When he woke up the next morning, there was still only him and Shania in the large room. Shania only woke Tang En up after she had prepared breakfast, just like the day before. She then sat at the dining table and watched Tang En eat breakfast alone.
Just as he finished eating, Tang En received a call from an unknown number. Tang En had learned his lesson ever since he took Shania on a holiday to Spain. No matter what, his phone was always on 24 hours a day. He was no longer the poor football fan he used to be in China. He could still afford the roaming fee.
The phone number was completely unfamiliar. Tang En stared at the phone number and thought for a few times but could not remember who it belonged to.
After the call connected, an English voice with a Latin accent came from the other side. "Good morning, Mr. Tang. It should be morning in Brazil, right? "
"Ah, uh, that's right. It's morning. Good morning, sir. You are … "
"I'm sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Jorge Mendes. I'm Pepe's agent, "the voice on the other side said unhurriedly.
When he heard the name, Tang En froze for a moment. It was not surprising that Tang En did not know the name as a fan. But as the manager of a team, it was an unforgivable mistake not to have heard of the name. Even though Nottingham Forest had not had much contact with the Portuguese players, Tang En had heard of the person on the other end of the phone.
Almost all the managers and general managers of the big European clubs would have this person's phone number in their name card folders. Because he was Portugal's biggest professional agent and a football agent with a strong influence throughout Europe, he maintained a good relationship with people like Chelsea's owner, Abramovich. His tentacles extended to every corner of Europe.
Jorge Mendes could be regarded as the godfather of professional agents in Portugal. Famous coaches and players such as Mourinho and Cristiano Ronaldo were all represented by him.
This man was a big shot among the agents. His cunning was naturally outstanding and had to be dealt with carefully. Tang En nodded. Then he remembered that Mendes, who was on the phone, could not see his action. He said, "I've heard of your name, Mr. Mendes. I didn't expect Pepe to be a player you represent. "
There was a hearty laugh on the other end. "I'm afraid there aren't many coaches who haven't heard of my name. I've also heard of your name, Mr. Twain. Nottingham Forest's rise in the last two years has been like a rocket. I'm afraid you'll be the youngest manager to lead a team in next season's Champions League. Did you meet with my players yesterday? "
"Yes, I met her by chance. I was on vacation in Brazil, and I didn't expect Pepe to be on vacation in Brazil too. I always thought he was in Portugal … "
Mendes was silent for a while. "Pepe … he ran into some trouble in Portugal. I suggest he go back to Brazil to relax." From the way he spoke and the way he used his words, it was as if Pepe was not a player of the current Porto manager, the Dutchman Adriaanse, but his agent's subordinate. When his players were in trouble and needed help, the first person they thought of was him, the agent, and not the coach of the team they played for.
"Mr. Twain, what do you think of Pepe?"
"Very good, very good. He's my type. "
"Pepe called me yesterday and told me about your conversation. He said that you seem to know him very well. You know him better than Adrian."
Of course, Tang En knew that this was all due to his memories of transmigrating from 2007, but he could not tell the truth. "Well … It's like this. Actually, I've been paying attention to Pepe since a long time ago."
Mendes laughed again. "What a coincidence. There's another person who was also interested in Pepe a long time ago. Porto brought him from Maldimo to the Dragon Stadium precisely because of this person's recommendation. It's a pity that he left before Pepe came. Do you know who I'm talking about? Mr. Twain. "
"Of course I know, Mr. Mendes. The person you're talking about is Mourinho, the former Porto manager. "
"Haha, that's right! Unfortunately, this Dutchman can't use Pepe well. Are you interested to know what Pepe said to me yesterday, Mr. Twain? "
"Of course."
"He said that the experience of chatting with you yesterday was unforgettable. When he was in Porto, Adriaanse never talked to him like this, to understand his thoughts, or to let him understand the other party's thoughts. He felt very good … To tell you the truth, Mr. Twain. I think it's a good idea for Pepe to play under a manager who understands him. Pepe is my player. No manager would want their player to be a substitute and slowly depreciate on the bench. He's still young. I think he still has a lot of room for improvement. But the current Porto can't create the conditions for him to improve. "
Mendes's words were clear enough. He had the heart to let Pepe go to the Forest Team. Now, the only obstacle between them was the deal between Porto and the Forest Team.
Twain was very happy with the news. He was someone who had been there before. He knew the story behind Pepe and Porto.
In the 05-06 season, which was the next season, Porto's results were not good. Under the pressure of the results, the manager, Adriaanse, made some adjustments to the lineup, changing to a more offensive 343 formation. Pepe was then able to play as the main force. He was the best candidate for the third center back. But that was something that had not happened yet. Even a godfather like Mendes could not predict the future. He did not know that Adriaanse would change his attitude toward Pepe. He also did not know to what extent Pepe's value would rise in the future. Twain also did not know that Pepe would become the most expensive defender in the European transfer market in the summer of 2007. That was because he had transmigrated before the summer transfer market opened.
But Twain knew that Pepe was not happy at Porto. Porto only positioned him as a substitute for Pedro Emmanuel, Jorge Costa, and Ricardo Costa. He was the fourth choice for the center back position.
After meeting Pepe by chance yesterday, Twain briefly went through the Brazilian defender's experiences over the past few years in his mind. Although it was a chance encounter, the timing was just right. Twain did not want to let go of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. He had a deep impression of how strong Pepe was in the game. In reality, Pepe was not weak at all. Didn't the Forest Team lack a good center back? Give him a main position, give him trust, give him freedom, let him come to the Forest Team!
Piqué and Pepe were the two center backs with the most outstanding physical qualities in the game. Twain felt excited just thinking about such a combination.
"Mr. Mendes, I think Nottingham Forest can create this condition for your player. But I'm worried about Porto … "
"You don't have to worry about this, Mr. Twain. Since the player is willing, you are willing, and I am also willing, we can now discuss the issue regarding Pepe's transfer fee and personal treatment. "
These words made Twain clearly understand how much power Mendes had in Portugal. Poor Dutchman Adrianople …
"What do you think of the transfer fee of four million euros?" Mendes asked.
Porto had spent a million when they bought him a year ago. A year later, they had earned three million. This deal should be satisfactory for Porto. But Twain still felt that something was not right with Mendes being so enthusiastic. He did not rush to answer.
The other party also knew what Twain was thinking, so he smiled and said, "Well, I just said that I've been paying attention to Nottingham Forest because the speed at which your team became popular is too fast. And I believe that in the future, there will be more and more people paying attention to your team. As for me … I'm just a little more foresight than them. You know, Mr. Twain, as an agent, foresight is very important. "
Twain suddenly understood. Mendes used Pepe to build a relationship with him and the Forest team because he was optimistic about the Forest team's prospects. This was tantamount to a risky investment. The current situation in European football was set. The big clubs were the same, and so were the small and medium-sized clubs. There was no change. But the Forest team's rise had the possibility of breaking this pattern. Mendes saw this point, which was why he took the initiative to contact Twain. Don't be fooled by his extravagant words just now. In reality, he had a lot of star players under him. What was a mere Pepe? To push the boat with the current and give it to the Forest team as a favor and pull the relationship between the two sides closer, would the Forest team not need to consult him, the big shot agent, for their future moves in the transfer market? Through this method, he could manipulate the Forest team's transfer and obtain more benefits for himself.
It was really hard to say who was right or wrong in this kind of thing. Everyone was chasing after benefits. Twain knew this. Perhaps he should feel honored? Because the big shot Portuguese agent saw the Forest team's development potential? But Twain's principle was: if a fat piece of meat was delivered to his door, he would not let it go.
As for manipulating the club? If he had that ability, he would give it a try!
Twain nodded. "I understand. Four million is very reasonable. Mr. Mendes. As for Pepe's personal conditions, we can discuss it face to face. " He looked at Shania, who was cleaning up the tableware. "I'm really sorry, I'm still on vacation in Brazil. When my vacation is over, I'll call you immediately."
Mendes laughed to show his understanding and agreement. After exchanging greetings, they hung up.
Twain looked at Shania and smiled. "Where are we going today, Shania?"
※ ※ ※
If Mendes had also transmigrated, he would not have done what he did today. If he knew that Pepe could sell for 30 million euros in another two years, he would probably regret everything he did today.
And if Twain could transmigrate two months later, he would be overjoyed with today's harvest. Four million for 30 million, he had made a killing!
(To be continued, if you want to know what happens next, please log on to WWW. CMFU. com. More chapters. Support the author. Support original reading!)
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