Zayn certainly needed an agent.
Contract negotiations, commercial endorsements, media relations, business operations.
These were not exactly his strengths.
Otherwise, in his previous life, he would not have been angered to death by a single comment from a client.
More importantly, the core logic of the Salary Football System was to earn money through football, use that money to get stronger, then get stronger and earn even more money.
And a top agent, with nothing but his words, could make the numbers on a contract multiply several times over.
So when Daniel Walker introduced himself, Zayn’s first reaction was that help had arrived at exactly the right time.
His second reaction, however, was confusion.
This was Jonathan Barnett.
A man sitting at the very top of the pyramid among football agents in England.
The commission from any one of his transfers would be enough to buy a flat in central London.
Was a young player who had merely shown his face at the U17 Four Nations Tournament really worth having someone from that level personally send an assistant to call him?
After all, this Four Nations Tournament was only a warm-up for next year’s U17 European Championship.
“Mr. Walker, are you saying Mr. Barnett has been following me?”
“That’s right, Ryder. We’ve been paying close attention to your performances at this Four Nations Tournament. Mr. Barnett believes you have enormous potential…”
The voice on the other end paused.
“Well… your match data has been outstanding, Ryder. Especially your performance off the bench against Portugal. It fully demonstrated your technical qualities, mentality, and… decisiveness.”
Zayn heard the hesitation in his voice.
It seemed they did not actually know him that well.
In fact, Daniel Walker had not done enough homework.
He was only an assistant in Barnett’s team, responsible for initial contact.
At any given time, he was following twenty or thirty young players.
His daily work consisted of sitting in the office, reading briefs sent in by academy scouts, picking out the young prospects who had impressed recently, then calling them one by one.
As for Zayn Ryder’s report, he had only watched the second-half highlights from the match against Portugal before making this call.
He knew nothing about how many matches Zayn had played for Villa U18 or what his technical weaknesses were.
Daniel’s job was to establish first contact and get the player into the company’s pool.
After all, for Jonathan Barnett, any promising young talent in the British Isles was worth fencing into his own field first.
Zayn had not expected them to know so little about him, but he did not really care.
That was not important.
The relationship between a player and an agent was, in the end, an alliance of interests.
Everything else could be built slowly after a contract was signed.
He only needed someone who could help him add more digits to his weekly wage.
“Daniel, what are your plans for me? Short-term and long-term.”
The other end of the line went quiet.
“Plans?”
Daniel clearly had not expected that opening.
A kid of Zayn’s age, upon hearing that Mr. Barnett was interested in him, should have been so excited he could barely speak.
Still, Daniel’s professionalism remained intact, and he quickly painted a tempting picture.
“Ryder, you can rest assured.
Stellar’s operating model is a benchmark in the industry.
“For a talented young player like you, our primary goal is to help you keep developing on the highest-level platform.
“Aston Villa are currently in the Championship, which clearly limits your exposure and the speed of your growth.
We would assess your situation at Villa, and if necessary, actively work to move you to a club better suited to unlocking your potential.
“Our global network can ensure you receive the most suitable opportunities.”
His tone became more enticing.
“If your training performances and future matches continue to prove your ability, we wouldn’t rule out helping you attract interest from more competitive Premier League clubs as early as the winter window.
“You know, for young players, time is money. Reaching a bigger stage one step earlier can have a decisive impact on your career.”
But Daniel’s tempting pitch did not move Zayn.
Instead, it set off alarm bells in his mind.
Reaching a bigger stage one step earlier?
For other young players, that might indeed be attractive.
Playing in the Premier League at seventeen was enough to make any English kid’s blood run hot just thinking about it.
But Zayn was different.
Aside from quest rewards, the Realization Rate of his Money-Power Template could currently only be accumulated through training and matches.
The efficiency of both was directly tied to his position on the Squad Weekly Wage Ranking.
The higher he ranked, the faster his Realization Rate increased.
Villa had already made it clear that they wanted to talk about his “future” when he returned.
That obviously meant they had realized the original four hundred pound contract could no longer hold him.
A pay rise and a boost in his ranking were inevitable.
If he rushed into a winter transfer to some Premier League club before truly making a name for himself, his weekly wage might indeed rise to the level of a Premier League youth setup, much higher than it was now.
But on the new club’s weekly wage ranking, his position would definitely not be impressive.
In simple terms, for Zayn, who urgently needed to raise the Realization Rate of the Torres template, it was better right now to be a big fish in a small pond than a small fish in a big one.
Once he understood that, Zayn no longer intended to keep talking.
First, their plan did not suit him.
Second, as someone who had been reborn, he knew that in 2025, Jonathan Barnett would be hit by a massive scandal involving bribery and a sex scandal, facing multiple serious allegations.
Who knew how many landmines were buried inside those glamorous “global networks” and “operational methods” of his?
“Thank you for explaining, Mr. Walker.”
Zayn’s tone carried a polite note of apology.
I’m happy at Aston Villa.
The coaching staff trust me, and I need more stable playing time to consolidate and improve.
“As for the matter of an agent, I need some time to think it over carefully and discuss it with my family.”
“What?”
This time, Daniel could not hide his surprise.
“Ryder, if you don’t want to leave Villa, we can communicate and make the decision that’s truly best for you after proper discussion.
“I hope you understand how rare this opportunity is.
Mr. Jonathan Barnett doesn’t personally follow many young players.
Delaying could mean missing the best timing.
“And I must remind you, do not let a family member, such as your father or brother, act as your agent.
“That’s far too amateur. It will only damage your interests and cost you dearly in professional negotiations.”
Daniel sounded a little rushed, but what he said was a common issue in the industry.
Many young talents in England had their agency matters controlled by family members.
Because those relatives lacked professionalism, the players ended up signing terrible contracts or mishandling relationships, leaving their careers in a mess.
“I understand your good intentions, Mr. Walker.”
Zayn remained unmoved.
“I’ll treat my career planning seriously. If I’m interested, I’ll contact you again. Thank you again for your and Mr. Barnett’s attention.”
With that, before the other man could try to persuade him further, Zayn politely but decisively ended the call.
Beep… beep… beep…
Listening to the dial tone from his phone, Daniel Walker sat in a high-end office building in London, unable to react for a long moment.
Rejected?
A kid from a Championship club’s academy had rejected an invitation from Barnett’s team?
Daniel shook his head and quickly wrote a few words beside the name “Zayn Ryder” in the memo in front of him.
Opinionated.
Difficult.
Continue monitoring.
Leave him alone for now.
Once the kid hit a few walls out there, he would understand the importance of a top agency.
Inside the dorm room at St George’s Park, Zayn tossed his phone onto the bed and let out a long breath.
“I still need to keep my feet on the ground.
“I’ll go back first and hear what Hughes and the club actually mean by this so-called ‘future.'”