Chapter 57: A Dazzling Victory

Chapter 57: A Dazzling Victory

Portugal claimed the U-20 World Cup championship at Istanbul's Türk Telekom Stadium, marking the end of this edition of the tournament. Initially underestimated, Portugal's unbroken winning streak culminated in a dominant victory, showcasing Bruno Fernandes's dominance on the U-20 World Cup stage.

If Bruno's 21 goals and 32 assists that led Novara to an unexpected Serie B championship only made him somewhat known in Italian football, his subsequent performances in the Toulon Tournament and the U-20 World Cup rapidly catapulted him into global stardom. With 3 goals and 5 assists in 5 games at Toulon and 7 goals and 8 assists in 6 games at the World Cup, Bruno's achievements have been remarkable, turning heads across the global football community.

As such, it has become apparent that Bruno will likely leave Novara this summer. A talent like him is simply too grand for a newly promoted Serie A team with humble ambitions to retain.

Therefore, the day after Portugal's World Cup victory, on July 14, Bruno's potential transfer overshadowed Portugal's championship in the media across Portugal and Europe. With the international football transfer window at its peak, Bruno's move became a focal point among the flurry of transfer news, with nearly every notable European club linked to rumors of his transfer.

The influence of Jorge Mendes was evident, but there was genuine interest from many top teams across the five major leagues, including elite clubs, in signing Bruno.

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Amidst this frenzy, on July 15, the renowned transfer site Transfermarkt updated its player valuations. Lionel Messi topped the overall rankings with a value of €120 million, followed by Cristiano Ronaldo at €100 million. Gareth Bale, the Tottenham star valued at €80 million, and Andrés Iniesta of Barcelona at €70 million, were also prominent on the list. Manchester United's Wayne Rooney rounded out the top five with a value of €65 million.

Due to the high profile of the U-20 World Cup, Transfermarkt also released a special ranking for players under 20. Bruno topped this list at €20 million, followed closely by Juventus's midfield prodigy Paul Pogba at €19.5 million. This list included emerging talents such as Portugal's Bruma and João Mário, though their valuations did not exceed €10 million.

This ranking further boosted Bruno's fame.

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As European media buzzed with news of Bruno's imminent move, even Novara's management began to speak openly. Novara's president, Massimo De Salvo, admitted in an interview that while Bruno's departure wasn't finalized, the club was prepared for all eventualities.

"Undoubtedly, Bruno was our most crucial player last season," De Salvo said. "His performances not only led us to outstanding results but also left a lasting impression. Novara has never been about just one player. Throughout our century-long history, we've developed many stars, and we're confident we can continue to do so after Bruno."

Regarding the team's plans for the next season, De Salvo stated that nothing was final yet.

Though the media hesitated to confirm Bruno's departure, to the discerning, it was a foregone conclusion. The only question was where Bruno would go next.

The list of interested teams was extensive, including Premier League giants like Manchester United, Arsenal, and Chelsea; La Liga's Real Madrid and Barcelona; Serie A's Juventus, AC Milan, and Inter Milan; Bundesliga's Borussia Dortmund; and others.

Especially Arsenal and Real Madrid stood out.

Arsenal's manager, Arsène Wenger, expressed that Bruno's addition would be exciting during the club's rebuilding phase. Real Madrid's president, Florentino Pérez, stated that the Galácticos needed the best talents, like the newly signed Isco and potentially Bruno.

Other major clubs and contenders across the top European leagues also showed keen interest in Bruno. Tottenham, after losing their star to Real Madrid, entered a rebuilding phase, and Paris Saint-Germain, flush with cash, vocally pursued Bruno. Monaco, another club under wealthy ownership, was also aggressively recruiting talent and had set their sights on Bruno.

In past seasons, Udinese, consistently performing well in Serie A, had also expressed interest. Udinese's new general manager, Giaretta, claimed in an interview that Udinese was the right choice for Bruno, knowing how to utilize his skills best.

As the transfer rumors swirled, Bruno felt somewhat overwhelmed. Before being called up for Portugal U-20, he had nearly settled on a move to Udinese. But after the World Cup, he realized he had many more options.

Before the World Cup, Bruno was well-known in Italian football, with interest from several Serie A clubs, including Juventus, AC Milan, and Inter Milan. However, Juventus's midfield was packed with talent, and Milan's duo were in a slump, not offering an immediate resurgence.

Thus, Udinese seemed like the best choice for Bruno. But now, with his sudden rise to fame post-World Cup victory, a plethora of teams expressed interest, prompting Mendes to return to Portugal to persuade Bruno to reconsider his options.

While the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Juventus offered glamorous prospects, competing with top midfielders like Alonso, Modrić, Di María, Khedira, Xavi, Iniesta, and Busquets did not appeal to Bruno. He lacked the confidence to challenge directly at this stage.

As for Manchester United, with Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement and impending difficulties, Bruno was reluctant to step into that situation.

However, clubs like Arsenal, Dortmund, Tottenham, PSG, and Monaco remained appealing options. Even if these teams couldn't guarantee a starting position, Bruno believed in his ability to secure a spot quickly.

And with coaches like Wenger and Klopp, known for developing young talents, Bruno felt these environments could foster his growth.

(End of Chapter)