Fulham analyzed the situation and agreed to negotiate with the Forest team for Edwin van der Sar. The Forest team's first offer of two million pounds was rejected by Fulham without even thinking about it. They believed that if the Forest team really wanted to get Edwin van der Sar, they should at least show enough sincerity. Therefore, the Forest team raised the offer to 2.5 million. This time, Fulham hesitated for a while and did not reply in time.
Just as they were hesitating, the Nottingham Evening Post published an interview article with Tang En. In the article, Tang En talked about some matters regarding the team, including the problem of the goalkeeper. He did not deny that the Forest team was negotiating with Fulham, but he also did not acknowledge that Edwin van der Sar would definitely come. As for goalkeepers, he mentioned Frey, who was in Parma. He expressed his admiration for a goalkeeper like Frey. Thinking about the number of goals Forest had conceded, and looking at Parma's recent poor financial situation, everyone thought that Tony Twain had his eyes on Frey and wanted to bring him to England.
It was no longer news that the Forest team was looking for a goalkeeper everywhere, just like Manchester United was looking for a goalkeeper all over the world. After all, the Forest team's goal concede in the first half of the season was among the highest. Everyone could see that Darren Ward was not going to make it.
After a long consideration, Fulham finally agreed to the Forest team's offer of 2.5 million pounds. Now Twain could talk directly to Edwin van der Sar.
If it had been half a season ago, the Forest team would have been almost unattractive to Edwin van der Sar, but the situation was different now. Nottingham Forest successfully broke into the UEFA Europa League semi-finals and ranked at the top of the English Premier League. Other than losing to Liverpool, the Forest team had the upper hand against strong teams. Edwin van der Sar was a smart man. There was no sign of Manchester United's promise, so there was a ready-made opportunity. He had long wanted to leave the half-dead Fulham. Wasn't it good to be able to join a club at the end of his career?
Now he did not know that after he transferred to Manchester United next summer, he would help Manchester United win a league title and become the most stable member of the Manchester United team.
The Forest team promised that Edwin van der Sar's salary would remain unchanged at forty thousand a week. If he performed well, there would be other bonuses. The duration of the contract was two and a half years, and the contract would be renewed depending on his condition. After all, Edwin van der Sar would be thirty-six years old in two years. No one knew how he would perform at that time.
Edwin van der Sar was satisfied with the contract and signed his name on it.
Before Christmas, Nottingham Forest's official website and several media outlets reported that Fulham's Dutch goalkeeper, Edwin van der Sar, had signed with the Forest team. The contract began on January 1, 2005 and ended on June 30, 2007. The specific salary was not announced.
Tang En was very happy that Edwin van der Sar chose the Forest in the end. To him, the Dutch veteran was not part of Forest's future plans. But his arrival could ensure that Forest would have a smooth transition for at least two years. That time would be enough for Tang En to continue unearthing young and outstanding goalkeepers from the transfer market. Moreover, Edwin van der Sar's experience was what the Forest team's rear defensive line needed the most. After all, Hierro was thirty-six years old. Affected by his age and injuries, he would not play too many times.
As for the goalkeeper, it was a position that would not be easily changed once it was fixed. With Edwin van der Sar directing the defense from the back, Tang En was at ease.
Tony Twain had once again snatched the person he fancied from under Alex Ferguson's hands. The enmity between the two men would only get worse and worse. He had snatched away the main goalkeeper that should have belonged to Manchester United. Then, who would Manchester United choose to recreate their glory in the future? Tang En could not think of it. In addition, he also did not know what kind of expression Sir Alex would have when he heard the news that Edwin van der Sar had been snatched away by the Forest team.
It was just that he vaguely felt that between himself and the godfather of the English Premier League, words like "I admire him very much" would not be said in front of the media.
Why? It was not that Ferguson looked down on Tang En, nor was it that Tang En was arrogant because of his talent. It was because in the future, the two of them would become very competitive opponents.
※ ※ ※
Before Christmas, a total of eighteen rounds of the league tournament had been played. Nottingham Forest was ranked eighth with seven wins, six draws, five losses, and 27 points. At their best, they had been ranked fourth. If not for the team's consecutive losses in the recent rounds of the league tournament, their ranking could have stabilized at fifth.
Tang En felt it was a pity that they had lost two consecutive games to a team that was below average in strength. Now, they had signed van der Sar, hoping to improve the team's terrible number of goals conceded.
December 26th was the day of the 19th round of the league tournament. Nottingham Forest, which had lost two consecutive games, would face the second-to-last team, Southampton, at home. It was a great opportunity for the team to get out of the current situation.
On the day before the game, the team only trained for half a day. When Tang En saw a Christmas tree in the hall of Block One and the presents piled under the tree, he only remembered that Christmas had arrived.
In the blink of an eye, a year had passed just like that.
He stood under the tree and watched the players rummaging through the pile of presents with interest, looking for the boxes with their names on them. It all felt so familiar. Other than the fact that some people had changed, there was almost no difference from a year ago.
Seeing that Wood did not join in the fun and instead walked towards him, he knew what was going on.
"Merry Christmas, George."
"Merry Christmas, sir."
"How's your mother?"
"Very well. She asked me to invite you to her house for dinner tonight." As he spoke, Wood looked around, seemingly a little embarrassed.
"Us?"
"You and that …" Wood furrowed his brows and thought for a moment, then said, "Dunn, from China."
Tang En scratched his head. He had actually forgotten that there was still Dunn … Did he subconsciously not want another third wheel? This question was really hard to answer.
"No problem. When the training ends, you can go with me to the youth team's base first. I have to call him."
Wood nodded, but he did not immediately turn and leave. Instead, he took out a small box from his coat pocket and stuffed it into Tang En's hands. Only then did he turn around and go under the Christmas tree to look for the presents that belonged to him.
Tang En tore open the packaging. A shiny ZIPPO lighter lay quietly inside. This thing was not expensive and did not cost much. Under the lighter was a small greeting card. On it was written in a crooked manner:
Thank you. I wish you a Merry Christmas.
Tang En smiled.
(To be continued. If you wish to know what happened next, please log on to WWW. CMFU. com. More chapters. Support the author. Support original reading!)
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