"The latest news is that the Dutch veteran, van Nistelrooy, has a new pursuer. Manchester United announced Nottingham Forest Football Club's interest in the Dutch striker. They have accepted the Forest team's offer. Nottingham Forest and Manchester United have not announced the specific figure of the offer … "
"The media's reaction is really fast." Tang En smacked his lips as he looked at the situation outside the wire fence of the training base.
Just after the news was announced, Nottingham Forest's training base was surrounded by reporters from all over England. In fact, the media knew about Nottingham Forest's first offer, and they also knew the result. The British media had the same thoughts as Ferguson's assistant manager, Carlos Queiroz. Nottingham Forest was Manchester United's arch-rival in the Premier League. Given Ferguson's temper, it was impossible for him to sell a player from his team to a rival in the same Premier League, even if that player was a player he no longer needed.
Therefore, after the Forest team's first offer was rejected by Manchester United, it did not attract much attention from the British media. It was a normal result. At the same time, the Bundesliga team, Bayern Munich's move attracted the media's attention. In their view, this was valuable news.
They did not expect that after Nottingham Forest's second offer, Manchester United unexpectedly agreed to the Forest team's offer. This time, all the media's attention turned to Nottingham.
"They must have a lot of questions in their hearts …" David Kerslake said as he looked at the "fully armed" reporters.
Tang En shrugged.
The Forest team had already resumed team training yesterday. At this stage, the team was mainly doing fitness training. The work of the coaches was not heavy, so Kerslake had the time to stand there and chat with Tang En. However, Dunn was very dedicated to guarding the team on the training ground, even though he was not a fitness coach.
Kerslake was right. The reporters had a lot of questions to ask Tang En. For example, the specific figure of the second offer and how Ferguson agreed to the Forest team's offer. Was there any unknown inside story behind the acceptance of the offer, such as a backroom deal?
"Tell everyone that before the deal is confirmed to be completed, no media interviews and no press conferences will be held." Tang En instructed his assistant.
Kerslake nodded in acknowledgment and then asked another question, "What about the news from the Dutch side?"
"Their agent told me that Ruud has received the news. But because we still have competitors, he needs to carefully consider which side to accept the offer."
"Hmm …"
"Alright, let's go back." Twain glanced at the reporters, then turned around and walked back to the training ground.
As the team's two assistant managers, Dunn and Kerslake were fully responsible for the team's training. The whistles of the two managers rang continuously on the training ground. In the midst of the hustle and bustle, no one noticed that the team's manager, Tony Twain, had quietly left through the side door. He took a detour to the youth team's training base, where he boarded Randy James's taxi and left Wilford.
After the training ended, the reporters guarding the entrance of the training base did not see Tang En. The person responsible for dealing with the reporters was Kerslake. He only answered a few things that everyone knew — the Forest team's second offer to Manchester United. As for other things, he refused to disclose. For example, when a reporter asked how the negotiations with van Nistelrooy were progressing, he would always push the question to Tang En.
This answer was already a rather euphemistic "no." Because everyone knew what kind of temper Tang En had, Kerslake must have received Tang En's instructions to say this. Not to mention that the reporters could not find Tang En now, even if they did, he would not answer any questions. Even if there was a fool who ran to find Twain, he would definitely get the cold shoulder.
It was very accurate to say that the reporters loved and hated Tang En. Sometimes his unbridled and arrogant performance could give the media a topic to hype up, but other times, he always went against the media, giving them a headache. Tang En was now in the limelight. Even if the media was dissatisfied with his "acting like a big shot," they could only sigh helplessly. They could not really do anything, nor could they be like China and easily ban him.
※ ※ ※
While the media gathered outside the Wilford training base in Nottingham, there were also many reporters gathered outside the Carrington training base in Manchester. However, they were not there to pay attention to the conflict between van Nistelrooy and Ferguson — it was not worth paying too much attention to. Everyone knew before the World Cup that the two were like fire and water, and there was no possibility of reconciliation. Ferguson's position in Manchester United was impregnable, and van Nistelrooy's departure was inevitable — what interested these reporters more was the feud between Cristiano Ronaldo and Rooney.
In the World Cup, the two men seemed to have a feud of killing their father and stealing their wife. These reporters hoped to see this scene reenacted at the Carrington training base — the two team's star players glaring at each other, not seeing eye to eye with each other, openly and covertly stabbing each other during training, going back and forth …
But … under Ferguson's lead, the two of them appeared together, talking and laughing.
This made the major media outlets waiting outside the training ground, armed with their cameras and cannons, very, very disappointed.
When everyone's attention was focused on this pair of enemies, they had forgotten that van Nistelrooy was also recently at the center of the transfer rumors.
After training, van Nistelrooy came out of the locker room after changing his clothes. He put on his sunglasses and walked straight into the parking lot with his head down. He did not accept any media interviews and just drove away.
After training, the media's focus was on the two young players and Ferguson. Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo both said in interviews that their relationship with each other would not be affected. As for whether they had really reconciled, no one knew.
Ferguson was interviewed on the sidelines of the training ground. Most of the questions were also directed at the relationship between the two men. His answer was the same as the two boys, that there was nothing between them, and he reiterated that Cristiano Ronaldo would not go anywhere other than Manchester United. Then a Nottingham reporter finally asked the question about van Nistelrooy. Ferguson admitted that the player might leave Old Trafford, but he did not reveal why he accepted a second transfer offer after rejecting Nottingham Forest's first offer.
This question was only asked by a Nottingham media outlet. After answering, the media's questions returned to Cristiano Ronaldo and Rooney.
Pierce Brosnan, who represented the Nottingham media, looked at the reporters who had squeezed him out again and shrugged.
He was not interested in the feud between Manchester United's two star players. For the people of Nottingham, there was only one thing they were interested in — whether the world-class striker van Nistelrooy would come.
※ ※ ※
Van Nistelrooy did not drive straight home because he received a call from his agent when he changed in the locker room after training. On the phone, the agent told him that someone from Nottingham Forest had arrived and wanted to talk to him face-to-face.
He did not refuse the offer.
He parked the car in front of a restaurant he frequented. His agent and the people from the Nottingham Forest Football Club were waiting inside.
The Dutchman saw a middle-aged man with curly hair and a baby-face in the private room inside.
"Hello, Ruud. I'm Allan Adams, the marketing manager of the Nottingham Forest Football Club. You can call me Allan. "The man, who looked younger than his actual age, held out his hand.
Van Nistelrooy put his backpack on the chair and shook hands with the other man.
"Hello, Allan."
Allan Adams smiled as he watched the other man sit down. "I'm glad that the Manchester United Football Club has agreed to our transfer offer, so we can finally sit down and talk face to face. Nottingham Forest's interest in you is not a matter of a day or two, Ruud. "
Van Nistelrooy nodded.
"But we still need to wait for someone to come over the specifics. He's much more familiar with these matters than me, the marketing manager."
Hearing Allan say so, van Nistelrooy turned his head to look at his agent, Roger Linse. He nodded to himself to indicate that there was indeed someone else.
So who could this person be?
The doubts in van Nistelrooy's mind had not dissipated when the door was opened by an attendant. Then the three people sitting in the room saw a man rush in with a head full of sweat.
"I'm so sorry, the damn traffic jam!" He lowered his head and complained as he wiped his sweat.
"Tony, we have guests here." Allan Adams reminded the person who came in a little awkwardly.
"Ah …" Tang En looked up and saw van Nistelrooy and his agent sitting opposite him. He was also a little embarrassed. "Sorry … Sorry, it slipped my tongue."
With that, he walked over and held out his hand to van Nistelrooy. "I'm very sorry. There was a traffic jam on the road. I should have arrived first. Hello, Ruud, I'm … "
"Mr. Tony Twain, we all know each other. There's no need to introduce yourself." Van Nistelrooy smiled as he shook Tang En's hand. He was still a little surprised. He did not expect the Nottingham Forest manager to personally come here. In such a situation, he only needed to make a phone call.
Tang En shook hands with his agent, Linse, before sitting down.
"Where were you guys at just now?"
"You came at the right time, Tony. We were just talking about where we needed you to explain, "Allan said to Tang En.
Tang En heard this and nodded. He then took out a thick stack of documents from his briefcase and handed it to van Nistelrooy. "We've been paying attention to you since a long time ago, Ruud. Last season, before the World Cup, the World Cup … These are all the relevant reports given by the scouts and my assistant managers. "
Van Nistelrooy roughly flipped through it. Sure enough, it was all information about him. There were all aspects: his game form, game performance … everything. It looked like the Forest team's interest in him was definitely not just for show.
"I'm not good at all those beautiful lies, big words, and empty words. Let's get straight to the point, Ruud. I believe you've seen the Forest team's results last season. But my goal and that of the team is not just the same as last season. Being second in the Premier League and Champions League is definitely not a success for me, but a failure. I need to take the team's results to the next level in the new season. So, we need to replenish our strength. All three lines need to be replenished. Starting from the forward line, we need a center forward who can dominate in the penalty area, especially in the penalty area. I've thought about it. In the entire football world, only you are best suited for this position, Ruud. Real Madrid's new manager, Capello, said that the best center forward in his heart is Trezeguet, and you are the best center forward in the world in my heart. "
Tang En spoke very sincerely. He kept looking van Nistelrooy in the eyes when he said this, making him believe every word he said.
"We know there are still competitors, but I think the English Premier League is the most suitable place for you. You've been here for five years. You're used to the pace of the game here, the way you play football … everything. What reason is there to go to a new league and start all over again? What's more … "Tang En looked van Nistelrooy in the eyes." I think if you stay in England, you'll have a chance to prove that Manchester United made a huge mistake in giving you up. "
After listening to Twain's words, Ruud van Nistelrooy turned his head to look at his agent, Roger Linse. The two exchanged glances, and then he turned his head to Twain and said with a smile, "You've said everything. What else do I have to say?"
Then his agent, Roger Linse, said to Tang En and Allan, "Thank you to the Forest Football Club for doing such a detailed investigation on Ruud, which reflects your sense of responsibility and sincerity. We've also done our own research on the Forest team. Ruud believed that among the clubs pursuing him, Nottingham Forest's sincerity moved him. Ruud had originally planned to return to Eindhoven in the Netherlands, but after listening to Manager Tang En's expectations for the future, he had the idea of staying in the world's top league again. He entrusted me to discuss the specifics of the personal terms with your club. "
The meaning of these words could not be clearer.
Hearing Linse say so, Tang En and Allan looked at each other and saw joy in each other's eyes.
"Ah, you can discuss the contract with Allan." Tang En pointed to Allan Adams, who was sitting next to him. His task had been successfully completed.
He stood up and shook hands with his agent, Linse, and then shook hands with van Nistelrooy. "I'm very happy that you can choose Nottingham Forest, Ruud. In the future, you won't regret the choice you made today. "
"I remember Mr. Tang En just said you don't know how to say pretty words."
"Ah … Of course. But although those words are pretty, they're absolutely true. Don't you believe me? After you officially join, you can ask your new teammates. They'll be happy to tell you stories about me. "
"There are a lot of stories about you in the media. Could there be other inside stories? "
Tang En glanced at Allan and Linse, who were discussing the details of the contract, and then winked mysteriously at van Nistelrooy. "Of course, there are a lot more …"
※ ※ ※
A day later, Manchester United's official website announced that van Nistelrooy had officially transferred to Nottingham Forest for a transfer price of 15 million pounds. The report stated that the Manchester United Football Club thanked van Nistelrooy for everything he had contributed to the team over the past five years and wished him all the best in his new club. Ferguson did not express any opinion on van Nistelrooy's transfer and departure.
No one was surprised by the official announcement. Van Nistelrooy's departure had been decided before the World Cup. It was not surprising that Nottingham Forest had won the trust of the Dutch striker over other competitors. After all, it was much better to continue playing in the English Premier League than to go to a brand new league.
On the same day, the Nottingham Forest Football Club held a press conference to welcome van Nistelrooy's arrival. At the conference, the manager, Tony Twain, the Dutch striker van Nistelrooy, and the club's chairman, Evan Doughty, appeared in front of the reporters with a Forest red jersey with van Nistelrooy's name and number printed on it.
The three of them had smiles plastered on their faces, but their reasons were different.
Evan Doughty was happy that the team had finally welcomed a true world-class player in his prime. Tang En, on the other hand, was happy that a player he had always admired had arrived and that the team's strength had been strengthened. As for van Nistelrooy? There were too many meanings in his smile. Perhaps it was because he had found a strong new owner, or perhaps it was because his personal terms and treatment were good, or perhaps it was because he still had a chance to prove his ability to Ferguson …
"We're very happy that Nottingham Forest has acquired such an outstanding player, the world's number one center forward and former Manchester United striker, van Nistelrooy." Tang En deliberately mentioned "former Manchester United." "With a four-year contract, the team and Ruud are very confident in each other. I believe … Ruud's golden years have just begun! " (To be continued, if you want to know what happens next, please log on to WWW. QIDIAN. com. More chapters. Support the author. Support original reading!)
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