When Gao Shen woke up, it was already close to noon.

After last night's match, he, Zidane, Butragueño, Raúl, and several Real Madrid players went out together for a night of fun.

Real Madrid currently plays one match per week, so the players are under less pressure and have at least one day off every week.

Sometimes he wondered, is this happiness or misery?

After getting up, brushing his teeth, washing his face, showering, and changing clothes, Gao Shen was just about to leave when the doorbell rang.

Since he hadn't been living in Madrid for a while, he hadn't hired anyone to manage household chores. He used to hire a part-time cleaner, but now he had to answer the door himself.

As soon as he opened it, Zidane walked in carrying breakfast.

"I knew it was about time you'd get up."

Gao Shen didn't stand on ceremony and welcomed him in.

Zidane brought his favorite: milk and fried dough sticks. As for himself, he had toast and coffee.

They were called "fried dough sticks," but they were actually a bit different from the ones in China, although the taste was more or less the same.

Later, they were heading to Valdebebas for a high-level meeting.

This was proposed by Florentino the night before. Although Gao Shen's company had not yet officially signed a contract with Real Madrid, once both parties agreed, the signing was only a matter of time.

The focus of the negotiations was the terms and financials.

Even among close friends, accounts must be settled clearly.

Though Gao Shen and Real Madrid were very much aligned in their interests, negotiations still had to follow the proper procedures.

To put it bluntly, even Florentino couldn't afford to act carelessly.

If he wasn't cautious enough, the opposition could seize on the opportunity, and he wouldn't be able to escape the consequences.

So sometimes, especially in situations like this, all parties involved became more careful and adhered strictly to rules and formalities.

"Later, I want to bring up Pogba," Zidane said as he ate breakfast.

Gao Shen didn't mind. "I've mentioned it before. Just keep pushing them."

Both he and Zidane agreed that Pogba and Verratti should be given contract extensions and more playing time.

Toni Kroos was still relatively young, but Modric was about to turn 34.

Even though Gao Shen knew Modric could still play for a few more years, the reality was that his physical condition and stamina could no longer support high-intensity performances like before.

One of the main reasons Real Madrid's midfield lost control this season was Modric's dip in form after the World Cup.

So Pogba and Verratti, both young and capable, needed to shoulder more responsibility.

But now, even Pogba was being poached, including by Paris Saint-Germain.

As Gao Shen had previously analyzed for PSG, they desperately needed a commanding midfielder. Pogba, a French international, a World Cup winner, and one of the best midfielders in the world, was a perfect fit. It was a win-win scenario.

Both Pogba and Varane, two French World Cup stars, were on PSG's radar.

Although Gao Shen was set to serve as PSG's technical director and take full control of transfers, the client's wishes still had to be considered.

He couldn't just say PSG needed a midfield commander, they were willing to pay for Pogba, but then turn around and veto it outright, could he?

Besides, in today's football world, how many midfielders are better than Pogba?

Of course, nothing had been finalized yet. PSG was still waiting for high-level discussions.

"Nasser told me before that PSG could invest at least 500 million euros this summer."

Gao Shen's words made Zidane smile wryly. He had also heard it from the French media.

It wasn't even a secret anymore. PSG wasn't hiding their targets either.

They wanted to build a top team with a more local French identity. That meant players like Pogba, Varane, Griezmann, Mbappe, and Dembele were all on their radar.

Bringing in that many stars in one summer would be difficult, but PSG had the money. Who dared say it was impossible?

From a strategic point of view, localization helped PSG gain a foothold in France.

This wasn't just about UEFA and French Football Federation registration requirements. More importantly, it was about appealing to domestic fans and building a solid foundation, something every top club had to take seriously.

And transfers of such superstars could generate massive hype.

"Did Varane talk to you last night?" Zidane asked, frowning.

It was he who recommended Varane to Real Madrid. He had watched him grow from a young talent into a world-class center-back.

Now that Zidane was about to take over as head coach of Real Madrid, he still hoped Varane would stay.

But last night, Varane told Gao Shen he wanted to leave.

"He's been in touch with PSG for a while. Thiago Silva is getting older. Varane used to be the core of their defense. Plus, the competition in Ligue 1 is much less intense than La Liga."

That was what Varane said himself last night.

Zidane looked a little disappointed. "He talked to me about this before too. Mainly, he's been having frequent muscle strains over the past two years. The pressure from matches has become too much."

Almost every professional player deals with injuries, but some affect their form more than others.

This season, Varane had three muscle injuries: a torn adductor that sidelined him for over two weeks, Achilles tendon inflammation that took him out for nearly a month, and a more severe muscle bundle tear that cost him 50 days.

Even when Gao Shen was coaching, Varane was often injured.

Right thigh, adductor, soleus, left calf…

Varane's muscle injuries were numerous. But thanks to the outstanding team, especially Buenaventura in physiotherapy and injury prevention, his condition never seemed too serious.

Gao Shen and his team once did a deep dive into Varane's issues and came to a rather helpless conclusion.

Back when he was still in the Lens youth academy, he had a growth spurt. His bones grew much faster than his muscles, causing the muscles to stretch excessively, eventually leading to osteochondritis of the tibial tuberosity.

This condition isn't uncommon. Many teens go through it, and it can be managed by reducing activity. But for Varane, stopping training wasn't an option.

So the top student gritted his teeth, used ice packs daily to relieve the pain, and thought about quitting countless times.

…It was from then that his muscles became fragile.

Since joining Real Madrid, even with careful management from the coaching staff and medical team, he still suffered muscle injuries from time to time. After all, at a club like Real Madrid, and in high-intensity competitions like La Liga and the Champions League, there's no such thing as relaxation.

Back then, he was just a rising star. He had to endure, to fight. But now, it was different. He was a World Cup-winning center-back, the cornerstone of the French defense, a world-class player...

"We can sympathize with him, but we have no right to demand that he make a certain choice, do we?"

Varane got to where he is today through hard work and pain. Now that he's achieved success, if he wants to rest and enjoy life a bit, who can judge him?

Zidane understood that better than anyone.

Back in the Galácticos era, after winning the Champions League in 2002, didn't many Real Madrid superstars also start thinking about playing more comfortably?

In the end, it's just human nature.

"I get it." Zidane was disappointed, but he understood.

The bald Frenchman quickly composed himself, looked at Gao Shen, and suddenly smiled. "If Varane really leaves, I already have someone in mind."

"Tell me, I'll take a look," Gao Shen replied casually.

As technical director, he couldn't just make decisions alone. He had to coordinate with others.

"Rúben Dias or De Ligt."

Gao Shen was stunned for a moment and nearly lost his temper. "Damn it, so you and Florentino are in on it? You just want to fleece Leeds United, don't you?"

Zidane laughed and leaned away, afraid Gao Shen might hit him. "Don't get the wrong idea. It's just that those two center-backs really are good. On the other hand, I'm not that into Militão, even though a lot of people are."

After a pause, Zidane added, "Also, don't be so impulsive. You're Real Madrid's technical director now, not Leeds United's owner."

"You're wrong. I haven't signed the contract yet!"

Leeds United's ability to develop young talent over the years had been undeniable. Especially young center-backs. Every year, it seemed like a new batch appeared, like cutting scallions—one wave after another.

And these players all actually performed well.

Rúben Dias was arguably the best young center-back in European football this season and had attracted massive attention.

Then there was De Ligt, the Dutch defender who had been outstanding. Many top clubs had their eyes on him.

Juventus, Bayern Munich, Liverpool… they were all in the mix for De Ligt.

Leeds United players were expensive, but they were worth it.

Take Van Dijk, for example. His €150 million fee set a world record for a center-back and wasn't likely to be broken anytime soon.

When he first joined Real Madrid, he struggled a bit, which made many fear he was a flop.

But recently, he had gradually settled in and was playing better and better.

Especially in last night's match against Athletic Bilbao—zero mistakes the entire game. Truly world-class.

That was why Varane wanted to leave.

With Van Dijk's strength, as long as he stayed, Varane would always be in a battle for a starting spot.

Right now, Real Madrid had only three truly strong center-backs: Ramos, Van Dijk, and Varane, with Nacho as a backup.

Ramos was getting older, but still holding firm as team captain. Van Dijk was improving rapidly. That put Varane at a disadvantage in the competition.

And if he waited for Ramos to retire, he himself would already be aging.

So, having achieved all he wanted, Varane no longer wanted to fight. He just wanted to go to PSG and play relaxed football.

Football is like any workplace.

Sometimes, Gao Shen saw his old coworkers in Varane.

All the hard work they'd endured just to reach a point where they could finally choose to take it easy.

(To be continued.)