Chapter 424: Manchester United Fans in Tears: Dawn Has Broken!
"Did you receive Manchester City's offer?"
Receiving a call from Reus, Lin Quan was a bit surprised. It was unexpected that Guardiola had set his sights on Reus. Reus's talent and abilities were undeniable, making him one of the top ten players in the current football scene. However, with his fragile physique, could he really handle the physically demanding Premier League?
"I was notified by the club about your offer. The price is a whopping 65 million euros! I was shocked to hear that number. When Bayern lured Götze away, they only paid 37 million euros!"
Reus didn't consider himself better than Götze, but Manchester City's offer was nearly 30 million euros more. This was indeed a massive bid. He had heard about Manchester City's financial prowess, and now he witnessed it firsthand.
"For you, 65 million should be reasonable. Do you think you're not worth that amount?"
Having experienced bids worth hundreds of millions from PSG, Real Madrid, and Barcelona, Lin Quan's sense of player valuation had significantly adjusted. Hearing Reus's 65 million price tag didn't faze him. When Real Madrid bought James Rodriguez from Monaco, they paid 85 million euros. Reus, undoubtedly stronger than James, had missed opportunities to showcase his talent on big stages like the World Cup due to injuries.
If Reus could stay injury-free, his market value would definitely be higher. Of course, if he could avoid injuries, Dortmund wouldn't have ended up in their current situation, and they wouldn't be considering selling him.
"Well, it's not that I don't think I'm worth it. I was just surprised by the amount!"
In the Bundesliga, such high transfer fees were rare. Even Bayern Munich's record transfer was only 40 million euros for Javi Martínez. This figure remained the highest in Bundesliga history. While the Premier League and Ligue 1 had already surpassed the 100 million euro mark, the Bundesliga hadn't seen a transfer exceeding 50 million euros.
"No worries, you're worth that amount. If you decide to join, I'll welcome you. If you choose to stay at Dortmund, I support that too. But you need to understand that staying at Dortmund means you might never have a chance at winning the Bundesliga or Champions League."
After Klopp's departure, Dortmund's performance didn't plummet. Under Tuchel, they quickly regained their form. However, they never reached the heights of the Klopp era. In Lin Quan's memory, post-Klopp Dortmund never won the Bundesliga again.
Staying at a club without title ambitions would be a waste for a player with Reus's talent. Given Reus's deep affection for Dortmund, Lin Quan didn't press him to join Manchester City. If he decided to come, it would bolster City's midfield, making their attack even more formidable and increasing their chances of winning titles.
"Can I take a few days to think about it?"
Reus was in a dilemma. Before making the call, he had consulted the club. They supported whatever decision he made. However, he had heard that the club was interested in Manchester City's offer due to their ongoing rebuild and the need for transfer funds.
At Dortmund, Reus was a stabilizing force, ensuring they didn't face relegation. His departure could spell disaster for a club in transition. Reus wanted to help Dortmund through their tough times, hoping that a new coach could replicate Klopp's magic. However, the chances of that were slim, given Bayern's dominance.
After making his decision, Reus informed Lin Quan.
"Alright, then I can only wish you a healthy season!"
Lin Quan wasn't surprised by Reus's choice. If he had easily abandoned Dortmund, he wouldn't be the Reus he knew.
"Don't worry, I won't get injured this season. I aim to play every game!"
"Haha, stop boasting. Set a smaller goal first, like playing 30 matches and scoring 20 goals!"
"Damn, you really think it's that easy? Scoring 20 goals in 30 matches?"
"Isn't it that simple?"
Hearing Lin Quan's words, Reus was speechless.
Damn, he really knows how to brag!
"I really want to punch this show-off!"
Reus scored in single digits last year, and his best season in 2013-2014 saw him score only 16 goals, still far from 20. However, that year, Reus also had 13 assists, contributing to 29 goals for Dortmund in 30 appearances, averaging almost a goal per game. This efficiency was unparalleled.
However, compared to the top three football superstars, these stats seemed insignificant. Not to mention anyone else, just the guy on the other end of the phone had scored over 60 goals in both the league and Champions League for two consecutive seasons, averaging 1.5 goals per game, often scoring doubles or hat-tricks.
Comparing oneself to others can indeed be disheartening!
...
Reus didn't come, so Guardiola, somewhat disappointed, used 30 million euros to buy Bernardo Silva from Monaco. At only 21 years old, Bernardo Silva had already shown his talent in Ligue 1. Guardiola saw his potential and decided to bring him in early to develop him personally.
As major clubs conducted heated transfers in the market, the new Premier League season began as scheduled. This season saw a significant shift in the Premier League landscape.
With Manchester City's strong rise over the past two seasons, the Premier League formed a "one superpower, many strong teams" pattern. Former giant Manchester United had fallen from grace due to poor performances over the past two years. Chelsea, weakened after Mourinho's departure, was no longer the force it once was. As for Arsenal, being fourth-place regulars, no one considered them contenders for the league title.
In contrast, Liverpool showed signs of revival under Klopp, making notable moves in the transfer market, and the team seemed to be strengthening. Given the disparity in strength among the top Premier League teams, pre-season predictions overwhelmingly favored Manchester City for the title, with other teams only seen as capable of causing disturbances rather than challenging City's dominance.
Of course, if City faced significant issues, other top teams might have a chance to snatch the title.
On August 8, 2015-2016 Premier League season opener kicked off. The opening match featured Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur. It was a fiercely contested match, but Mourinho's United secured a narrow 1-0 home win, starting the season on a positive note.
Despite the loss, Harry Kane's performance for Tottenham was widely praised. However, his lone effort led to widespread criticism of Spurs for not providing him with adequate support.
"If Levy were more generous and willing to spend on a reliable partner for Kane, the result of this match could have been very different!"
"Tottenham need to decide whether to continue selling their top players for profit or to invest heavily to address their weaknesses and join the league's elite. Their current indecisive approach is detrimental to their progress!"
Seeing these reports, Levy wanted to curse at the journalists. It wasn't that he didn't want to buy players; it was that Manchester City snatched his target, disrupting his plans. He had prepared 30 million to buy Son Heung-min, only for City to swoop in and take him.
Tottenham had been scouting Son Heung-min for a year, confirming his talent and capabilities, only for Manchester City to derail their plans. Though they still had the money, they now didn't know who to buy. Unlike the free-spending City, 30 million was a significant sum for Spurs. A wrong move could waste the money and disrupt their rise.
Levy's troubles were his own. Fans only saw the club's inaction in the transfer market, hindering Kane, and vented their frustration.
Manchester City's first match was against West Bromwich Albion, who finished 13th last season. Facing such a team, City scored three goals in the first half, sealing the match's outcome. This victory put them at the top of the table, starting their season as league leaders.
Elsewhere, Chelsea was held to a 2-2 draw at home by Swansea, and Arsenal was defeated 2-0 at home by West Ham. Besides the Manchester clubs, Liverpool was the only other top team to win, though their victory was hard-fought, with Coutinho scoring the decisive goal in the 86th minute.
Liverpool's players seemed to struggle with Klopp's tactics, making him realize he might have been too hasty in implementing his strategy. He decided to adopt a gradual approach, similar to Guardiola's method last year at Manchester City.
Interestingly, Ranieri's Leicester City secured a 4-2 home win, placing them second, just behind City on goal difference. However, with the season just starting and Leicester's opponents being relatively weak, no one expected them to contend for the Premier League title.
Five days later, the second round of the league began. Manchester United won 1-0 away against Aston Villa, securing two consecutive wins. This long-awaited start brought tears to many United fans' eyes.
"Dawn has broken!"
It turns out, the past two poor seasons weren't due to Manchester United's failings but the coaching. If they had hired Mourinho immediately after Ferguson's retirement, perhaps the last two seasons wouldn't have been so dismal.
With these two victories, Mourinho's status among United fans soared. Any doubts about his coaching abilities vanished, and they now had only one plea: "Please, Mourinho, lead us back to the top and reclaim our championship from Manchester City!"