Gao Shen didn't say much about the situation at Leeds United.

For example, he couldn't tell others that although Leeds United's current lineup was mostly made up of young players, each of them was extremely talented. This group of young players would definitely surprise everyone in the future.

Don't assume that being young means lacking competitiveness.

On the contrary, Leeds United's young guard back in the day was also very young, just like Ajax's two great sides in the 1990s and early 2000s. Yet this did not stop these three teams from becoming classic sides that countless people still talk about today, and they became a beautiful sight in the history of the Champions League.

The current Leeds United squad is even more talented than those earlier versions of Leeds and Ajax.

Otherwise, why would they be so popular this summer?

If Leeds United had not refused, many of their players, including Coutinho and Salah, would have been taken away.

Sometimes Gao Shen really felt that European football had gone a little crazy.

…

When Gao Shen voiced his thoughts, everyone, including Valdano, fell silent.

"How should I put it? I think it's more like a panic."

As one of Real Madrid's operators, Valdano was on the front line and had a deep understanding of the current atmosphere in the transfer market.

"In the past, the best players were basically concentrated in a few top teams, so everyone remained rational and restrained. But in recent years, with the rise of Chelsea and Manchester City, there are suddenly more clubs scrambling for a share of the cake."

"Last year, teams like Zenit and Anzhi in Russia already stirred things up. Now Paris Saint-Germain and Monaco in Ligue 1 are also making moves, especially with the new broadcasting rights contract in the Premier League…"

At this point, Valdano glanced at Gao Shen, his eyes narrowing slightly. "To be honest, Gao, I really doubt whether you got the news in advance. The timing of taking over Leeds United was simply too perfect."

Everyone came to their senses after hearing Valdano's words.

Who could deny it?

When Gao Shen took over Leeds United, the White Rose was still struggling in the Championship, and he had acquired it for a relatively small amount.

But a year after he took over, the Premier League announced it had signed a new broadcasting rights contract with Sky Sports, and the broadcasting fees almost doubled.

Leeds United was promoted from the Championship to the Premier League in Gao Shen's first year.

Despite selling players for 100 million euros in their first season, they still became a dark horse in the Premier League and were valued at 300 million this summer.

It was simply unbelievable.

Are people really so different from one another?

"I was just lucky. I didn't know broadcasting rights would skyrocket back then, right?" Gao Shen said, sounding very "modest."

Everyone nodded.

Perhaps, as the saying goes, sometimes luck is also a part of strength.

"The surge in Premier League broadcasting rights will greatly increase the purchasing power of Premier League teams. That's why you see newly promoted sides this season investing 20 to 30 million euros in transfers. This reflects their new financial strength."

Valdano sighed at this point. "European football is about to enter a period of turbulence. There's news that foreign capital is about to enter Serie A, and some are also targeting the Premier League. The competition for outstanding players in European football will only become fiercer in the future."

This was obvious.

Just like this summer, why was everyone trying to fleece Leeds United?

Because there were too few good players.

And Leeds United just happened to have a group of strong, promising youngsters.

…

"Will our salary structure be affected after this contract extension?" Gao Shen asked.

He was not willing to talk too much about Leeds United, because there were many things he could not say or explain.

For example, he couldn't tell others why he was so sure about Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva, or how he concluded that these two players would become stars.

After all, at that time they had no reputation.

With his current responsibilities, he barely had time for such scouting.

Gao Shen's position now was simply too high.

"We had a lot of revenue from the Champions League last season, and we expect to keep salaries within 55%," Butragueno replied.

"Jose Sanchez is confident that revenue will increase significantly again this season and remain around 50%, so the overall situation is fine."

Real Madrid's great advantage was that their salary structure had always been very healthy.

Unlike other clubs, such as Manchester City or Barcelona, whose salary ratios were far too high.

"When will Illarramendi return?" Gao Shen asked again.

"In a couple of days, why?" Valdano replied.

"I want to attend his signing ceremony. Also, I'd like to talk to him first."

It was no secret that Gao Shen liked to chat with players. The whole world knew it.

Illarramendi was currently Spain's most promising young midfielder. Real Madrid had spent nearly 40 million euros on him, so of course they placed great importance on him.

But Gao Shen knew that Illarramendi's situation was rather tricky.

His ability and talent were beyond doubt, but his mentality was a problem.

The huge transfer fee placed a heavy psychological burden on him, the intense competition brought heavy pressure, and being at Real Madrid meant that every move was scrutinized and magnified.

All of this left the former Real Sociedad player feeling uncomfortable.

In his previous life, Gao Shen had seen an interview Illarramendi gave a few years after leaving Real Madrid. The Spanish midfielder reflected on his time at the club.

"Playing for Real Madrid was completely different. It's one of the best clubs in the world. I got injured twice in pre-season, and when I came back, I struggled.

"I was young then, and my mentality was different from now. Especially in crucial moments, I lacked confidence."

Illarramendi believed that if he had joined Real Madrid a few years later, when he was more mature mentally, the situation would have been completely different.

Gao Shen also thought about this during his vacation.

Illarramendi's later words might not tell the full story, but they certainly had some truth.

Currently, Illarramendi's market value was 12 million euros, but Real Madrid had paid nearly 40 million. For a 23-year-old who had just been a starter for one season, this was a heavy burden.

It was like a graduate from a decent university who worked at a mid-sized company, only to be poached less than a year later by a Fortune 500 company with a high salary. Suddenly, all his colleagues were industry leaders. How could he not feel pressured? Check latest chapters at novel-fire.ɴet

In this case, if the club and coaching staff stepped in, provided support, created a more relaxed environment, and helped him transition smoothly, he could regain his confidence and prove himself.

But in Gao Shen's previous life, Real Madrid under Ancelotti had just emerged from the Mourinho era. The dressing room was unstable, external competition was fierce, and Illarramendi became even more lost.

Now, however, the situation was different.

The current helmsman of Real Madrid was Gao Shen. Last season the team won the Champions League and Copa del Rey double. The squad was strong, and the tactical system was stable. Gao Shen could afford to dedicate time to help Illarramendi grow.

Not just him, but many young players like Morata, Jese, Isco, Nacho and others could also be developed steadily.

This was what Gao Shen had been telling his young players all last season.

And Illarramendi truly had ability.

For many young players, a failed spell at a top club could ruin their careers. But Illarramendi returned to Real Sociedad and immediately performed well, later even earning a call-up to the Spanish national team.

This was proof of his talent and ability.

Gao Shen believed that with proper training, even if Illarramendi never reached the level of Xabi Alonso, he could at least rotate with Casemiro or serve as his backup without issue.

The same applied to Jese.

In Gao Shen's previous life, Jese's downfall was certainly due to injuries, but his own mentality made it worse.

Before his injury, when things were going smoothly, he became overconfident, even a little arrogant. After his serious injury, he was crushed mentally, his will collapsed, and he even began giving up.

These were typical signs of immaturity.

For this reason alone, Gao Shen did not think Jese could ever become a superstar like Ronaldo.

Because behind every top superstar, there was always a strong mentality.

But Gao Shen still trained Jese diligently, because even if he never reached the very top, he could still be a valuable squad player, an important rotation option and substitute.

There was no problem with that.

…

In any top club in the world, youth development was a force that could not be ignored.

Even in every dynasty, the backbone of the team was often built around homegrown players.

For example, in Sacchi's Milan dynasty, the Dutch trio was world-famous, but the local backbone of players like Ancelotti, Maldini, and Tassotti could not be overlooked.

This was no coincidence.

Just like no club could ignore matchday revenue.

And who provided that matchday revenue?

Of course, it came from local fans.

Even an international club like Real Madrid valued homegrown players, not just to satisfy Spanish FA and UEFA regulations, but also to connect with their local supporters.

This was why domestic talent in the top five leagues was so valuable.

It was also why Real Madrid was willing to spend so much on players like Illarramendi and Isco.

As head coach, Gao Shen had the responsibility to make good use of these players and help them grow. This was part of his job.

But Real Madrid's true core strength would not come from this group of local players. It would come from world-class stars led by Ronaldo, Di Maria, Benzema, Toni Kroos and Modric.

Ferguson's Manchester United had always had a problem. They focused too much on domestic players and underestimated the impact of foreign stars.

Even Cantona, remembered fondly by countless fans, could not change this fact.

At Real Madrid, however, Gao Shen had a very clear understanding of this.

(To be continued.)