In the Manchester United CEO's office, Li Qiang sat on the sofa, took the coffee brought by the attractive female secretary, and said in a relaxed tone.
"Mr. Arnold, I hear you're trying to get Abraham playing time next season."
Arnold smiled, "Yes, that's right. The club has plans to strengthen in multiple positions, and the forward position is no exception. We hope to add more competitiveness to the team."
Li Qiang's tone remained relaxed, "Then I need to know, how does the club position Gao Nuo?"
Arnold was clearly prepared, "Gao Nuo is, of course, our main player. Just like the great season that just passed, he will rotate with Abraham in the starting position."
Li Qiang raised an eyebrow, put down his coffee, "Oh? So, winning the Champions League Golden Boot isn't enough for Gao Nuo to get star player treatment?"
Arnold continued to explain, "Li, we all know that Gao Nuo is only a 21-year-old young man. I admit his performance is excellent, but he needs more competition, which will be good for his growth."
Li Qiang didn't speak, picked up the coffee from the table, and slowly took a sip.
Arnold was also not in a hurry, maintaining a smile, waiting for the conversation to continue.
An entire cup of coffee later, the atmosphere in the office was calm.
Li Qiang seemed to greatly enjoy the taste of the coffee, reluctantly putting down the cup.
Just when Arnold thought he had the upper hand, Li Qiang spoke.
"It was a very pleasant conversation, Mr. Arnold. Thank you for the coffee. I won't bother you any longer."
Li Qiang stood up, politely shook hands with Arnold, and then turned to leave.
Arnold's smile remained frozen on his face, and the more he thought about it, the more something felt off. He had interacted with Li Qiang several times before.
At that time, Gao Nuo didn't have much capital, and Li Qiang was also just a rookie.
Arnold had always been able to end conversations in a few words.
But today, it looked no different from before, yet Arnold felt increasingly uneasy.
Gao Nuo had already attracted the attention of many top clubs, and Li Qiang no longer lacked confidence as he did before.
Arnold had prepared thoroughly for today's conversation, and Li Qiang's sudden departure completely disrupted his plans.
The attractive female secretary looked at her boss, who was deep in thought, trying not to make a sound, and dutifully took away the coffee cup before closing the office door.
The next day, a bombshell appeared in the headlines.
"Chelsea officially bids for Gao Nuo, a transfer fee of 102 million euros, with future fees of 40 million euros."
Just as everyone was doubting the authenticity of the news, Li Qiang made a public statement.
"As Gao Nuo's agent, I thank Manchester United fans for their continued support. We will seriously consider Chelsea's offer."
This caused a huge stir, and the media continued to release news.
"Regarding Gao Nuo's agent's remarks, experts call on Manchester United to increase Gao Nuo's salary."
"According to internal sources at Manchester United, management's interference in the team's squad plans has made Erik ten Hag eager to leave."
"Explosive! Rumors say Gao Nuo wants to leave Manchester United because the team cannot provide enough playing time."
"Manchester United has been slow to act in the transfer market, the future of the team's top scorer Gao Nuo is uncertain, and the club's management is very chaotic."
Rumors were rampant, and Manchester United's official website was immediately overwhelmed.
"The Qatar Consortium cares too little about the club; the management needs to be cleaned out."
"Boycott selling Gao Nuo! This Asian kid has conquered me!"
"Erik ten Hag can go, Gao Nuo must stay."
"Selling the club's future, Manchester United is digging its own grave."
"Gao Nuo's weekly wage is too low; Manchester United should offer him a new contract."
"Abraham get out of Manchester United, we need Gao Nuo."
Manchester United fans' support for Gao Nuo put greater pressure on the club.
Arnold was in his office, distraught over Gao Nuo's situation.
The phone on the desk rang. There had been too many media interviews recently, and Arnold answered with some annoyance.
"I'll say it again, don't call me again, I'm not accepting any interviews."
An English accent came through the receiver, "Mr. Arnold, you sound like you're in a bad mood."
Arnold immediately reacted, "Sorry, boss, I was a bit out of line."
Half an hour later, Arnold put down the phone with a sigh of relief, sitting behind his desk, his expression shifting between clear and cloudy.
Just as Manchester United fans were still indignant, two official announcements from Manchester United brought the situation back to normal.
The first was about the departure of the manager whose contract renewal had been delayed.
"We thank Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag for his contributions to the club.\n\nIn three years, Manchester United has achieved many honors under Mr. Erik ten Hag's leadership.\n\nMr. Erik ten Hag also played a crucial role in the team's rebuilding process."
"However, all good things must come to an end. After multiple communications, we choose to respect Mr. Erik ten Hag's wishes. Effective today, Mr. Erik ten Hag will step down as Manchester United manager."
"We wish our manager all the best."
The second was the appointment of the new manager.
"Manchester United's legendary midfielder, current Middlesbrough manager Michael Carrick, will take over as Manchester United manager. New manager Carrick will be fully responsible for the team's squad planning and transfer matters."
Michael Carrick is no stranger to Manchester United fans. In July 2018, Carrick joined the Manchester United Football Club coaching staff as an assistant coach. In 2021, he briefly served as interim manager for Manchester United.
In 2022, Michael Carrick officially joined Middlesbrough. When he took over, the team was ranked 21st in the EFL Championship.
In March 2023, following Middlesbrough's 5-0 victory over Reading, Carrick led the team to 14 wins, 1 draw, and 4 losses after taking charge. The team ranked third in the EFL Championship standings with 60 points from 18 wins, 6 draws, and 11 losses in 35 matches.
At the end of the season, Middlesbrough finished second in the EFL Championship.
Michael Carrick successfully led his team to promotion in his first season as manager. In the following two years, Middlesbrough successfully avoided relegation in the Premier League.
Michael Carrick, now 44 years old, has a coaching style that, like his playing career, is low-key and pragmatic.
During his time managing Middlesbrough, under a 4-2-3-1 formation, the team's tactics primarily focused on high pressing and vertical, dense short passes.
While advocating for offense, Michael Carrick demonstrated excellent control of the midfield, with the team performing well defensively and efficiently offensively.
In Michael Carrick's first press conference after taking office, he gave the most direct answer to the question about Gao Nuo.
"Gao Nuo will be the absolute future in my squad. Like me, he will prove everything with his performance!"
The change of manager sparked new discussions among Manchester United fans.