Mendes glanced at Ronaldo and began, "Mr. Miller, it has always been our dream to join a big club. Frankly, Manchester City wasn't even on our radar at the start."
Miller, sensing there was more to come, remained silent, waiting patiently for Mendes to finish.
Sure enough, after a brief pause, Mendes continued, "But out of respect for your vision and Cristiano's growth, we're open to negotiating with Manchester City."
Miller chuckled inwardly. Mendes truly was a master negotiator. With a few well-placed words, he'd not only given them an opening but also managed to elevate their position, creating an upper hand in the talks. But Miller didn't care—securing this football prodigy was all that mattered, even if it meant paying a little extra.
After some back-and-forth between Mendes and Bernstein, the two sides settled on a five-year contract with a weekly salary of 35,000 pounds. The agreement also included a clause allowing Ronaldo to leave if a Champions League club made an offer after three years, with a release fee of 80 million euros. Naturally, Manchester City also shelled out a commission of 1 million euros to Mendes.
This was Mendes' way—he always made sure to take care of his clients while ensuring he was well-compensated. In total, the deal cost Manchester City 24 million euros. But for Miller, this was well within his expectations, and worth every penny.
Once Ronaldo cleared his medical exams, it was official: he would be joining Manchester City in the summer.
The announcement sent shockwaves through the football world. In a short span, Manchester City had secured three young stars, prompting a wave of speculation.
On a football talk show, former England striker Gary Lineker remarked, "Manchester City is buying up youth talent left and right. Their new owner seems to be focused on building a team of youngsters. But there's only one Sir Alex Ferguson in Manchester. Will City succeed with this strategy?"
Alan Hansen, sitting next to Lineker, shot him a glare. "Do you want me to repeat my infamous mistake from years ago?"
Lineker tried to suppress a laugh. "So, do you really think they'll make it with a bunch of kids?"
Hansen scowled but answered, "Their situation is nothing like Ferguson's 'Class of '92.' That was a group of players who grew up playing together. You can't just buy a few young players and expect the same result."
Lineker raised an eyebrow. "So, what's your point?"
Hansen snorted, refusing to say more. His previous blunder, years ago, had taught him to choose his words carefully.
Meanwhile, reporters sought Arsenal's head coach, Arsène Wenger, for his opinion. "Mr. Wenger, what do you think about Manchester City's recent signings?"
Wenger sighed. "What can I say? Cristiano Ronaldo is an excellent young talent. We were in contact with Sporting CP ourselves, but now he belongs to someone else."
When asked if he believed Ronaldo would flourish, Wenger replied, "Certainly, Manchester City made a wise investment."
Manchester City's manager, Kevin Keegan, was also asked about his plans for the new recruits. He smiled, gave the reporter a peculiar look, and waved off the question without answering. His cryptic response only fueled more speculation.
As the football world buzzed with talk of Manchester City's future, the club made another announcement that seemed to slip under the radar: Alf-Inge Haaland, one of City's defenders, was retiring due to long-term injuries.
At a small, emotional ceremony, Haaland was welcomed as the new coach of Manchester City's U19 youth team. Miller attended the retirement event, and Haaland's family, all wearing his jersey, accompanied him. Tears filled the eyes of the tough Nordic player as he bid farewell to the game.
Miller quietly cursed Roy Keane under his breath. There were plenty of reckless players in football, but Keane was one of the few who shamelessly admitted to intentionally injuring others. His infamous tackle on Haaland had cost the family its primary income source. Now, at least, Manchester City had provided Haaland with a new role to help support his family.
As the ceremony concluded, Miller's attention was drawn to a little boy in Haaland's wife's arms. It was their youngest child, Erling Haaland.
Oddly enough, the toddler already had striking features, though it was hard to imagine that he would one day become one of football's greatest strikers. For now, he was just an adorable little boy in a Manchester City jersey, looking curiously at the stranger who was staring back at him.
Miller couldn't help but ask, "May I hold him?"
Haaland's wife smiled and handed over the toddler. Miller extended his arms but was caught off guard by the boy's weight.
"Wow, he's heavy!" he muttered. Despite his size, the boy didn't appear particularly chubby—he was just solid. Strong bones was all Miller could think.
No wonder this kid would one day bulldoze defenders on the pitch.
Little Haaland stared at Miller with wide eyes before suddenly grabbing a fistful of his hair.
Miller winced. "Ow, ow, let go..."
The child giggled as his mother rushed over to pry his little fingers off. Just as Miller thought the ordeal was over, he felt a warm, damp sensation spread across his chest.
His face froze. "Did he just...?"
Sure enough, his shirt was wet. And little Haaland was clapping his hands, giggling, and babbling happily.
Miller sighed. If this kid wasn't destined to become a football legend, he would've been tempted to give him a firm pat on the rear. But with a forced smile, he waved off the Haalands' apologies.
"It's fine," he said with a laugh. "Just another part of the investment."