With its almost crazy spending spree, Manchester City attracted attention from all over Europe.
Of course, many people dismissed it as nothing more than a wealthy owner recklessly playing around.
In recent years, how many teams had tried their luck by splurging on transfers?
One need only look at Leeds United as a cautionary tale. And in the eyes of many, Manchester City's future might end up even worse than Leeds'.
Even Fiona, who never cared much about football, called Miller: "Miller, are you out of your mind? Why are you spending money like this? It's just wasteful..."
Miller laughed and replied, "What if I told you I have plenty of money?"
Fiona replied earnestly, "No matter how rich you are, it won't last forever. As the saying goes, steady streams make lasting rivers."
Miller sighed, "It's not that I don't want to save, it's just that money comes too easily, and I feel uneasy if I don't spend it..."
Fiona was speechless.
As doubts swirled, the winter transfer window was coming to an end.
In a match before the window closed, thanks to superb performances from Ronaldinho and Anelka, Manchester City beat Fulham 4-1, a victory that restored some confidence in the club.
However, right after the window shut, Manchester City surprisingly lost 1-2 at home to relegation-threatened West Bromwich Albion, shocking everyone.
Kevin Keegan's tactical mistakes became the focus of post-match discussions.
Many reporters swarmed the club, hoping to get management's thoughts on Keegan. However, they only managed to corner San Dezi, who knew next to nothing about football.
Meanwhile, Miller and Bernstein had already flown to Barcelona.
Barcelona had been in turmoil lately.
Last summer, they had rehired Van Gaal, a coach who had previously brought success to the club, but his return was disastrous. In half a season, he achieved little apart from clashing with players and the media.
Barcelona's performance plummeted, leaving them 12th in the league standings.
It was inevitable—Van Gaal had to leave.
But Miller knew that despite his shortcomings, Van Gaal was still an exceptional coach, particularly in developing young talent, and that was exactly what Manchester City needed.
Although Van Gaal had a fiery temperament, how many top managers were known for being mild-mannered?
Miller had two managers he admired: Van Gaal and Ralph Rangnick. Both were experts in nurturing young talent, though Rangnick was also known for building solid teams from the ground up.
However, Rangnick's ceiling wasn't as high as Van Gaal's, so Miller leaned toward the Dutchman.
Of course, the dream candidate would be Wenger, but prying Wenger away from Arsenal would be almost as difficult as stealing Sir Alex Ferguson from Manchester United.
With Van Gaal freshly dismissed, Miller saw this as the perfect opportunity to recruit him. If they waited too long, Van Gaal would likely return to Ajax in an executive role, making it harder to sign him later.
They arranged to meet Van Gaal in an apartment in Barcelona.
The famous coach looked visibly tired, clearly worn down by his difficult stint at Barcelona.
Bernstein, an old acquaintance of Van Gaal, exchanged pleasantries before getting to the point: he was there to offer Van Gaal the head coaching position at Manchester City.
Van Gaal was taken aback. "Manchester City? Head coach?"
He initially thought he had misheard. After all, this was a man who had coached Ajax, the Dutch national team, and Barcelona. And now, a club like Manchester City was offering him a job?
Even after being sacked, Manchester City didn't seem like the right fit for a coach of his stature. Accepting such a position might lower his profile.
Bernstein nodded, confirming the offer. "Yes, we're inviting you to become the head coach of Manchester City starting next season."
Van Gaal was silent for a while before responding. "Bernstein, I'm sorry. I want to take a break for a few years. I don't plan on coaching anytime soon."
It was a polite rejection. If not for his familiarity with Bernstein, he would have dismissed the idea outright.
At this point, Miller stepped in. "Mr. Van Gaal, I understand how you feel, but we currently have a squad full of young, talented players. They need a legendary manager to guide them. Imagine having Ronaldinho, Arjen Robben, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Kaka under your command. Doesn't that excite you?"
Van Gaal's eyes flickered. Of course, he knew the potential of these players.
He had always admired Ronaldinho's talent during his time at Barcelona, but his conflicts with the club's management had prevented him from signing the Brazilian. Now, the chance to coach him was undeniably tempting.
Not to mention Robben, a young Dutch talent he had been watching closely.
Miller stopped speaking and simply waited, letting Van Gaal process the offer.
A few minutes later, Van Gaal finally asked, "If I accept the job, what will my salary be?"
Miller replied, "We're offering you top-tier pay. A base salary of £3 million per year, with bonuses that could bring it up to £4 million."
Van Gaal's hand trembled slightly. This was a truly elite-level salary.
At the time, Ferguson and Wenger earned £3.5 million and £2.5 million respectively.
Van Gaal sighed to himself. After all, he had two daughters to think about, and earning a little extra for their future wouldn't hurt.
He then asked, "What are the bonus clauses?"
Bernstein explained, "If you qualify for the Champions League, you'll receive a £1 million bonus. Reaching the League Cup will earn you £500,000."
Miller added, "And we'll continue to invest in players during the summer transfer window to strengthen the team."
He paused before finishing, "Also, we won't interfere with your decision-making. You'll have full control over the squad."
Van Gaal's eyes gleamed with interest, and he finally made up his mind. "Alright, I'm willing to coach Manchester City."
They reached a verbal agreement. Van Gaal would take over the team at the end of the season on a three-year contract.
Miller breathed a sigh of relief. At last, his team had found a captain worthy of steering this ambitious ship!