian team wants Marco, you won't stand in the way."

Audrich sighed inwardly. Giuseppe Matarazzo was not just any player's father but a well-known coach in Italy. It was reasonable for him to plan for his son's future, and deep down, he probably looked down on English football. He just wanted a bigger platform for his son's development, which was certainly better than the Italian third division, and the salary and benefits were also good. The experience of playing in a different environment would allow Marco Matarazzo to accumulate more experience.

However, the ultimate goal should still be to return to the highest level of Italian football, Serie A.

"Sir, I can assure you that if Marco wants to leave one day, I won't stand in the way. I have a simple philosophy in running my club and coaching my team: parting on good terms."

"Oh? Mr. Hall, are you going to coach the team yourself?"

"Yes, I've been preparing and waiting for this day for eight years."

"Ha, then I wish you good luck and look forward to seeing you on the sidelines. I won't disturb you anymore. Goodbye."