Who Do They Think They're Insulting?

When Lin returned to Germany, Pere immediately flew over from Spain to meet him.

The urgency of Pere's actions made Lin realize that this might indeed be a substantial contract.

"Uncle Pere, what kind of contract is it?"

"Take a look first, and I'll explain as you read," Pere said as he poured himself a glass of water and drank it in one gulp.

"Bayern's contract is almost finalized, and Adidas, being Bayern's sponsor, has been eyeing you for a while now. Initially, you had some fame in the Bundesliga, but your influence in the football world was limited, so Adidas didn't take you seriously and made an insincere offer, which I rejected."

"And what made them start taking notice of this 'unknown' player now?" Lin asked with a smile as he closed the contract.

"Ahem, firstly, your performance in the Bundesliga has steadily improved, proving that you're not a flash-in-the-pan player. Secondly, you've begun to establish yourself in the national team, even hinting at becoming the next core player for the Spanish national team. As long as nothing unexpected happens, you're destined to make a significant mark in the football world. Adidas might have been watching you before, but now they can't sit still. If they don't act now, and a competitor approaches you first, they could miss out on this rising star."

Lin nodded. There are several major sports brands, and Adidas isn't the strongest. They likely noticed him first because their headquarters are in Germany. As his fame in football grows, many sponsors will seek him out.

Top-tier players like Ronaldo and Messi are sought after by sponsors, not the other way around.

"Adidas's offer is quite sincere this time. They're offering a 3-year, 9 million euro contract. If you sign with them, they will leverage their connections in European football to help you contend for this year's Golden Boy award."

Pere was clearly impressed by the contract. Considering that Ronaldo's contract was only 24 million euros over four years, this was a good offer for a newcomer like Lin.

But Pere's words didn't sway Lin.

Ronaldo's contract wasn't huge, but it was signed three years ago. Next year, when his deal with Nike expires, Nike will undoubtedly offer a significantly higher renewal amount.

If Lin remembered correctly, Ronaldo's next contract would be a five-year deal worth 50 million euros. This meant that starting next year, Ronaldo would earn at least 9 million euros annually from Nike.

Adidas's 3-year, 9 million euro offer felt like an insult.

"Reject Adidas's offer!" Lin said.

He already had a poor impression of Adidas, not just because of their future actions. The offer itself felt like an insult.

Neymar's contract with Nike, signed in 2011, paid him 4.5 million euros annually. This was before he even joined a major league, just after making a name in Brazil.

Once Neymar joined a major league, his contract would likely be on par with Messi and Ronaldo.

It was 2013 now, and Adidas's offer to Lin was even lower than Nike's deal with Neymar two years ago.

"How insulting!"

"Uh, Lin, are you dissatisfied with the contract amount?" Pere was surprised by Lin's immediate rejection and asked for clarification.

"Uncle Pere, do you think this contract amount is a lot?"

Pere thought for a moment before answering.

"For most players, getting such a contract before the age of 20 is considered a big deal."

"Do you think I'm an ordinary player?" Lin asked with a smile.

Pere paused, then quickly understood.

"Ha, I overlooked that. Given your current abilities, I think earning four to five million euros a year is reasonable."

Considering Ronaldo earns six million euros annually, Pere didn't set the bar too high. Sponsors were unlikely to offer Lin a contract matching Ronaldo and Messi immediately.

However, given Lin's immense potential, an annual contract of four to five million euros wasn't unreasonable. It depended on whether sponsors were willing to bet on his future.

Seeing Pere grasp his point, Lin continued:

"There's no rush. The summer transfer window is over three months away. When the transfer period starts and my future club is decided, we'll have more leverage with sponsors."

Pere nodded. Stars at smaller clubs don't have as much commercial value as those at major clubs. Sponsors are more willing to offer big contracts to the latter.

This is why top stars gravitate toward major clubs.

Top clubs not only offer higher wages but also greater commercial income and better chances of success, providing both fame and fortune.

"Apart from this contract, there are a few smaller, non-sports-related deals. Do you want to take a look?"

Pere had brought these smaller contracts with a nonchalant attitude, but since the big contract fell through, these smaller ones were all that remained.

Lin glanced at them. They covered a wide range of industries.

There were fast food giants like McDonald's and KFC, soft drink brands like Pepsi and Coca-Cola, and shampoo brands like Head & Shoulders and Clear. Lin even saw a sponsorship offer from Durex.

Surprisingly, Durex offered quite a bit of money…

...

Nuremberg, Adidas Headquarters.

"What? He rejected our offer?" Adidas's sports marketing director, Jimmy Dano, couldn't believe it when he heard Lin's agent had declined their proposal.

"Yes, they seem dissatisfied with our offer."

"Ha, who under 20 gets such high sponsorship fees?"

Jimmy scoffed, thinking Lin was acting like he was Messi or Ronaldo.

"Should we continue negotiations?"

The assistant thought Jimmy might want to drop the idea of signing Lin.

"Pause the negotiations and let them cool off."

The assistant nodded and was about to leave the office.

"Has any other brand approached them?"

Jimmy seemed to remember something and asked.

"No other sports brands yet, but there are several other companies."

Jimmy nodded indifferently. "As long as Nike isn't poaching him. Keep a close eye on his interactions with other sports brands. If no one else steps in, we'll stick to our offer!"

"And if someone does?"

"We'll adjust based on their bid. But we won't be blackmailed by players!"

Jimmy Dano was confident, believing the player's side would cave first.

Adidas was notoriously arrogant.

With the upper hand, they wouldn't budge.

Moreover, their athletes typically earned less in sponsorships than Nike's.

The reason was simple: Adidas had more influence in European football than Nike.

Signing with Adidas brought many intangible benefits that money couldn't buy.

...

Adidas wasn't in a hurry, and neither was Lin.

After playing an away game against Mainz over the weekend, he took some time to shoot his first commercial.

It was an ad for KFC, and the shoot was simple, taking only about half an hour.

The endorsement fee was 500,000 euros a year.

Though not high, the work was easy and straightforward, only requiring him to shoot a few commercials.

Besides, Lin occasionally enjoyed KFC's burgers.

After shooting the commercial, he gained certain perks, like free meals featuring the burger he endorsed.

Additionally, KFC would offer various perks during their weekly promotions.

However, as a professional athlete, fried food isn't healthy. It's okay in moderation but eating too much can lead to weight gain and health issues.

...

On April 6, in the 28th round of the Bundesliga, Werder Bremen hosted Schalke 04.

The two teams didn't have much of a rivalry, but last year's visit to Veltins-Arena was an unpleasant experience.

Schalke's Neustädter's foul on De Bruyne had sidelined Bremen's midfield core for almost a month.

During this time, Bremen had to rely on Lin's solo efforts in games.

Aside from the on-field foul, Schalke's home restrictions on Bremen fans also displeased them.

So this time, Bremen retaliated in kind.

Out of over 50,000 tickets, they only allocated 2,000 to Schalke.

Of the more than 10,000 Schalke fans who traveled, only a fifth could enter Weser-Stadion.

Schalke's fans were furious and protested outside the stadium.

Bremen ignored their protests, considering Schalke started it.

They were just returning the favor. If there's blame, it lies with Schalke.

"This match doesn't need much motivation, does it?"

In the locker room, Schaaf surveyed his team, seeing faces full of determination.

He was very satisfied!

"No need to say more. Crush Schalke!"

"Yeah, let's crush them!"

"Let's aim to score in double digits and give them a thrashing!"

Bremen's players were fired up, ready to devour Schalke 04.

This level of determination and hatred was rare, even in the Northern Derby against Hamburg.

It showed how much Schalke had angered them!

...

Meanwhile, Schalke's coach was also giving a pep talk.

"We are sixth on the table, six points behind Leverkusen.

"If we can't beat Bremen, our gap with Leverkusen will widen!"

"Can you accept missing out on Champions League next season?"

Schalke's players, red-eyed, shouted:

"No, we can't!"

"Then show your resolve on the pitch!"

Both teams left the locker rooms with victory in mind, heading to the player tunnel.

They were so close yet treated each other like air, not even glancing at one another.

The referees exchanged glances, sensing the tension.

They knew they had to tighten their control of the match, or someone might get hurt.

As the players entered the field, Bremen fans chanted their names, cheering loudly.

When the away team appeared, they

 were met with a chorus of boos.

Weser-Stadion, though not as luxurious as Veltins-Arena, had a comparable atmosphere.

Even before the match started, Schalke's players sensed it would be a tough game.

At 3:30 PM, the referee's whistle signaled the start.

No probing, both teams attacked right away.

Bremen played without pressure, focusing solely on attacking.

Their lead in the standings was significant.

Even a loss wouldn't drop them from second place.

So, they went all out, attacking relentlessly.

For Schalke, losing this match would doom their Champions League hopes.

In the face of Bremen's fierce attack, Schalke was the first to falter.

Bremen's number 10 was like a dribbling machine, wreaking havoc on Schalke's left flank.

Their number 6, seemingly emboldened, kept delivering piercing passes, testing Schalke's defense.

Besides these threats, other Bremen players also played aggressively, charging into Schalke's box at every chance.

Schalke had never seen such relentless aggression, not even in the Ruhr Derby against Dortmund.

Madmen, they're all madmen!