Chapter 248: Wenger, Are You Rich?

"Twenty million euros?"

Wenger stood up abruptly when he heard the news from Pat Rice at Arsenal's training base in Kearney, London.

"Why don't they just rob a bank?"

Patrice stood aside awkwardly, unsure of what to say.

How could robbing a bank be so lucrative? The risk would be much higher...

Patrice understood Wenger's mood better than anyone. It was pure frustration.

Why was Wenger so anxious?

In recent years, in order to fund the construction of the Emirates Stadium, Wenger had done everything he could to save money, focusing on just one goal: maintaining Arsenal's place in the Premier League top four.

For a club like Arsenal, the pressure was immense, especially since they were one of the Premier League's "Big Four."

But things were changing rapidly.

Last season, Arsenal finished with the same points as Liverpool, but because of goal difference, Liverpool secured third place, and Arsenal ended up fourth. Tottenham and Everton were right behind them.

This summer, Liverpool, under Benitez, who had reached the Champions League final twice in three years and won one of them, had earned plenty of revenue. As a result, they were heavily investing in the transfer market. Notable additions included Fernando Torres from Atlético Madrid, Ryan Babel from Ajax, and Brazilian midfielder Lucas Leiva—all to strengthen the team.

Everton wasn't idle either. They signed Thomas Gravesen from Real Madrid and Yakubu from Middlesbrough, along with Leighton Baines and Phil Jagielka, spending over 20 million pounds in total.

For a team like Everton, that was a substantial amount of money.

Tottenham's spending was even more massive, with high-profile signings like Darren Bent, Younes Kaboul, Kevin-Prince Boateng, and Gareth Bale. Their transfer investment was an astonishing 30 million pounds.

Meanwhile, Arsenal had lost Thierry Henry, José Antonio Reyes, and Freddie Ljungberg, severely weakening their front-line attack. Although they brought in Bacary Sagna, Eduardo da Silva, and Łukasz Fabiański, it was clear that Arsenal's overall strength had taken a hit.

Especially the firepower up front.

In this context, Wenger couldn't possibly feel at ease. The pressure was mounting.

If Arsenal were to slip out of the top four, the financial impact would be catastrophic, with the loss of Champions League revenue hurting them severely.

Wenger couldn't afford to be careless.

"Napoli's 20-million-euro asking price is clearly meant to invite a counteroffer. It's up to us now," Patrice analyzed.

"What about the player?" Wenger asked.

"Gervinho's agent said the player had already spoken with Gao Shen, but Gao didn't give a clear response. Gervinho made it clear that he didn't want to fall out with Gao."

Hearing this, Wenger looked at Patrice, who nodded in confirmation.

Wenger smiled slightly. "I didn't realize Gao Shen could earn such loyalty from his players."

It would have been easier for Arsenal if Gervinho had pressured Napoli by publicly expressing his desire to leave, but since Gervinho was taking a respectful approach, Arsenal had no choice but to negotiate directly with Napoli.

"And that's probably why Napoli feels so confident," Wenger remarked.

In other words, Napoli wasn't desperate to sell. They were content with either outcome. If Arsenal balked at the price, Napoli could tell Gervinho that Arsenal didn't want him badly enough.

In a way, this high price tag wasn't entirely in Gervinho's favor.

The higher his transfer fee, the greater the club's investment in him, which could also mean higher expectations and locker room pressure once he joined.

"So, what do we do now?" Pat Rice asked, concerned.

Napoli had made their stance clear. Now it was Arsenal's move.

Wenger shook his head, smiling bitterly. "Is Gervinho really comparable to Malouda?"

"His potential is higher. He's faster, more skilled, but he's still very young. He'll need time to grow," Patrice replied.

Gervinho's potential was undeniable: higher talent, faster speed, better footwork. The only downside was his youth and relative inexperience. But for a 20-year-old, the fact that he was already being compared to Malouda was remarkable.

Wenger sighed. "I'll call Gao Shen."

Patrice was taken aback. "You have his number?"

Wenger hesitated before explaining, "We exchanged numbers, I think it was after one of the Champions League meetings."

Patrice smirked. Really? An accidental exchange?

In the past year, Gao Shen had become so prominent that everyone in football was aware of him. From managing a team in Serie B to making bold claims about winning Serie A, Gao Shen had captured everyone's attention. If he actually pulled off a title win in Serie A, it would shake Italian football to its core.

The entire world seemed eager to watch Gao Shen's ascent, but deep down, many doubted he could pull it off.

As Wenger prepared to dial the number, he couldn't help but feel a bit of guilt.

Was this what it felt like to be on the other side of a poaching?

Gao Shen, for his part, was surprised when Wenger called him.

He couldn't even remember giving Wenger his number. Had Wenger somehow managed to get it through other means?

After some small talk, Wenger cut to the chase and expressed his desire to sign Gervinho.

Gao Shen nearly laughed out loud.

Here he was, busy preparing to lead Napoli into Serie A, and Wenger was trying to steal one of his key players?

Gao Shen pretended to be frustrated. "Professor, are you trying to ruin me?"

Wenger, feeling embarrassed, was at a loss for words. It was his first time feeling guilty about making a transfer request.

Gao Shen eased the tension with a laugh. "Alright, let's be serious. To be honest, the decision isn't up to me. Our boss, De Laurentiis, is very tough. He's already made his position clear: whoever tries to poach his players will have to deal with the mafia!"

Wenger chuckled at that. "A bit dramatic, isn't it?"

"Of course," Gao Shen admitted. "But seriously, no one on the team dares to bring up transfers to him right now."

In fact, Marino had just been given a tongue-lashing the previous day when he suggested a transfer. Gao Shen wasn't exaggerating.

Wenger, however, wasn't buying the act. He wanted to know the real price.

"Just tell me the price, Gao."

"If it were up to me," Gao Shen continued, "I'd let you have him for two million euros."

Wenger nearly dropped the phone. "Two million?"

"Yeah," Gao Shen joked. "But, as I said, it's not my decision."

Wenger sighed. This is getting nowhere.

"How much will it take to get Gervinho?" Wenger asked bluntly.

Gao Shen paused, pretending to think. "Fifteen million euros, but no promises. I'll have to talk to the boss, and you know how difficult he can be."

Wenger hesitated for a moment before finally agreeing. "Fine, fifteen million euros. No more bargaining."

He feared that if he tried to push the price down any further, the deal might fall through entirely.

It wasn't that Napoli didn't want to sell, but Wenger wasn't sure Arsenal could afford to miss out on Gervinho.

---

"Fifteen million euros?"

Marino was stunned when Gao Shen relayed the news.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course," Gao Shen said confidently. "Stay calm, Pierpaolo. Remember, we're not a small club anymore. We're gunning for the Serie A title."

Hearing that, Marino straightened up, puffing his chest out.

But Gao Shen couldn't help but recall how Marino always seemed to shrink in front of De Laurentiis, no matter how confident he was elsewhere.

Maybe it was because De Laurentiis had such an overbearing personality.

"Arsenal will be contacting you shortly. In the meantime, get in touch with Villarreal. If we wait too long, we might lose out on Valencia."

Gao Shen knew how delicate the timing was. Selling Gervinho without securing a replacement could leave Napoli vulnerable.

"And when Arsenal wires the money," Gao Shen added, "don't forget to remind De Laurentiis about my 20% cut."

Marino groaned. Here we go again.

He had already been berated by De Laurentiis once because of the 20% clause in Gao Shen's contract. Now, having to actually deliver the money would likely cause another eruption.

"Maybe you should tell him yourself," Marino suggested, trying to deflect the responsibility.

"You're the general manager," Gao Shen replied. "Why would I need to talk to him?"

Marino nearly broke down in tears. Why is it always me?

You two split the money. Why do I have to be the one to deliver the bad news?

Gao Shen sensed Marino's hesitation and offered some advice. "Remember what I told you before: we may be employees, but we should have dignity. When the boss makes unreasonable demands, we need to push back. Managing upward is key. If you keep letting him walk all over you, we'll be the ones who suffer."

Marino nodded, realizing that Gao Shen was right.

"But... whenever I see him, especially with that fierce look on his face, I can't help but feel afraid."

"What are you afraid of?" Gao Shen countered. "Just don't look at him directly. Imagine he's your wife. How do you discipline her at home? You should do the same with De Laurentiis."

There was a long pause on the other end of the line. Marino didn't respond immediately, which made Gao Shen suspicious.

"What's the matter?" Gao Shen asked.

After a few more moments of silence, Marino finally muttered, "Actually... at home, it's my wife who disciplines me."

Gao Shen was taken aback. "Wait, what?"

"Yeah," Marino sighed. "I don't really train her. She's the one training me. I don't dare to talk back to her."

Gao Shen was stunned. He couldn't help but let out a laugh, but he quickly caught himself. "So, you're telling me you're getting pushed around at work and at home?"

Marino's defeated voice responded, "Pretty much."

Gao Shen shook his head, unable to hold back a smile. "Man, you've got it rough."

But even through the humor, Gao Shen knew this wasn't an issue Marino could deal with alone. De Laurentiis was tough, and managing someone like that required tact and confidence. He made a mental note to step in if Marino couldn't handle it.

"Alright, listen," Gao Shen said, his tone shifting to something more serious. "You don't have to confront him on your own. If he gets difficult, give me a call. We'll deal with it together."

Marino sounded relieved. "Thanks, Gao. I'll try my best, but if things get ugly, I'll let you know."