Li Ang naturally could not barge in like a headless fly. He had contacted Grosso's agent, Fisichella, by phone before he came to Palermo.
After Li Ang's communication and efforts with Fisichella over the phone, the agent agreed to facilitate the meeting.
The meeting location was an inconspicuous café in a street near the Palermo pier.
Li Ang arrived at the café more than ten minutes in advance. After waiting for less than two minutes, Grosso arrived accompanied by his agent, Fisichella.
To be honest, Grosso was not enthusiastic about the meeting. He was not interested in the invitation of a newly promoted La Liga team. Palermo was also a newly promoted team, and the players themselves were playing in the domestic competitions. There was no need for them to leave their hometown, and there was indeed no need for them to leave.
However, Fisichella was Grosso's more trusted agent, and the two sides had worked together for a long time. Under the agent's persuasion, Grosso reluctantly agreed to meet. In addition, the other manager had flown directly to Palermo, which made Grosso feel a little proud. The other side seemed to be sincere.
*****
After exchanging a few pleasantries, the two sides quickly got to the point.
Li Ang did not hide his love and importance for Grosso. Li Ang was conveying one thing: he appreciated Grosso very much!
For a player, the manager's appreciation was crucial. Grosso was already a 27-year-old veteran, so he could naturally understand what Li Ang was trying to convey. If a manager who appreciated him so much was in such a team, there would definitely be no problem for him to be the main force.
However, Grosso was also the main force in Palermo, which could not be used as an attraction. The attitude and sincerity expressed by Li Ang had laid a good foundation.
Subsequently, Li Ang focused on promoting Sporting de Gijón's participation in the UEFA Europa League in the new season!
This surprised Grosso a little. He was not prepared for the meeting, so naturally, his understanding of Sporting de Gijón was relatively shallow. He did not have any deeper understanding of them other than learning from his agent that they were a newly promoted La Liga team.
He had not expected Sporting de Gijón to qualify for Europe!
Grosso found it hard to imagine. Sporting de Gijón's European qualification could only be obtained in Segunda División. How could a Segunda División team qualify for Europe?
Unless it was through the cup competition?!
Li Ang could tell that Gerosso was surprised and slightly tempted. He knew that he had grasped the mentality of the Left Back. The European Championship was indeed attractive to a 'veteran' like Gerosso who was not famous yet.
Li Ang then began to talk about how his Sporting de Gijón had fought their way to the Copa del Rey final and defeated the powerful Real Madrid at the Bernabéu Stadium to pick up the Copa del Rey title!
Then, just as Li Ang had expected, Gerosso was astonished, and he looked at him with a different gaze.
An ordinary manager of a newly promoted La Liga team and a newly promoted manager who led the team to win the Copa del Rey, especially a manager who defeated Real Madrid in the final, were completely different in meaning and weight.
*****
Li Ang began to instill a point of view in Grosso's mind. Sporting de Gijón was not an 'elevator' team that was planning to laze around, but a team with a certain level of strength and revenge. They wanted to have some ambitions when they went to La Liga, not to mention the European competition!
Grosso was indeed a little tempted. What did it mean for a player to be able to participate in European competitions?
For the 27-year-old Grosso, there was almost no hope of joining a powerhouse club in his current situation, so he could forget about the Champions League. His biggest dream was probably to be able to play in the UEFA Europa League!
Now, there was such an opportunity in front of him, and it all depended on what Grosso thought about it.
Grosso did not speak much, mainly because his agent, Fisichella, was communicating with Li Ang.
At this time, Grosso finally spoke, expressing his worries about going to Spain to play football.
The Italian players were generally reluctant to go abroad to play football. On one hand, they were still immersed in the pride of the 'Mini World Cup' in Serie A. On the other hand, the warm environment in southern Europe had caused them to have the lazy character of the Italians, and they lacked the initiative to go out and make a name for themselves.
Of course, the Spaniards were similar to the Italians. In 2004, there were not many Spanish players who went abroad to play football.
"Few Italian players are successful when they go abroad to play football," Grosso said.
"If Mr. Christian Vieri heard what you said, he would be unhappy." Li Ang joked and immediately gave an example. When Vieri joined Juventus, he was not in an important position, and then went to the Iberian Peninsula. After Atlético Madrid began to break out and shock Europe, he was bought back to Italy by the Azzurri at a sky-high price. It could be said that he had returned home in glory.
Obviously, Vieri's example was very appropriate, and Grosso nodded as he listened.
*****
"Mr. Grosso." Li Ang said, "If you can perform well in the UEFA Europa League, it will help you return to the Italian national team."
Li Ang finally said. Although Grosso was an Italian national footballer, he was only a marginal national footballer and had not been in the Italian national team for more than a year. This time, Grosso had nothing to do with the UEFA Europa League in Portugal.
It was clear that the 27-year-old left back had a strong desire to return to the national team.
"You're right, sir." Grosso's attitude was much better, and he even used honorifics because Li Ang was right. The European competition was indeed helpful for his return to the Italian national team. A team that could play in the European competition would receive more attention from the Italian national team's manager than a newly promoted team in Serie A. The answer was obvious.
Hearing Grosso's words, Li Ang knew in his heart that this matter was a third of the way. As long as Grosso was moved, it would be fine.
Grosso and his agent would not give an answer now, but the atmosphere was much better after this communication.
They were almost done talking, and both parties began to enjoy coffee and snacks while chatting about whatever they wanted.
Later, when Grosso went to the bathroom, Li Ang pushed a cheque for 10,000 euros to Fisichella and told him that it was an advance payment. If Grosso's transfer was successful, the remaining 40,000 euros would immediately be transferred to Mr. Fisichella's account. If it was not successful, the 10,000 euros would be considered as the foundation for their future cooperation.
Fisichella calmly put away the cheque and patted his chest, indicating that he would leave everything to him.
*****
From the perspective of the agent, Fisichella, Grosso's transfer to play abroad and be able to play in the European competition was a good thing. On the one hand, the transfer could earn commissions. On the other hand, if he could really achieve the goal of 'saving the country' by playing abroad in the European competition, it would be a good thing for both Fisichella and Grosso.
What he had to do was to persuade Grosso to leave Palermo and go to Spain.
Therefore, Fisichella felt that he had no qualms about taking the money.
With the assurance from Fisichella, Li Ang felt a lot more relieved. Of course, this matter also raised his guard against his agent to a certain level of vigilance. He could use this method to poach people and it was very satisfying. However, if his players' agents helped other clubs to poach Li Ang's players, Li Ang would absolutely hate it.
Against fire, theft, and agents, Li Ang and Fisichella looked at each other and smiled, but they were secretly vigilant in their hearts.
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