Chapter 630: Pre-season
When Wang Feng heard the news of Cristiano Ronaldo's transfer, he was also shocked. He didn't expect the Portuguese to be so determined this time, leaving Manchester United at the time of his mentor Ferguson's retirement.
"Their confidentiality work was done very well, and the news only leaked out at the last moment," agent Balmond said to Wang Feng during their conversation. He could inquire about many insider details.
"Mendes had been active in Spain all along, and Cristiano's desire to join Real Madrid wasn't news, but the outside world didn't pay much attention. Everyone generally believed that the deal was difficult to reach."
"Especially when you chose Bale, and Barcelona chose Suarez afterward, and Manchester United's new coach Moyes had just taken over, they definitely wouldn't dare to give up their biggest core and immediate strength."
"But the reality is not like that. Many high-level officials of the Red Devils and the new coach are happy to see Ronaldo leave, especially CEO David Gill, which is incredible."
"So Mendes' previous actions must also have some smoke bomb elements. " Balmond looked like quite the China expert.
Wang Feng couldn't help but be amazed, but thinking about Manchester United's Champions League performance in recent years, it was not difficult to understand the Portuguese star's actions. It was hard to compete for the highest football awards and even drop out of the top three and best team with just Premier League honors, which Ronaldo, who was proud, could not accept.
With Manchester City's strong financial support, they had a comprehensive lineup, just lacking a key figure. Perhaps Ronaldo's addition could compensate for this deficiency.
Talking about several Chinese players under Balmond's banner, he excitedly mentioned that after experiencing the Confederations Cup, Huang Hu had also entered the mainstream vision, and many powerful teams expressed interest in him.
"If it weren't for Werder Bremen buying him out last summer, I'm afraid Chelsea would be interested in recalling him by now, but I think it's good for him to stay in the Bundesliga to train."
"Now the club is willing to increase his salary and offer him a starting position." This information made Wang Feng very happy. He especially favored Huang Hu and Wu Lei, thinking that the two might be able to shoulder the heavy responsibility of the national team's attack in the future.
New season, new atmosphere. Wang Feng's exclusive brand "WIND" series released a brand-new style of sneakers, with a unique combination of red, blue, and white colors. Departing from the usual steady style, they showcased a more cool and domineering side. During his vacation, he was invited to shoot a promotional video.
This advertisement concept also pleasantly surprised the Chinese superstar. The staff specially made a huge dark room and then pasted many LED light strips on Wang Feng's body, covering his whole body. Even the football under his feet had them. They used a camera to record his dribbling.
After post-processing, both Wang Feng and the football behind him emitted colorful light, giving a strong visual impact. "It's amazing, much more realistic than Photoshop," the Chinese superstar couldn't help but marvel.
Nike's Asia-Pacific head Yasanshi proudly said, "Yes, this concept is to capture the appearance of the wind, which is very consistent with our brand. I believe it will not disappoint the fans."
The sales of Wang Feng's brand accounted for an important position in the total sales of the entire company, so they were highly valued from top to bottom, and the influence of Asia and China was increasing.
Real Madrid assembled in mid-July, and the team's summer schedule was officially announced. They first had a preseason training camp in Europe and completed two warm-up matches. Then they flew to China to meet Wang Feng and participate in the "International Champions Cup" and the Spanish Super Cup.
The "International Champions Cup" was organized by DreamStar Sports, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Feng Yao Group, as a warm-up friendly match. It was held in four cities, Shanghai, Suzhou, and Nanjing, to facilitate fans.
In addition to Real Madrid, the eight participating teams included Inter Milan, Chelsea, AC Milan, Juventus, Valencia, Bayern Munich, and Hengtai team. The format was a single-elimination.
Apart from being lucrative, the participation of so many powerhouses also relied on Wang Feng's connections and influence in the football world. Some even predicted that if he joined FIFA after retirement, he might become the first Asian FIFA president.
However, the Chinese superstar himself had no interest in this area. He wouldn't wade into those murky waters.
Without Wang Feng, Real Madrid played two matches against English Championship team Bournemouth and French Ligue 1 team Lyon, achieving two consecutive victories, which was relatively ideal.
Di Maria, Khedira, and Pepe, who had missed the entire season, all returned. Except for Khedira's poor condition, the other two were very excited. They could finally run freely on the field.
At this time, the negotiations for Bale's joining had not been concluded, but the new signing Isco had arrived. His performance amazed the outside world and the media. He didn't look like a newcomer at all. The Spanish youngster kept exchanging positions with Di Maria and Modric, displaying excellent coordination.
Marca commented that Isco's ball control and passing skills were outstanding, and he also had a sense of urgency, as if he had inexhaustible stamina. His figure could be seen almost everywhere on the field, somewhat reminiscent of the young Chinese superstar.
AS stated that the Spanish youngster was not just a football player but also resembled a home decorator. His courage, imagination, excellent vision, and passing made him the best support. "Cooperating with Wang Feng will definitely achieve a one plus one greater than two effect. The new season's Galacticos still maintain strong competitiveness."
Such an outstanding player was brought back to Bernabeu by Real Madrid for only 30 million euros, which was somewhat unbelievable in today's inflated market.
After two matches, Ancelotti had a rough idea of the tactics for the new season. The 4-2-3-1 formation seemed a bit outdated for now, and after Wang Feng returned to the front line, he hoped to use the 4-3-3 formation to dominate with the Galacticos.
The team not only had Marcelo, a full-back with excellent attacking abilities, but also Alonso, a versatile midfielder who could intercept as a defensive midfielder and push forward as a central midfielder, so the tactics on the field could be more flexible.
In Ancelotti's mind, the main lineup was roughly outlined. Goalkeeper Casillas temporarily did not need adjustment, and substitutes Diego Lopez and Jesus could increase their rotation ratio appropriately.
The backline was filled by Marcelo, Ramos, Pepe, and Carvajal, with equally excellent rotation options like Varane, Coentrao, Carvajal, and Nacho.
In the midfield, Modric, Alonso, and Di Maria were almost irreplaceable, and the substitute lineup mainly consisted of Casemiro, Khedira, and Isco. Although Illarramendi was introduced to the club at a high price and almost fell out with Real Sociedad, his technical style didn't quite match Ancelotti's, and his attendance rate was not high last season, so it might be very difficult for him to return to the tactical picture.
The front line was led by Wang Feng, Higuain, and Bale, with Morata returning to the main substitute role. The fact proved that he was still unable to lead the Galacticos alone, and with the promotion of young players like Hesse from the youth academy, the attacking personnel were also very abundant.
The Italian coach looked at his players with satisfaction. Even if there were serious injuries like last season, the Galacticos would not be stretched thin. Moreover, if everything went smoothly, they could fully support multi-line combat.
Visit freewe𝑏n(o)vel.𝑐𝘰𝑚 for the best novel reading experience