Chapter 177 – The Future English Star! The Transfer Market in Chaos—What Will Mourinho Do?
"All right, I understand. Give me some time to think about it."
At the youth selection trials of the Brent Training Centre's academy, Yang Cheng spoke calmly into his phone, away from the crowd.
The bustling scene was too lively for anyone to notice him stepping aside to take a call.
After hanging up, he composed himself, turned around, and walked back onto the field, greeting a bespectacled, buzz-cut British man.
"Sorry, David. Let's continue."
Yang Cheng took the lead, with David Pensell quickly catching up.
Bayswater Chinese's academy wasn't the most elite, but it had built a strong reputation.
Its youth squads consistently ranked among the best across England, age group by age group.
But because other academies placed a heavy emphasis on physicality, Bayswater Chinese's more technical philosophy sometimes put them at a disadvantage.
Even so, in recent years they had won plenty of youth titles.
And they were never isolated from the world—on the contrary, the club emphasized an inclusive approach to development.
Each year, many top youth players were sent to exchange programs at elite European academies, sometimes staying for months.
In addition, every age group had training tours and friendly matches abroad.
The academy's investment and results were visible, and its rising reputation drew more and more young talents.
Now, the annual youth selection day had become a marquee event.
Yang Cheng and David Pensell walked and talked—about football, the club, the Premier League, and, of course, the upcoming International Champions Cup.
Bayswater Chinese had been aggressively pushing the ICC project, and it was no longer a secret in industry circles.
Clubs already confirmed to join included:
Premier League: Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester CityBundesliga: Bayern MunichLa Liga: Real Madrid
Talks were ongoing with:
BarcelonaAC MilanInter MilanJuventus
But naturally, not all these top clubs shared the same vision.
Yang Cheng's idea was to have 12 founding clubs, each participating every year, with equal equity stakes.
Bayswater Chinese, as the initiator, would hold 12%, while the remaining 11 clubs each held 8%.
Fair, right?
Everyone agreed—on paper.
But when it came to funding?
Sorry, they needed time to "consider."
Because these traditional giants were used to getting paid to play friendlies—not paying to participate.
And launching a new cup, even just a glorified friendly tournament, was no easy feat.
Ironically, the most cooperative party had been Manchester City.
The Middle Eastern owners only asked to be included.
"Whatever the format, we're in."
Even the visionary Florentino Pérez remained cautious about investing in the tournament.
After all, no one had ever done this before.
The old Toyota Cup?
A money-losing disaster.
The Club World Cup only survived because it had FIFA backing.
That's where negotiations had stalled.
David Pensell, now head of advertising and marketing at The Guardian Group, was no stranger to situations like this.
The Guardian Group had deep media operations globally, especially in North America and Asia.
Before joining the Guardian, Pensell had served as Marketing Director at ITV, then left to found a creative agency, where he built brand campaigns for major clients like Bunnings, DaimlerChrysler, and Disney.
The agency eventually dissolved after a falling-out with partners.
He then joined Shine Group, founded by Elisabeth Murdoch, where his marketing campaigns earned them an International Emmy in 2006.
That success caught the Guardian's attention, and they poached him to lead the advertising division—one of the company's core revenue engines.
When Xia Qing and Adam Crozier shortlisted candidates, they put Pensell's résumé in front of Yang Cheng.
He recognized the name immediately.
In 2018, Pensell had been a frontrunner to replace Richard Scudamore as Premier League CEO.
It didn't happen—he was taken down by a sexual harassment scandal and ended up as Chairman of the British Fashion Council instead.
Yang Cheng remembered the story clearly.
It had been ironically amusing.
Pensell had helped the Guardian successfully complete a major digital transformation, pulling the company out of the red—earning just £700,000 a year pre-tax.
Meanwhile, the Premier League CEO role was paying over £1 million.
No wonder he was tempted to jump ship.
The Guardian may be a media titan, but it was also rigid and old-school, with low salaries and a strict hierarchy.
So when Bayswater Chinese came calling, Pensell signed on.
…
Pensell was clearly well-prepared for Yang Cheng's current dilemma.
He had already been briefed by Xia Qing and Adam Crozier.
"Mr. Yang, if you really believe in this project, my suggestion is: let Bayswater Chinese run the whole show. Offer the founding clubs non-voting, dividend-only equity—say 3% each—in exchange for brand licensing."
"That's the true value of this tournament."
Yang Cheng nodded.
He had discussed this exact model with Xia Qing, Crozier, and Omar Berrada.
They'd get branding rights, and in return, pay match appearance fees to each club.
Of course, since dividends were on the table, appearance fees could be negotiated downward.
"Honestly, Mr. Yang, this project has huge potential. With so many top clubs involved, the brand effect alone is massive—especially in a summer like this one, when the whole world is buzzing."
Pensell had an exceptional sense for brand marketing, and he immediately spotted the opportunity.
Every summer, the transfer window set the world ablaze with headlines.
Why wouldn't this tournament catch fire too?
Marketing costs?
Practically covered by the news cycle.
And the revenue model for the clubs?
Win-win.
Even if you don't win a match, you get paid.
And let's face it—overseas preseason tours were often nightmares for big clubs.
Madrid and Barça's trips to Asia were riddled with controversy.
At the core, the problem was always the same:
No structure. No standards.
Now, with one company managing the whole tournament, matches would be well-organized, monetized, and strategically linked to global fanbase growth.
It was a triple win.
Of course, that also meant all the pressure would fall on Bayswater Chinese.
"We'll take the lead. I'll set up a dedicated company to run this tournament. You build the team. The Premier League has plenty of experienced people—we'll poach a few to help you."
The Premier League had spent the last few years building out its global preseason operations—touring North America, Asia, Oceania—and had a ton of expertise.
Organizing a tournament like this was absolutely doable.
Especially with plenty of time ahead.
According to Yang Cheng's preliminary plan, the inaugural edition would take place in 2010, right after the South Africa World Cup.
And based on the intel he had received, the U.S.-based Challenge Cup wasn't planning to run in 2010 to avoid clashing with the World Cup.
Perfect timing.
A full year to prepare—more than enough.
And if the first edition turned out to be a massive hit, drawing all the top clubs in… what use would the American Challenge Cup even be anymore?
Besides, when it comes to football, the Americans were no match.
As for potential suppression from FIFA and UEFA once the tournament gained traction, Yang Cheng already had countermeasures in place.
As long as he seized the right moment and established a foothold, all that would be left was to sit back and watch the money roll in.
…
With the decision made, Yang Cheng and Pensell discussed the next steps in detail.
Pensell was still employed by The Guardian Group.
As a senior executive, it would take at least 1–2 months for him to formally resign.
But he promised to start working part-time, assisting with the formation of the new company and the early stages of planning.
Yang Cheng then thought of someone—Richard Masters.
In Yang Cheng's previous life, when David Pensell missed out on becoming Premier League CEO, it was Masters who took the job.
At the moment, he was the Premier League's Director of Marketing.
But what really mattered was his network.
Masters had entered the sports industry in 1994, and before joining the Premier League, he had been Commercial Director for the Football League, giving him a deep understanding of football operations.
The fact that he later succeeded Richard Scudamore as Premier League CEO was proof of his capabilities.
Definitely a talent worth poaching.
With the Premier League's size and influence today, they weren't worried about staffing shortages.
But for the new company Yang Cheng was about to launch, the more talent, the better.
As soon as he saw Pensell off, Yang Cheng called Adam Crozier, asking him to arrange a meeting with Richard Masters.
He also wanted Pensell and Masters to meet—see if there was chemistry.
If things worked out, they could form a core leadership team together.
Yang Cheng wasn't the same hands-on manager he had been in his past life.
Doing everything himself? That was no longer his style.
Now, he needed to become a true leader.
Lack of talent?
Go and recruit.
Find top-level professionals and let them run the show.
There was no reason to doubt the outcome.
Just like how Xiaomi built a car company in Yang Cheng's previous life—no tech? No know-how?
Just buy the whole R&D team. Problem solved.
This wasn't mockery—it was a business-first mindset.
Of course, after hiring them, you still needed to invest in R&D.
And that's exactly what Yang Cheng was doing.
If you're short on people—go get them.
As for tournament operations?
Not even a concern.
European football was an entire industry ecosystem, with tons of specialized service providers ready to support.
With a full year to prepare, as long as the budget was in place, there would be no problem at all.
…
As Yang Cheng hung up the phone and strolled around the youth trial grounds, a broadcast suddenly caught his attention.
On one of the 7-year-old fields, players were being gathered to be split into teams for matches.
Then a name came over the loudspeaker—
Jude Bellingham.
Yang Cheng blinked.
Had he heard that right?
He quickly made his way over to the U7 trial area.
Many people recognized him immediately, causing a bit of a stir.
But Yang Cheng politely waved everyone off. He was just there to observe.
After receiving the match roster from a staff member, he scanned the list.
There it was: Jude Bellingham, born June 29, 2003, residing in Stourbridge.
It really was him.
The future star of English football.
When the kids walked onto the pitch, Yang Cheng didn't recognize him right away.
It wasn't until the ref began calling names that he spotted him—and immediately felt a little disappointed.
Short, skinny, and worse…
he was still rocking that 2002 Ronaldo "wedge" haircut.
It's 2009, kid. You're still wearing that? Even a Beckham mohawk would be better.
Yang Cheng chuckled to himself.
But the moment the match began, the kid stood out immediately.
He may have been skinny, dark-skinned, and short—but once he got the ball, he moved like a dragon returning to the sea—unstoppable.
If it were just fancy footwork, fine. But this kid was a midfielder, and his off-ball movement was incredibly smart.
His runs, his technical flow, the smooth way he linked his touches—even when facing older kids, he seemed totally at ease.
Just 6 years old, and already brushing past 7- and 8-year-olds like he was out for a stroll.
Every time Bellingham touched the ball, he brought cheers from the crowd.
Yang Cheng always said:
"Football is fair. You can talk all you want—once you're on the pitch, the truth comes out."
In elite sports, there's no room for passengers.
After 15 minutes, the game ended, and the little wiry Bellingham ran off toward his parents.
His father was white, his mother Black.
Yang Cheng took one look and nodded to himself.
Then he walked over, smiling.
"Hello, I'm Yang Cheng."
The Bellingham family—Mark, Denise, and the two boys—were stunned.
Their expressions were pure disbelief.
They had wondered if they might catch a glimpse of Yang Cheng or a star player.
But they never imagined Yang Cheng himself would approach them.
"Y-yes, hello, Mr. Yang." Mark Bellingham was a little flustered.
He was an amateur footballer himself, and he knew exactly who Yang Cheng was.
Especially after the sextuple this summer—it was astonishing.
Not just in London, even in the Birmingham area, people had been singing the praises of Bayswater Chinese.
Yang Cheng led them away from the crowd and gave them a tour of the academy:
player housing, recreational facilities, learning environments…
Eventually, they sat down in one of the academy's lounge rooms.
Staff quickly brought over coffee and juice.
"I've played at Leamington, and I've visited a lot of training centers. Brent is easily the best academy I've ever seen," Mark Bellingham said, still visibly excited.
"Thank you," Yang Cheng smiled. "Later I'll take you over to the first team facilities—they're even better."
"Really?!" Little Jude lit up.
"Of course!" Yang Cheng said with certainty. "If you keep working hard, I believe one day you'll play there—with the best players in the world!"
The 6-year-old beamed with wide-eyed wonder, like he couldn't wait to grow up.
Yang Cheng then turned to Mark and Denise.
"I watched Jude play earlier. Even though it was only 15 minutes, he was excellent. It's clear he's been training regularly—you've done a wonderful job with him."
The couple exchanged glances, visibly proud and honored.
After all, the man praising them was Yang Cheng—
Arguably the most talent-savvy coach in European football.
And he was so young, too.
Then Yang Cheng asked gently:
"You're living in Stourbridge now—but have you ever considered moving to London, letting Jude join our academy here at Bayswater Chinese?"
Just because someone came to a trial didn't mean they were guaranteed to join.
That was never a given.
Some parents even brought their kids to try out just to get an official offer from Bayswater Chinese—and then used it as leverage to negotiate with their original club.
It happened all the time.
Because in the end, this was a business—for clubs and for parents alike.
Mark and Denise exchanged a glance. Denise cleared her throat and answered Yang Cheng's question.
"Mr. Yang, to be honest, our son really does want to join Bayswater Chinese and train at the best academy. But…"
"If there are any difficulties, please, feel free to tell me," Yang Cheng said with patience and warmth.
If they were about to start making unreasonable demands, he certainly wouldn't play along.
But from what Yang Cheng knew, the Bellingham parents were rational and thoughtful, and had always been methodical and solid in their planning.
Especially the mother.
Encouraged by Yang Cheng, Denise explained their situation.
Mark was a police officer in Stourbridge, and she also worked locally. On top of that, Jude's schooling…
Yang Cheng listened carefully. Everything she said was genuine, understandable, and grounded in real concerns.
Their son was still very young, and they weren't comfortable letting him live away from home.
"Would you be open to relocating?" Yang Cheng asked with a smile.
"Relocating?" Both Mark and Denise looked surprised.
"We could try to help transfer Mark's police position to a nearby town. London itself might be tricky—you know how that is."
Yang Cheng was being realistic.
Police jobs in London were high-paying and in high demand.
But if it were somewhere like St Albans or similar satellite towns, Yang Cheng could try to pull some strings.
After all, Bayswater Chinese paid a lot of 'protection fees' to the Met Police every year. Helping a single officer relocate shouldn't be impossible.
"As for Denise, while we can't offer you a job directly, finding something in London shouldn't be difficult."
Denise nodded confidently.
"And I can also make you a promise: Jude can immediately join our academy. And your younger son as well, in the future."
"They'll get the same care, attention, and development opportunities as any of our other players."
"If they perform well, there's also a generous annual scholarship available."
Mark and Denise looked at each other, stunned.
This problem that had been weighing on them for so long…
Was just casually solved?
"Thank you so much, Mr. Yang." Mark was emotional again.
Yang Cheng smiled and reassured them.
To show his sincerity, he immediately called Matt Crocker.
As Head of Youth Development, Matt had already been informed. The moment he got Yang Cheng's call, he came over.
When he heard that Yang Cheng had personally taken care of everything, Matt assured him he would handle the follow-up.
"Should I arrange for them to visit the first team facilities?" Matt asked tentatively.
"No need—I'm heading there myself. I'll take them," Yang Cheng replied with a smile.
The Bellingham family was completely stunned.
Even Matt Crocker was surprised.
He hadn't expected Yang Cheng to take such a personal interest.
If that was the case, then Jude Bellingham must really be something special.
…
Yang Cheng led the Bellingham family on foot from the academy to the first team complex.
Along the way, he talked nonstop about the club's investment and contributions to the local community.
At this point, only Phase 3 and the indoor stadium were left for the training base to be fully complete.
The indoor facility was under construction.
Phase 3—another youth pitch—hadn't yet begun.
The original training grounds were still functional.
"We're also building a new stadium near Hyde Park—90,000 seats. Once it's complete, we'll begin Phase 3 of the training base."
Mark Bellingham, having visited many clubs across England, could tell that Bayswater Chinese's infrastructure was top-tier.
Even Manchester City's oil-rich owners had copied their approach—building a training complex and sending delegations to learn from them.
If the academy had wowed the Bellinghams, the first team facilities absolutely blew them away.
Training fields everywhere, cutting-edge tech, labs, data centers, even player accommodations renovated to five-star hotel standards.
It was almost excessive.
But clearly, it worked.
In such an environment, no wonder the players performed so well.
Mark and Denise couldn't stop encouraging Jude—telling him to keep working hard so he could one day train here.
Jude couldn't wait to grow up fast enough.
After the tour, the club gifted the family souvenirs and presents.
Jude even got a Bayswater Chinese shirt signed by Yang Cheng himself.
"I look forward to seeing you at the academy next season."
Jude nodded vigorously.
…
"Is this kid really that talented?"
When Yang Cheng returned to his office after sending the Bellinghams off, Dan Ashworth and Mike Rigg were already there waiting.
They'd come after Yang Cheng's call.
"If our development goes to plan, I believe he'll be the future face of English football—maybe even one of the biggest global stars in the game," Yang Cheng said with absolute conviction.
That surprised both men.
Yang Cheng rarely spoke so highly of a youth player. This was an extraordinary endorsement.
"I'll have Matt and the team monitor him closely," Dan replied.
Yang Cheng gave a noncommittal nod.
These days, he didn't need to micromanage everything himself—he just needed to remember key names and check in periodically.
"Back to business," he said, his tone turning serious.
"I just got off the phone with Leighton Baines."
Dan and Mike exchanged confused glances.
"Apparently, he knows Manchester City are trying to poach him, and during the call, he said… his grandmother always wanted him to play back in the North."
Back to the North? That meant one thing—he was eyeing City.
"Wasn't he an Everton fan?" Mike asked, surprised.
Yang Cheng chuckled.
"When players say they support some club, it's like a film director saying 'this is the best movie I've ever made.' Most of it's nonsense."
"This complicates things," Dan said, rubbing his forehead.
"Based on last season, Marcelo's attacking is fine—but his defending is still shaky."
"If we sell Baines, our left flank might become a weakness."
Yang Cheng nodded—that was exactly his concern.
Originally, he'd only planned to sell Džeko, Maicon, and Yaya Touré.
But now, Baines was on the radar too.
If he hadn't called Yang Cheng, he would've rejected City's offer outright.
But making that call showed Baines was already tempted.
And Yang Cheng couldn't blame him.
If the roles were reversed…
He might be tempted too.
Why?
When Yaya Touré transferred from Bayswater Chinese to Manchester City, his weekly salary tripled.
Just one question: who wouldn't be tempted?
Of course, everyone knew the kind of wages City was offering were completely irrational.
What kind of revenue did the Blue Moon actually generate to sustain that kind of wage structure?
Exactly—none. It was all Abu Dhabi money keeping the machine running.
Dan Ashworth and Mike Rigg both turned to look at Yang Cheng, waiting for his final word.
"Sell him," Yang Cheng said decisively.
"Let Adam Crozier tell City, £40 million—they can take Leighton Baines."
Ashworth and Rigg weren't surprised.
That had always been Bayswater Chinese's way under Yang Cheng.
No point holding on to players who wanted to leave.
But if someone was going to poach them, they had to show sincere intent.
And that meant a serious transfer fee.
At £40 million for an England international left-back, City were actually getting a good deal in this crazy market.
And it wasn't like Bayswater Chinese lacked domestic players.
In fact, Lewandowski, Matić, Marcelo, and Di María were all developed internally through the club's youth system.
Not to mention this summer's additions: Andy Carroll and Kyle Walker, both local talents.
Now that they'd decided to sell, Yang Cheng's team had to move fast to find a solution.
Marcelo was great going forward, but still had serious questions defensively.
Everyone figured this meant Marcelo was about to be promoted to first choice—Yang Cheng had always had a soft spot for Brazilian players.
But Marcelo alone wasn't enough for the left flank.
"Give me a shortlist—five players. Not too old, must fit our full-back profile, and most importantly, willing to compete with Marcelo."
Ashworth and Rigg nodded and immediately left to get started.
Yang Cheng leaned back in his chair, genuinely troubled.
Marcelo was still inconsistent, and with City snatching Baines, Bayswater Chinese were now exposed.
But once a player made up his mind to leave, there was no point forcing them to stay.
Still, finding a backup for Baines wouldn't be easy.
Top-tier full-backs wouldn't want to play second fiddle.
Mid-tier ones wouldn't be good enough.
Yang Cheng actually did have someone in mind—but he threw the issue to the technical team.
Why?
Because he was worried Bayswater Chinese might end up like post-Ferguson Manchester United.
After Sir Alex retired, United's structure fell apart.
Bayswater Chinese were dangerously close to the same situation.
Like earlier—Ashworth and Rigg were just sitting there, waiting for Yang Cheng to make the decision.
If he had named a player, they'd have acted on it immediately.
One-man rule.
Ferguson was like that.
And Yang Cheng was starting to see the same in himself.
But he was consciously working to shift power—to train his staff, reduce their dependence on him, and bring them deeper into decision-making.
That's why the summer transfer window was being handled by the management team.
And moving forward, Yang Cheng would gradually step back from day-to-day control, handing more power to others.
…
Once Yang Cheng made his call, Bayswater Chinese's negotiation team began formal talks with City.
Surprisingly, the oil-rich club didn't reject the £40 million price tag, but instead tried to haggle.
But Bayswater Chinese didn't really want to sell, and City really wanted the player.
After several rounds of back-and-forth, and getting distracted by their simultaneous negotiations for Arjen Robben, City finally agreed to the £40 million price and signed Leighton Baines.
Unlike Maicon, Baines was only 24, already a national team regular, and hailed as Ashley Cole's heir on England's left flank.
With the club's sextuple status and the current insane transfer market, City paid a high price—but not outrageously so.
However, City failed to land Robben.
Madrid had already told Robben he must leave this summer, so there was no chance of his fee going up.
City, United, Arsenal, and others only offered around €25 million.
That was Real Madrid's own fault.
They backed Robben into a corner, then signed half the world's stars, and now had to sell to balance the books.
Florentino also wanted to purge all traces of Calderón's regime.
With that in mind, how could they possibly command a high fee?
Everyone was offering €25 million.
It was down to where Robben wanted to go.
First to drop out? Inter Milan.
Because Robben had left Chelsea due to Mourinho, there was no way he'd follow him to Inter.
Not to mention, Serie A was notorious for its defensive rigidity. Robben would likely struggle there.
As for City, Arsenal, United, and Bayern, Robben ultimately chose Manchester United.
Reports said Rummenigge and Hoeneß personally tried to convince him to join Bayern, but United sent out Ferguson himself.
After all, Robben nearly joined United in 2004, and Ferguson had kept tabs on him ever since.
In Yang Cheng's previous life, Robben ended up at Bayern largely because he didn't initially want to leave Madrid, and Madrid dragged their feet.
By the time the deal happened, the window was closing.
Bayern got a bargain.
Of course, Robben's injury history and €25 million fee still scared off a lot of clubs.
But United were willing to take the risk—Ronaldo was gone, and they needed a new right winger.
And with the Premier League so competitive, Ferguson wasn't about to gamble.
In a twist of fate, Robben finally joined the club he had almost signed for in 2004.
Yang Cheng was genuinely surprised.
Wait—doesn't that mean "Robbery" (Robben + Ribéry) is broken up?
But what really stunned him next was Sneijder's transfer.
United, Chelsea, City, Liverpool, and Inter all wanted him.
The fee? Just €15 million.
Like Robben, Sneijder had been cast aside by Madrid.
Everyone could afford it.
But Sneijder didn't want to leave.
After several conversations, Mourinho called him directly, inviting him to Inter.
But then Chelsea boss Hiddink flew to the Netherlands and met Sneijder in person.
Compared to Inter, Chelsea lacked Champions League football.
But they had two things going for them:
Hiddink and the massive exposure of the Premier League.
Not to mention—Chelsea's wage offer was better.
After meeting with Hiddink, Sneijder finally agreed to join Chelsea.
And so, the Blues secured the Dutch midfielder for €15 million.
…
When Yang Cheng received the news, he was stunned.
His first reaction was: What the hell is Mourinho going to do now?
They're all gone! How was Inter going to win the treble now?
Could Mourinho even get his second Champions League title?
Sure, in 2010, Diego Milito played a crucial role in Inter's Champions League victory.
But the comprehensive upgrades from Lucio, Sneijder, and Eto'o were just as vital.
You could say Inter's summer transfers that year were flawless.
Not a single euro wasted—every penny was spent precisely where it mattered.
But now?
Lucio's gone to City. Sneijder and Eto'o are both at Chelsea.
What could Mourinho possibly do with last season's squad?
Forget the treble—they'd be lucky to make it out of the Champions League group stage.
Yang Cheng's second reaction?
The Premier League is about to go completely mad.
With Eto'o and Sneijder, Chelsea's squad had received a massive upgrade.
They hadn't made many signings, but these two were game-changers.
Eto'o was hand-picked by Drogba, and Sneijder would drastically improve Chelsea's passing and creativity in midfield—areas they'd lacked for years.
They tried Deco, but he'd declined fast.
Now Sneijder filled that gap.
Eto'o brings speed and finishing. Sneijder brings vision and control.
Next season, Chelsea would be even tougher to beat.
And then there's Manchester City.
They missed out on Robben and Sneijder.
Failed to land David Silva.
But their squad was still terrifying.
And the most dangerous part?
They had Ancelotti, a man who specialized in adapting to his squad's strengths.
Thinking about the upcoming Premier League season already made Yang Cheng's head spin.
As if that wasn't enough, City, after missing out on Robben and Sneijder, turned around and signed Carlos Tévez from Manchester United.
Pirlo, Yaya Touré, Leighton Baines, Lucio, Tévez...
Every single one of City's signings this summer was headline material.
Meanwhile, Yang Cheng was reviewing a list that Dan Ashworth and Mike Rigg had prepared for him.
All left-backs.
There were six names—young, promising, and all on the rise.
Juan Vargas, Peruvian full-back from Fiorentina.Filipe Luís, Brazilian left-back from Deportivo La Coruña.
Both were near first-team quality, but also expensive.
Vargas had cost Fiorentina €12 million last summer.
Now, poaching him would cost even more.
Filipe Luís? Probably upwards of €15 million.
There were also younger and cheaper options:
Fábio Coentrão, Portuguese full-back from Benfica.
He'd been loaned out for development and had been a key player in Portugal's youth teams.
Price? Around €5–6 million.
Then there were some domestic names:
Kieran Gibbs from ArsenalDanny Rose from TottenhamRyan Bertrand from Chelsea
All English left-backs, all just 19 years old.
Yang Cheng remembered all three vividly.
Gibbs was Wenger's chosen successor to Clichy.
Rose could play anywhere along the left flank—a versatile utility man.
Bertrand? Born August 5, 1989, also 19.
The most memorable thing about him?
He made his Champions League debut in the 2012 final for Chelsea—and played well.
That night, Bertrand didn't even play his natural left-back spot. He was pushed further forward in front of Ashley Cole.
Until he was subbed off in the 73rd minute for Malouda, Chelsea had held Bayern scoreless.
Then within ten minutes, Bayern scored—from the left.
Many fans still wondered:
"If Bertrand hadn't come off, would Bayern have scored?"
But the most hilarious part?
He didn't even give tickets to his family for the final.
He didn't think he'd play—so he gave them all away.
And yet, he not only made the squad…
He started. In a Champions League final. And won.
A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity… and he missed sharing it with his family.
Yang Cheng also remembered that Bertrand had a great relationship with Ashley Cole, who saw him as a natural successor.
Fun anecdotes aside, Yang Cheng wasn't interested in handling this transfer personally.
He handed everything over to Ashworth and Rigg.
After more than a week of negotiations, Bayswater Chinese signed Ryan Bertrand from Chelsea for £2 million.
Why?
Because their efforts to sign Filipe Luís, Vargas, and Coentrão all failed.
Clubs wouldn't sell, and the players weren't interested in competing with Marcelo—unless Yang Cheng promised a starting role, which he refused.
As for the three English prospects:
Arsenal flat-out refused to sell Gibbs.Spurs came close to a deal for Danny Rose.
Chelsea, despite being a local rival, had no place for Bertrand anymore.
Once the media reported Bayswater Chinese's interest, Bertrand's agent contacted Chelsea directly, asking for clarity.
Bertrand had joined Chelsea from Gillingham in 2005—not a true homegrown product.
In recent years, he'd been loaned to Bournemouth, Oldham, Norwich…
If he stayed at Chelsea, he'd just be loaned out again.
He wanted stability.
Chelsea couldn't offer that—especially after signing Yuri Zhirkov.
With no future at the club, they agreed to sell Bertrand for £2 million.
Ashworth accepted immediately.
And just like that, Ryan Bertrand joined Bayswater Chinese.
Yang Cheng was surprised.
If it were up to him, he would've preferred Coentrão, or even César Azpilicueta from Osasuna.
Still, Bertrand was a solid pickup.
After all, by 2023, he nearly joined Manchester United.
He definitely had the quality.
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