Near eight o 'clock in the morning, Qin Xiong and the other two were having breakfast in the dining room.
Freddy said to Qin Xiong seriously, "When you came last year, Bergkamp was close to retirement. Nominally, you replaced Bergkamp as the team's tactical leader, but in the locker room, you were always at the bottom. Today, I dare not say that you can compete with Henry for the position of the King of Highbury, but you should at least be the second most important position below Henry. Now that Vieira has left, Henry will become the team's top player. My idea is that if you plan to stay in Arsenal for a long time, then become the second most important person in the team this year. Next year, become at least as important as Henry, and after another year, you will replace Henry!"
Qin Xiong nodded slightly. He understood what Freddy meant.
This kind of position was necessary. Firstly, it was to ensure his survival. Secondly, it was to have the confidence to ask for competitive conditions, such as asking the team to create tactics with him as the core in the future, buying players who could stimulate his play, and so on.
"Kyle, I agree with your idea. At first, I thought that for me, I didn't need to look at the external environment. My attention was on myself. I did everything I could and did better! I made progress day by day and made myself stronger. But one day, I will find that I am close to my peak. Then I should consider one thing: am I ordinary, or am I special! I want to be special. Everyone wants to be unique. Now I have a feeling that I am getting closer and closer to my peak, which makes me panic. I am worried that my peak will come too early, which means that I will decline even earlier. Generally, a player's peak is between the ages of 23 and 28, but there are also players who reach their peak earlier, such as Ronaldo, Owen, Henry, and the others. There are also players who reach their peak later. Now I think I am the former. I want to do something in my peak and seize this golden time. So, your idea is very correct. When I am at my peak, if I have the ability to surpass others, I will not be modest and give in. I will ask for everything that belongs to me, including privileges! "
Qin Xiong said these words with a firm look in his eyes.
Freddy was happy that Qin Xiong would not back down when it was time to be aggressive.
This conversation made Qin Xiong clearer about the path he would take in the future.
When he went to the club to start training today, his condition changed.
He no longer cared about Vieira's departure or the scandal between Henry and Barcelona.
Who, who, who left? Why are you panicking?
I'm still here!
In an interview with Fleet Street before leaving for the afternoon training, Qin Xiong openly said, "I will stay at Arsenal. The team has important players leaving and new players coming in. This is the rule of the club's development. Please don't ask me about Vieira anymore. He is already wearing the Juventus jersey. The sky has not fallen at Arsenal!"
Less than 24 hours after Vieira's transfer, the major European bookmakers had already adjusted the odds for the Premier League title.
Arsenal dropped from first place to Chelsea.
But this still couldn't shake Qin Xiong's will.
Freddy once again came to the office of Arsenal's vice-chairman, Dane, to discuss Qin Xiong's contract renewal.
For now, he still hoped to fight for a big contract for Qin Xiong.
And after Vieira's departure, there should be a lot of space in Arsenal's salary budget.
Dane warmly received Freddy and then went straight to the point. He took out a new contract and placed it in front of Freddy.
Freddy frowned after reading it.
Fifty thousand pounds?
He went straight to the point with Dane and said, "Qin Xiong's contribution last season was not the biggest in the team, but at least he was in the top three. I also said bluntly that without Qin Xiong's contribution, Arsenal could not have defended the league title. This is not something that can be replaced by other players similar to Qin Xiong. Now, I hope the Arsenal club can give Qin Xiong a clear position. He is no longer a new star! He is infinitely close to the top of the Premier League! Arsenal should give him the same treatment as Vieira in the past! Of course, the captain is Henry, and I don't think Qin Xiong is qualified to be considered for the captain's position. After all, Henry's contribution is incomparable. But Qin Xiong should be an important player in Arsenal at this stage, second only to Henry. "
Dane frowned. He understood Freddy's request. It was difficult to describe it with the word "greedy."
If Qin Xiong was greedy, he would be like Anelka, who could not wait to negotiate with Inter Milan and Real Madrid.
The standard of his salary had always been linked to his contribution, and it was based on Arsenal's salary system as the bargaining standard. It was not the salary system of other European powerhouses. Otherwise, Qin Xiong would have been dissatisfied with Rooney's weekly salary of more than £40,000 when he joined Manchester United. He would have asked for a raise long ago, or he would not have chosen Arsenal in the first place.
Was it too much to ask?
Maybe a little.
After all, Vieira's contribution was nine years, and Qin Xiong's contribution was only one season.
But times were different. Every day, the economic value of the football world was developing rapidly.
The players' salaries were getting higher and higher.
And once Qin Xiong was given a big contract, the length of the contract would certainly be at least four years, or even five years.
That would be equivalent to locking in his future.
Dane said softly, "What if we increase his weekly salary by another five thousand pounds?"
Freddy pushed the contract back and said softly, "Please reconsider carefully again. This is still some distance from my bottom line."
Freddy left without falling out. He just thought it was impossible to negotiate in a short time.
It was better to give Arsenal some buffer time to reconsider.
A weekly salary of fifty-five thousand pounds?
Freddy's ideal weekly salary was eighty thousand pounds, and the minimum could not be lower than seventy thousand pounds.
Freddy was not afraid of delay. Qin Xiong's contract still had two years. The longer it was delayed, the higher his bargaining chips would be. After all, there was a factor that changed with time.
If Arsenal gave him a contract with a weekly salary of seventy thousand pounds six months later, sorry, Freddy's minimum request would become eighty thousand pounds!
Because Qin Xiong's salary was still less than twenty thousand pounds for half a year, it was equivalent to Qin Xiong's interests suffering a major loss every week!
No matter how much he lost, Arsenal had to make up for it!
The longer it was delayed, the more disadvantageous it was for Arsenal.
It was just that Freddy would not tell the other party his trump card.
Qin Xiong actually did not care about his specific income in the club. What he cared about was his status!
If Henry earned sixty thousand pounds, then he would definitely accept fifty thousand pounds!
But now the difference between his and Henry's salary was more than five times!
This showed that in the pyramid system, his position was at the bottom.
Just as Freddy said, the amount of money Arsenal invested in him would determine his status and importance in the club. It was not a single word from the manager, as that would not be enough to guarantee his safety.
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