In fact, Li Ang could have had a more suitable choice for the left back position, which was his former teammate at Sporting de Gijón, Fabio Grosso. The 27-year-old Italian left back was at the best stage of his career in the past two to three years.
Moreover, Grosso believed that he would be happy to follow Li Ang to Sporting de Gijón.
Unfortunately, Li Ang had an agreement with Venita that he could only poach three players. After Mata, Carlos and Modric, he could not poach any more players from Sporting de Gijón.
Even so, Sporting de Gijón still could not keep Grosso.
The future of the Italian left back was Juventus. The Serie A powerhouse club knocked on the door of Sporting de Gijón's chairman, Manuel Arango's office with 12 million euros. Venita's opposition was unable to stop the deal.
When he found out that Grosso had been poached by Juventus, Li Ang was displeased. He felt as though he had been poached by someone else.
However, Juventus' transfer fee of 12 million euros allowed him to vent his anger. Grosso's highlight was the 2006 World Cup. After that, his career went downhill. The 12 million euros should not be worth it. Grosso was a trap. When Li Ang was at Sporting de Gijón, he planned to sell Grosso to the Italian powerhouse club after the 2006 World Cup. At that time, Juventus and Inter Milan were his targets. However, he did not expect that he would only stay at Sporting de Gijón for one season. Now, Grosso had gone to Juventus. Since he was destined to cheat someone, he might as well cheat Juventus.
*****
Later, Li Ang turned his attention to Germany. He had his eyes on the 21-year-old young player of Bundesliga overlord Bayern Munich, Philipp Lahm.
Lahm was a product of Bayern Munich's youth training. In 1995, Lahm was selected by Bayern Munich's youth training camp and officially began his career at Bayern. But because the French defender Vincent Lizarazu's position in the Bayern First Team in the 2003-04 season was unshakable, in the summer of 2003, Lahm was loaned to Stuttgart by Bayern for two seasons.
This loan was an important turning point in Lahm's career. At that time, Stuttgart's manager, Margate, was troubled by the lack of a left back in the team. He had an idea and let Lahm try to play as a left back. Unexpectedly, it was a huge success. Both Lahm and Stuttgart benefited.
In the 20032004 season, Lahm, as the main left back, helped Stuttgart to finish fourth in the Bundesliga and helped the team advance in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League. In the 2004-05 season, Lahm only played for half of the season due to two injuries. However, Lahm still played 22 times for VfB Stuttgart and contributed one goal, helping the team win fifth place in the Bundesliga that season.
After the end of the season, Lahm had returned to Bayern Munich.
Inter Milan's left back had always been regarded as the club's shortcoming for a long time. Over the years, Inter Milan did not have a true top left back.
Lahm could play as a left back or a right back. Starting from this season, he gradually became the main left back of Bayern Munich and the German national team. It could be said that with Lahm in their hands, Inter Milan did not need to worry about the left back position for the next ten years.
Inter Milan sent a fax to Bayern Munich asking for eight million Euros for their young right back, Lahm.
This was a more sincere price. Although Lahm was already the main left back during his loan at VfB Stuttgart, Bayern Munich naturally saw Lahm's talent and value. However, Lahm had not played a match for Bayern Munich yet. Lizarazu was still the main right back. Bayern Munich was known as the "Hollywood of the Bundesliga" and had many superstars. Although the young Lahm was talented, no one could guarantee that he could play a main role in Bayern Munich in the future.
To Li Ang's surprise, Bayern Munich rejected Inter Milan's offer. Not only that, Lahm also rejected Inter Milan's offer. The young German right back expressed his loyalty to Bayern Munich.
At this time, the German football emperor, Franz Beckenbauer, came out and said that a player like Lahm was the foundation of Bayern Munich …
Well, since the German football emperor said so, it was impossible to poach Lahm.
Li Ang decisively gave up on his fantasy of Lahm and immediately activated Plan B.
*****
This time, he turned his gaze to the Stade de France.
Inter Milan made an offer to the French Ligue 1 team AS Monaco to purchase the 24-year-old French right back, Patrice Evra.
Evra was Monaco's main right back. Before joining Monaco, this French lad was assigned as a side midfielder or even a winger when he played in the Ligue 2 and Serie C leagues. In Monaco, he was transformed into a left back by the then manager, De Shang, and immediately displayed his talent in this position.
Evra was now Monaco's main right back. It was not easy to poach him.
However, Li Ang chose the crudest and most effective method.
He signaled Oriari to directly offer Monaco 4.5 million euros for Evra.
This offer of 4.5 million euros was naturally rejected by Monaco.
However, less than ten minutes after Monaco's rejection, they received another new offer from Inter Milan.
Six million euros for Evra!
A price of six million euros was enough to cause Monaco's heart to waver. However, Monaco still chose to reject. However, they were still a little expectant. They could see the sincerity of the Serie A powerhouse for Evra.
An hour later, Monaco received a third offer from Inter Milan. 9 million euros for Evra!
Monaco was shocked!
In less than two hours, Inter Milan offered three offers for Evra, two of which increased the price.
From 4.5 million euros to 9 million euros, the price doubled!
To be exact, this was already very tempting for Monaco. However, seeing Inter Milan increase the price so quickly, the greedy Monaco wanted to continue to earn more.
Therefore, they once again rejected Inter Milan's offer of 9 million euros.
They hoped that Inter Milan would continue to work hard and increase the price.
*****
Then, the Monegasques waited and waited.
A day passed.
They did not receive another offer from Inter Milan!
This put the Monegasques in a difficult position, and they were filled with regret. At this time, Monaco was not the team that had once become a nouveau riche ten years later. Nine million euros was a large sum for them. With Evra's current value, it was only about eight million euros. Nine million euros was a 'small premium'!
Just like that, Monaco watched 9 million euros slip away. Monaco was full of regret. They should have agreed to Inter Milan's offer of 9 million euros. Now, their greed was punished.
At this time, Monaco received another offer from Inter Milan.
This time, the Italian powerhouse offered 9.5 million euros and made it clear that this was the last offer. If it was okay, then it was okay. If it was not, then forget it.
*****
Inter Milan was playing a psychological tactic in negotiations this time. It was a 'little trick' that Li Ang and Oriari came up with together.
Very soon, good news came from Monaco. Monaco was willing to sell Evra. Obviously, they took the bait and were worried that they would lose Inter Milan's generous offer. This time, they agreed very quickly!
The talks between Inter Milan and the player himself were also very smooth. Evra was very happy with the Italian powerhouse's call. There were almost no obstacles in the negotiation process.
On July 20, 2005, Inter Milan and Monaco reached an agreement for the team's 24-year-old French left-back, Patrice Evra, to join the Nerazzurri for 9.5 million euros.
9.5 million euros was less than 1 million euros more than Evra's market price. This was also the first time that Li Ang bought a player at a higher price than the market price.
But he was happy.
Now, Li Ang was not short of money. The 50 million euros budget that Moratti gave him for the transfer fee had been used up when he brought in Mata, Modric, and Carlos. However, Inter Milan subsequently cleaned up Martins, van der Meyde, and a series of other players, and recovered a large amount of transfer funds. Therefore, he now had a lot of transfer funds in his hands. Besides, the team's cleaning up was not over yet.
What he wanted was to get it done quickly and settle the transfer to avoid any undue delay. He knew very well about Evra's development potential. He was also a top left-back that could be used for ten years. Although the ownership of the number one left-back in football was disputed, Evra was recognized as one of the top three.
With less than 1 million euros more, he played a psychological game and got Evra before the other European powerhouses intervened.
There was nothing wrong with this.
With Evra joining, Li Ang had a sense of satisfaction and pride. 'With such a fierce player, I have no worries on the left!'
PS: First update.
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