Chapter 146: The Most Expensive Transfer in History! Wenger: "Yang Cheng, Just Go Rob a Bank!"
The 2008 European summer transfer market kicked off with a bang, sending shockwaves around the world.
And the first to light the fuse was none other than Adam Crozier, CEO of Bayswater Chinese.
In an interview with The Sun, the former FA chief nearly broke down in tears as he slammed Premier League powerhouses for their behavior.
"They have no respect for us!" he declared.
His accusation?
These clubs—with their massive transfer and wage budgets—were shamelessly trying to poach Bayswater Chinese's players without regard. It was unacceptable.
"If you don't respect other clubs, you're dragging football down a dangerous path!"
Crozier made it clear: Bayswater Chinese wouldn't let anyone go without a fight.
"We will not compromise!"
While fans and media were still celebrating the fairytale Champions League win, one of the clubs on Crozier's hit list—Manchester United—fired back.
Their target?
Real Madrid.
Ferguson blasted the Spanish giants, calling President Calderón's remarks unacceptable.
Why?
Because Calderón had said, "You can't stop a player from leaving if he wants to go."
A clear jab regarding Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ferguson fired back:
"Big clubs should set the right example. Just because you're a giant doesn't give you the right to tamper with every player in the world. That's irresponsible."
Meanwhile, Wenger joined the chorus, slamming both Madrid and Barcelona for their pursuit of Fàbregas.
"Top clubs should embody the right values and lead by example," the professor stated.
Liverpool, in turn, lashed out at Chelsea, accusing them of tapping up Fernando Torres.
Then Tottenham Hotspur took it even further.
They filed official complaints with the FA against Manchester United, Liverpool, and Arsenal, accusing United of trying to poach Berbatov, Liverpool targeting Robbie Keane, and Arsenal going after several Spurs players.
As if that weren't enough, Aston Villa also accused United, Liverpool, and Arsenal of pursuing Gareth Barry.
The entire Premier League had turned into a full-blown war zone.
It was pure chaos—
big fish eating small fish, small fish eating shrimp—and the drama was playing out for all to see.
But then, Yang Cheng dropped the hammer.
In an interview with The Times, he obliterated everyone:
"These big clubs have lost all sense of respect in the transfer market. It's become toxic, chaotic, and completely unhealthy."
"None of them are victims—they're all perpetrators."
Just as everyone waited for Ferguson, Wenger, Benítez, and Schuster to respond,
they all went silent.
They couldn't argue.
They had no ground to stand on.
Even Tottenham CEO Daniel Levy chimed in during an interview:
"All of these big clubs are hypocrites."
"They preach values, then turn around and do the exact same thing."
So, are there any good guys left among England's top clubs?
Levy went one step further:
"Bayswater Chinese's transfer market ethics are beyond reproach."
When Yang Cheng read that line, he nearly died laughing.
Bayswater Chinese? Ethical?
He didn't even believe it himself!
…
The transfer window hadn't even opened yet,
and the PR war was already raging.
Yang Cheng stayed out of it.
After the Champions League final, he and Xia Qing had to handle countless tasks.
In their spare moments, they accompanied both sets of parents and Xia Xi's family on a tour of London and surrounding cities.
It was a rare overseas trip for them.
They stayed just over a week before flying back to China.
Yang Cheng and Xia Qing, however, had no time to leave this summer.
There was just too much to do.
The new stadium project was about to begin demolition—Xia Qing was in charge of finances and needed to be present for everything.
The first team was officially moving into the Brent training complex, and the relocation involved all kinds of details.
Yang Cheng had to be involved, as did Brian Kidd and most department heads.
It was crucial to ensuring a stable start to the new season.
Adam Crozier and Xia Qing would oversee the move of the club's administrative offices.
They'd already rented new offices near the stadium construction site,
where the club would operate during the build.
Everything was happening at once—and it was hectic.
Because of that, no summer tour was arranged for the team.
Puma had hoped to take Bayswater Chinese to the U.S.,
South African sponsors wanted them for friendlies,
Asian partners had sent invitations too.
Yang Cheng said no to all of them.
2008 was a Euro Cup year, and the internationals were already exhausted.
With the club moving and adjusting to a new base, it was too much.
A summer tour to Asia or the U.S. would only complicate things further.
To ensure a stable preseason, Yang Cheng opted to stay in the UK and schedule friendlies around Europe.
As for North America,
Crozier and Omar Berrada were already preparing for a 2009 summer tour,
aiming to attract more sponsors across the Atlantic.
…
While Europe was in an uproar over transfers,
the 2008 European Championship kicked off on June 7.
Yang Cheng's focus was on Croatia,
and in their opener against Austria, they won thanks to Modrić, who scored just three minutes in.
The Bayswater Chinese captain delivered a slap in the face to the host nation.
Then, in a 2–1 win over Germany, Modrić again impressed.
He and Rakitić formed the core of Croatia's midfield and were the key to their victories.
Especially Modrić—he was immense.
One small regret:
In the third group match, Poland vs. Croatia,
neither Piszczek nor Lewandowski got to face Modrić or Rakitić.
Croatia had already secured qualification with two wins,
so both midfielders were rested.
Even so, Croatia still beat Poland 1–0.
The talent gap between the two sides couldn't be erased by a player or two.
In another group, France were struggling.
Even though Lass Diarra had become a key player at Bayswater Chinese and was being courted by elite clubs,
he sat on the bench for all three group matches.
Makelele remained Deschamps' midfield anchor.
The result?
France finished with 1 draw and 2 losses—
sent home early.
Then came Russia—and this time, Yang Cheng's predictions proved spot on.
Arshavin exploded.
It was his first major tournament with the national team,
and he carried his club form onto the international stage.
In their group opener, Russia lost 2–3 to Spain,
but Arshavin contributed a goal and an assist, stealing the spotlight.
In the second match of the group stage, Arshavin once again delivered a goal and an assist, helping Russia to a 2–0 victory over Ibrahimović's Sweden.
Then in the final group match, it was Arshavin's goal that sealed a 1–0 win against Greece.
The "Tsar of Russia" carried his brilliant club form into the national team.
And Guus Hiddink, managing Russia, deployed him in the same role as at club level—as a free-roaming playmaker in the final third.
After reaching the quarterfinals, Modrić scored a last-minute winner to beat Turkey 1–0 and send Croatia into the semifinals.
Arshavin then once again provided a goal and an assist to help Russia defeat the Netherlands 3–1.
Unfortunately, in the semifinals, Russia ran into Spain again.
Although Arshavin scored his fifth goal of the tournament, it wasn't enough to stop Spain from winning.
Russia lost 1–3 and bowed out in the semifinals.
Meanwhile, Croatia, led by Modrić and Rakitić, faced Germany in a grueling semifinal that ended 2–2 in regulation.
Modrić and Rakitić each recorded an assist.
In extra time, both midfielders were immense, especially Modrić, who fully shouldered Croatia's attacking and defensive transition in midfield.
In the end, Croatia defeated Joachim Löw's Germany in a penalty shootout to reach the final.
Neuer, who had taken over as Germany's No. 1 goalkeeper, performed exceptionally, maintaining the same high standards he displayed with Bayswater Chinese.
In that shootout, he saved two penalties.
But it wasn't enough—the German players around him failed to deliver, and they were eliminated by Croatia.
In the final, however, Croatia fell narrowly to Spain, 0–1.
Fernando Torres scored the winner.
Spain lifted the European Championship, and Luis Aragonés became a national hero.
Spain dominated the tournament's Best XI, but Modrić and Arshavin both earned their place.
Arshavin, with five goals, also won the Golden Boot of Euro 2008.
Thanks to this tournament, Arshavin's personal reputation reached an all-time high.
Even before the tournament had ended, after Russia's semifinal exit, Arshavin returned home to a hero's welcome. European media scrambled to cover him.
The top clubs—who had long coveted him—rushed toward Bayswater Chinese.
But just as the entire world was still immersed in the euphoria of the Euros, The Sun, ever the master of transfer rumors, dropped a bombshell:
Manchester City's €100 million move for Kaká was nearly complete.
The Ballon d'Or winner was set to join the Premier League—becoming the first Ballon d'Or winner to ever sign with an English club.
And Kaká's weekly wage?
£300,000.
The entire transfer market exploded.
A €100 million fee and £300k/week salary?
Absolutely insane.
Unbelievable.
…
"Kaká's move to City—is that really happening?"
Brian Kidd asked Yang Cheng, looking deeply concerned.
After several years together, Kidd knew his news sources weren't as wide-reaching as Yang Cheng's.
Often, by the time Yang Cheng had already received solid intel, Kidd hadn't even caught a whiff.
"If The Sun's reporting it this confidently, it's probably 80–90% real," Yang Cheng replied, cautiously.
In the transfer market, nothing was final until the pen hit the paper.
Even after signing, there could still be twists.
Take Gabriel Milito—his Real Madrid transfer fell apart after everything was supposedly signed.
That's also why, last summer, Milito flat-out refused to go to Madrid.
"£300k a week—isn't that too ridiculous?" Brian Kidd was speechless.
Currently, the highest wage in the Premier League was Chelsea's John Terry on £130,000/week,
which was already more than Shevchenko had earned.
At United, Ronaldo earned just £100,000/week, not even top in the squad.
Ferdinand led the Red Devils with £110,000/week.
So if Kaká joined City, he'd instantly more than double the league's highest wage.
It was staggering.
"How can they control the wage structure doing this?" Kidd asked in disbelief.
"That's £300,000!"
Yang Cheng just smiled, unsure how to respond.
It was hard to describe just how deep Abu Dhabi's pockets really were.
After thinking about it, he offered a simple answer:
"City's new owner has money he can't spend fast enough."
"No way!" Kidd was even more stunned.
"When he's almost out of money, he just draws a circle in the desert, drills a hole, and pounds of sterling start spraying out of an oil well."
Yang Cheng's analogy made Brian Kidd burst into laughter.
With that image, it all made sense.
Still, Yang Cheng was surprised by how fast City were moving.
In his past life, Kaká nearly joined City in January 2009.
But then Florentino Pérez re-emerged, promising to bring Kaká to Madrid if he returned as president—so Kaká waited.
But now?
Florentino wasn't even on the scene.
From a fan's perspective, Kaká to City wasn't necessarily a bad move.
His style fit the Premier League,
and at City, he'd become the team's focal point—likely doing better than he had in Yang Cheng's timeline.
From a league-wide standpoint, Kaká's arrival was a massive commercial win for the Premier League.
But as a rival manager, Yang Cheng couldn't be happy.
Defending Kaká twice a season? Ugh.
"City finished 9th last season—not even in Europe. Why would Kaká go there?" Kidd asked, disappointed.
Kaká was handsome, humble, insanely talented—
everyone loved him.
"Word is City's new chairman, Mubarak, personally flew to Milan with Sven-Göran Eriksson to convince him," Yang Cheng said.
"They sold him on their grand vision for the future."
In Yang Cheng's previous life, why had City failed to land Kaká?
Not just because of Florentino's promise.
But because of timing.
In January, things were rushed. City negotiated only with AC Milan, throwing money at the club.
But for a player of Kaká's level,
you need to convince the player and his team, too.
City never approached Kaká directly.
That's why their €100 million offer lost to a single promise from Florentino.
But this summer, City had time—
they met with Kaká personally, and Milan wanted the money.
So the record-breaking transfer was happening.
"And that's not all," Yang Cheng added grimly.
"City's striker shortlist is terrifying."
"Besides going after Džeko, they also want Ibrahimović (Inter), Adebayor (Arsenal), Benzema (Lyon), Berbatov (Spurs), and **Torres (Liverpool)."
"Manchester City is definitely going to sign a top-class striker in this window."
Yang Cheng had always believed that City would become Bayswater Chinese's biggest threat going forward.
It wasn't just that the Abu Dhabi group had money—the key was that they weren't reckless.
Abramovich was rich too, but he was impulsive.
If the Russian owner hadn't made some questionable decisions, and instead of splashing on Shevchenko, had spent that money on a creative midfielder like Deco, Chelsea's overall strength might've skyrocketed in their third year of dominance.
City was different.
They were rich but disciplined, and they invested steadily every year, always building the team's strength.
And they trusted their coaches completely.
That was what made them truly dangerous.
With Abu Dhabi's backing, continuous investment, and smart planning, who could resist that pressure?
And their strategy was right out in the open.
They didn't pretend.
They had money—and they were willing to spend it.
As long as you were willing to sell, even at a premium, they'd buy.
Signing Kaká for €100 million was more than just a statement—it was a message of intent.
A signal of how serious the Abu Dhabi ownership was.
"And in midfield, they're also targeting David Silva from Valencia," Yang Cheng added.
The Spanish midfielder had been excellent at the Euros and was now being pursued by many big clubs, including Real Madrid and Barcelona. His fee wouldn't be cheap.
And in terms of wingers, the hottest names on the market were:
Robinho (Real Madrid), Ronaldinho (Barcelona), and Arshavin (Bayswater Chinese).
Among them, Arshavin was in highest demand.
Ronaldinho had long been expected to leave this summer.
Robinho was furious at Madrid's pursuit of Ronaldo. Rumors swirled that they were offering him as a makeweight in the deal—and in protest, the Brazilian demanded a transfer.
Currently, both Chelsea and City were chasing him.
Calderón and Mijatović's transfer antics were… truly something to behold.
…
While City were making headlines with Kaká, their cross-town rivals United were not sitting still.
The Red Devils swiftly dropped £35 million to sign Berbatov from Tottenham.
That was significantly higher than the £30.75 million fee in Yang Cheng's previous life.
Yang Cheng was surprised.
Ferguson had always been a rational buyer.
If he agreed to this price, it meant he thought it was fair value.
So Yang Cheng gathered Xia Qing, Adam Crozier, Dan Ashworth, Mike Rigg, and Gary Worthington for a meeting to discuss the summer transfer window.
Dan Ashworth, the club's Director of Football, had mainly overseen the academy until now, since the first team and youth team had separate facilities.
But with the first team now based at Brent Reservoir, his scope had expanded.
He now worked closely with Mike Rigg to monitor the market.
"Based on our tracking and intel, we're fairly certain that several major deals are being lined up this summer," Ashworth reported.
"Chelsea wants to offload Drogba. Shevchenko has already confirmed a return to AC Milan."
"Chelsea have four striker targets: Džeko, Ibrahimović, Torres, and Eto'o."
"Of those, we've already made it clear that Džeko is not on the market."
"Chelsea's trying to use Drogba in a swap deal for Ibrahimović."
"At the same time, Barcelona are also chasing Ibra. Guardiola really rates him.
So Barça hope to sell Eto'o to Chelsea to fund the Ibra deal."
"Mourinho, now at Inter, is also interested in Drogba and prefers to buy him outright."
"We've also received confirmed reports that Chelsea offered £50 million to Liverpool for Torres, along with a £200,000/week wage."
"Right now, Torres is only earning £90,000/week."
"Inter are also looking at Adebayor, but Wenger wants to renew his deal.
Now that Usmanov's funds have come in, Arsenal are no longer short on cash."
Arsenal's biggest priority right now wasn't signings—it was locking down their core players.
"And by the way—City is interested in all of the above," Ashworth added.
Chaos.
Total chaos.
Even Adam Crozier couldn't follow it all.
It was just too scattered and complicated.
But that's the nature of the transfer market—a dense, confusing fog.
That's why Yang Cheng specifically had Ashworth and Rigg monitor all movement.
It was part of their job.
Don't assume Chelsea were just throwing darts.
This is how transfers work—teams shortlist multiple targets and negotiate simultaneously.
Whichever deal advances fastest, they pursue.
Being too focused on one player?
That's how Real Madrid got ghosted by Chiellini—and became a laughingstock.
"The issue now," Ashworth continued, "is that while Barça are willing to sell Eto'o and Chelsea are happy to buy, Eto'o's wage demands are steep."
"He wants £160,000/week to move to the Premier League—which would break Chelsea's wage structure."
Chelsea's current top earner is John Terry on £130,000/week.
At that moment, Yang Cheng understood why Ferguson had moved so quickly for Berbatov.
"If last summer was all about center-backs, this year it's definitely center-forwards," Ashworth said.
Yang Cheng agreed.
Top-tier strikers were rare—and City's arrival had intensified competition for elite talent.
Less supply, more demand = price surge.
More importantly, many top clubs were entering a renewal phase.
Drogba (30), Van Nistelrooy (32)—both past their prime.
In a year or two, Chelsea and Real Madrid would need replacements.
And the number of top-tier strikers?
Very few.
Berbatov's move to United made the market even tighter.
Yang Cheng did some mental math.
At £35 million, striker prices would only rise further.
After all, not every club could groom their own half-developed talent.
Just look at Chelsea.
What did they turn talented youngsters like Kalou into?
Nothing.
Chelsea, Madrid, Barça, City, even Inter—none of them had the infrastructure to develop young players.
Their only option?
Buy them.
So Bayswater Chinese had to act fast.
Top priority: contract renewals and wage increases.
It wasn't that Yang Cheng had underestimated the market—
it had just changed too fast.
Arsenal had already suffered:
Flamini, Adebayor, Hleb, Fàbregas—all being targeted.
Even Van Persie had stepped up, stating publicly that the club should consider increasing wages.
And if Bayswater Chinese didn't act quickly, they might find themselves in Arsenal's awkward position next summer.
It wasn't just the players—the coaching staff needed attention too.
Even someone as loyal as Gianni Vio had become a target for poaching.
This brought up something essential: Yang Cheng's management model at Bayswater Chinese.
Strictly speaking, his greatest achievement wasn't just the titles—it was building a system.
From commercial to sporting operations, Bayswater Chinese relied on modern organizational management, with everyone operating within a clear structure.
Over the years, other clubs had frequently tried to poach staff.
But it never caused serious disruption.
Because for average employees, they were more like interchangeable parts—replaceable.
But what about core figures like Gianni Vio, Dan Ashworth, or Mike Rigg?
Yes, they'd also been approached.
But while player wages were modest, Bayswater's staff salaries were generous.
More importantly, their success was inextricably tied to the club's system.
Since Yang Cheng implemented paperless operations and a fully networked workflow across departments, even if these key staff left, they couldn't take much with them.
They didn't have the ability to recreate the system elsewhere.
Even if another club poached a whole team and tried to imitate the structure, the replica wouldn't be nearly as competitive.
This was what Yang Cheng always emphasized:
There was only one irreplaceable person at Bayswater Chinese.
Even someone as senior as Adam Crozier—if he left, Yang Cheng would promote Omar Berrada the very next day.
And if Omar left?
Crozier would do the same—promote one of Omar's most capable deputies.
That's why Bayswater Chinese wasn't afraid of being poached.
Staff, players—it was all the same.
Of course, not being afraid didn't mean they could treat people harshly.
Especially during this expansion phase, they needed to offer enough incentives to align everyone's interests—build unity and strengthen club culture.
In the end, culture is what sets football clubs apart.
…
As the transfer market reached a fever pitch, Europe's summer window became more unpredictable than ever.
Rumors swirled non-stop.
Shortly after Manchester United signed Berbatov, their rivals Manchester City officially announced the £30 million signing of Adebayor from Arsenal.
To lure the Togolese striker, City not only paid top dollar but offered a £170,000/week salary—leaving Adebayor no hesitation.
Meanwhile, Hleb left for Barcelona for £10 million.
Add in Gilberto Silva, who returned to Brazil on a free, and Lehmann, who went to Germany—
Arsenal had lost five key players in one window.
Still, they managed to keep hold of Van Persie and Fàbregas.
According to The Independent, Wenger had ultimately allowed others to leave due to wage structure concerns.
He believed that if keeping a few players broke the club's wage model, it would be more damaging long-term.
But after the sales, what was next?
Wenger already had a plan.
He started by signing Hugo Lloris from Nice for £7 million.
He'd been tracking the French keeper since the winter window—he just hadn't had the funds then.
Now, with the sales complete and Usmanov's investment secured, Arsenal was cash-rich.
After Lloris, Wenger moved quickly again:
£20 million to sign 20-year-old striker Karim Benzema from Lyon.
Wenger had long admired Benzema, a fellow Frenchman.
He believed in his potential to become a world-class forward.
Benzema, for his part, idolized Wenger's Arsenal, hoping to follow in Thierry Henry's footsteps.
Wenger also wanted to sign Gareth Barry from Aston Villa.
But Liverpool and City were also keen.
After some back and forth, Villa set the price at £20 million—
which scared off both Liverpool and Arsenal.
City, however, accepted without hesitation.
Barry became the latest to join their revolution.
Wenger shifted focus again:
£15 million to sign Sulley Muntari from Portsmouth.
The Ghanaian had impressed in the Premier League, helping Pompey finish eighth last season.
Wenger also brought in Samir Nasri from Marseille for £10 million,
and spent another £10 million to sign Yoann Gourcuff from AC Milan.
Wenger had always admired Gourcuff.
Despite the Frenchman struggling at Milan, Wenger saw a generational talent.
In a media interview, he even called the signing:
"An exciting transfer. He's a great talent and will be one of France's most important players."
Henry and Vieira had both failed in Italy but flourished in England—
Wenger believed Gourcuff would be next.
Still buzzing, Wenger called up Yang Cheng.
Time for dinner.
…
Bayswater, Queen's Road.
Right across from Bayswater Stadium, near the derelict development on the east side of Queen's Road,
there was a Chinese restaurant called Golden Mountain House.
If Yang Cheng and Xia Qing weren't eating at home, they usually came here.
Wenger invited him out, and Yang Cheng picked the place.
He even booked a window seat—facing the site of the now-demolished Bayswater Stadium.
"How big is your new stadium going to be?"
Wenger asked, curious.
Reports were already circulating about the planned expansion.
"No idea yet. As big as we can make it, hopefully. But the calculations aren't done,"
Yang Cheng answered honestly.
Then, with a chuckle, he added:
"So, how does it feel—not short on money, buying players like crazy?"
Wenger stiffened, clearly a bit embarrassed.
Before Usmanov's takeover, Wenger had stayed fairly neutral but leaned toward Kroenke.
He wanted Arsenal to be self-sufficient.
Yang Cheng's teasing jab struck that nerve.
Still—buying players did feel amazing.
Wenger finally understood why women loved shopping.
You just couldn't stop.
"I've spent close to £70 million in this window," Yang Cheng pressed. "Don't tell me you were forced to."
Because he knew why Wenger really came.
No matter how thick-skinned he was, Wenger couldn't take that kind of ribbing without reacting.
"If you weren't building this stadium, you could've bought them too."
Still—it really was satisfying.
All those players he used to admire from afar, now finally within reach.
Benzema.
Gourcuff.
Buying them felt as good as walking out of a boutique with an Hermès handbag.
Yang Cheng just smiled—
and said nothing.
"What do you make of Manchester City's threat?" Wenger changed the subject.
"For us? It's nothing. Our goal is just top four," Yang Cheng replied with a grin.
The new king of "Top Four FC"? That was clearly Bayswater Chinese now.
But the word "just" hit Wenger right in the pride.
"Yang, will you die if you don't take a jab at me every conversation?"
Yang Cheng burst out laughing. "Die? No. But it would feel… uncomfortable."
"You know, we Bayswater Chinese are so poor, I've developed a bit of a grudge against the rich. Especially the new rich clubs. I can't stand them."
Wenger's smile froze.
He suddenly regretted coming to dinner.
Why did I put myself through this again?
"Come on then, just tell me—what do you want?" Yang Cheng was too busy for small talk.
Wenger decided to cut to the chase.
"I want to buy a player from Bayswater Chinese."
Yang Cheng gave him the "I knew it" look.
"David Dunn's been talking with Adam Crozier, hasn't he?"
He glanced out the window.
Right outside, Bayswater Stadium was being dismantled.
Because of its location in central London, they couldn't demolish it with explosives—only heavy machinery.
Limited work hours, strict dust and noise regulations... a logistical nightmare.
Wenger didn't know Yang Cheng was zoning out and continued, smiling slightly, "I'm not talking about Arshavin."
"Huh?" Yang Cheng snapped back to attention.
"Then who?"
"Koscielny."
Yang Cheng was surprised. "You want Koscielny?"
Wenger nodded with a faint smile. "Of course, if you were willing to sell Thiago Silva or Pepe, I'd be even happier—but I know you won't."
Obviously.
Yang Cheng hadn't expected this one.
"You're buying so many French players—think you might be overdoing it?"
Wenger waved it off. "Arsenal's always had strong French DNA. Nothing unusual."
Then he added, "At Bayswater Chinese, Koscielny's a third or fourth choice. At Arsenal, he'd be a starter—more minutes, more development."
This pitch clearly wasn't aimed at Yang Cheng—it was meant for the player and his agent.
True, Silva and Pepe were locked-in starters. Fonte had become a locker room leader. Koscielny had opportunities, but he'd definitely get more at Arsenal.
"He's a homegrown player," Yang Cheng said flatly.
"I know. We'll pay more." Wenger didn't even blink.
Yang Cheng found this weirdly generous Wenger hard to deal with.
The poor man gets rich, and now he's acting like a nouveau riche!
Yang Cheng quickly calculated the club's current homegrown quota.
Losing Koscielny wouldn't hurt too much.
Silva, Pepe, and Fonte were all capable of rotating in.
Still, they'd need to bring in another center-back.
But he already had a shortlist.
After a moment, he nodded.
"If you want Koscielny, fine. £20 million."
"£20 million?!" Wenger nearly jumped. "You trying to rob a bank?"
"Sure," Yang Cheng chuckled. "I'll rob one for you tomorrow."
Wenger was speechless.
In May, FIFA had introduced the 6+5 rule.
That meant in an eleven-man starting lineup, clubs could only field five foreigners—at least six players had to be homegrown.
FIFA had even issued a timetable to begin implementing it starting in 2010.
The idea was to curb the dominance of European superclubs.
In simple terms: too many foreigners in the big four leagues.
It sparked panic in many clubs and drove up the value of domestic players.
"I'm telling you, £20 million is a friendship price. If City came asking, I'd slap on another £10 million just for fun," Yang Cheng said, oozing confidence.
Arsenal wasn't exactly short on homegrown players,
but adding more was never a bad thing.
Especially since Koscielny was French.
If Ferguson had a soft spot for British players, Wenger was obsessed with the French.
And Yang Cheng… well, let's not talk about his feelings toward Chinese players.
"Yang, that 6+5 policy might be trending now, but you and I both know it violates EU labor laws. No way it gets passed."
Wenger was half-right.
But Yang Cheng countered, "Sure, but you also know the value of homegrown players will only keep rising. FIFA fired the first shot—do you think the FA won't follow?"
He grinned. "Don't forget, David Dunn is also FA vice chairman. You think he can't see where this is heading?"
England's national team had underperformed for years.
Every tournament exit came with renewed calls for investing in domestic development.
In Euro 2008, they hadn't even qualified—sparking another media firestorm.
Restricting foreign players and supporting homegrown youth was only a matter of time.
"I'll have to think about it," Wenger sighed.
"No problem," Yang Cheng said. "But don't take too long. Preseason starts soon. I like having my squad complete before training begins."
Wenger gave Yang Cheng an exasperated glare—but nodded, defeated.
"Next time, if I have any other options, I swear I won't buy from Bayswater Chinese ever again."
Yang Cheng burst out laughing.
"Well, you can skip it now! Or better yet, say it louder. I'll call Fleet Street over, and then City, Madrid, Barça, and Chelsea will all thank you."
Right now, five clubs were chasing Arshavin.
Arsenal was one of them.
Of course, none of the clubs were reckless—they were all keeping the bidding within a reasonable range.
Wenger groaned.
Then again, he let out a small sigh of relief.
Go ahead, sell. Sell as much as you want.
We've just gotten stronger. If you tear your team apart, I'll crush you next season.
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