To avoid the British media, Chen Ran rushed to France immediately after finishing his business in Portugal.
Alès is a city in the Gard department in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of southern France; it is also an important mining center.
There was a French third-tier (Championnat National) team here, Olympique d’Alès, but it had recently declared bankruptcy.
“Chen, I got in touch with that guy you mentioned named Ribéry.
But are you sure you really want to sign a player from a bankrupt third-tier French team?”
Following Chen Ran this whole time, Luis had experienced too many unbelievable things and was now used to it.
“I’m sure.” “I have to ask, where do you find out about all these weird and quirky guys?” Luis had been curious for a long time.
A small club like Crystal Palace had no scouting network to speak of.
Yet, Chen Ran found these people that even he, someone from a football agency family, had never heard of.
Chen Ran definitely had his own special channels.
“God told me.” Chen Ran casually made up an excuse.
He couldn’t exactly tell him he was reincarnated with a system.
“What?” Luis had a head full of question marks.
“You can understand it as God.” “(ˉ▽￣～) Tsk~~, if you don’t want to say it, forget it.”
Soon, in the agreed-upon café, a man with a scar on his face appeared before Chen Ran and Luis.
It was him; Ribéry’s features were too obvious.
You could spot the traces left by his car accident at a glance.
“Are you sure this is the guy you’re looking for?” Luis discreetly tugged at Chen Ran’s clothes and whispered.
He even suspected Ribéry was a gang member.
“Yes, it’s him.”
Ribéry was also very confused.
This was the most bewildering time of his life.
He had finally found a club that wanted him.
Even though it was only a third-tier team, and the salary was so low he had to work another job, he was still a player; he could still play football.
But just a few days ago, he was informed the club had gone bankrupt.
What was he going to do next?
Try to find another club willing to take him in, or give up football and honestly look for a normal job?
He was confused and helpless.
He muddled along all day, feeling like his life had lost its direction, finding everything meaningless.
Then, he received a phone call from someone claiming to be from the English club Crystal Palace, saying they wanted to meet him.
So, he put down the phone and came.
He wasn’t afraid of being scammed because he felt he had absolutely nothing worth scamming.
An unemployed third-tier league player—the scammers probably had more money than he did.
“Excuse me, are you really from Crystal Palace Club?” While Luis was still whispering, Ribéry had impatiently asked the question he cared about most.
“Of course.” To dispel Ribéry’s doubts, Chen Ran opened the laptop he carried with him, found a news page with his photo on it, and turned the screen toward Ribéry.
Ribéry leaned in and looked for a while, then turned to look at Chen Ran, his expression a bit strange.
“Mr.
Chairman, hello.
Forgive me for being presumptuous, but is everything said in this news real?” “What?”
Chen Ran had only been focused on finding news with his photo and hadn’t paid much attention to the specific content.
Looking closely now, Fck, the entire article was endlessly gossiping about him and Cheryl.* The content was so detailed it was as if the reporter had been there in person.
“Ahem, don’t mind these details.
You now confirm I’m from Crystal Palace, right?” Chen Ran blushed slightly, pretending nothing was wrong.
“Of course.
Mr.
Chairman, what can I do for you?” “Mr.
Ribéry, I came this time to formally invite you to join Crystal Palace Club.
I wonder if you are willing?”
“Mr.
Chairman, you’re not joking, are you?” Although Ribéry had some guesses before he came, he himself felt it was unreliable.
How could an unemployed French third-tier player attract the attention of a British club?
“Of course not.
What benefit is there in lying to you?
Just tell me if you agree or not.” “I agree.”
After securing Ribéry, Chen Ran rushed non-stop to Rennes, the capital of the Ille-et-Vilaine department in the Brittany region of northwestern France.
“Luis, have you contacted Cech’s agent?” “I’ve contacted him, and the time is set.
However, that guy talks big; he probably won’t be easy to deal with.” “What’s the situation?” “Rennes is a Ligue 1 team after all.
What he means is that Cech’s goal is the Premier League.
According to him, Cech was originally supposed to transfer to Arsenal last season, but the work permit couldn’t be obtained, so he had to come to Rennes to transition.”
“So he’s someone Coach Wenger had his eye on.
Then I definitely can’t let him go.” Chen Ran and Luis looked at each other and smiled knowingly.
“Luis, I leave this agent to you.
Handle him.” “Understood, this is my specialty.”
The next day, Luis returned smelling of alcohol, having stayed out all night.
Giving Chen Ran an ‘OK’ sign, he fell headlong into bed and slept.
Soon, Chen Ran met Petr Cech.
With the agent’s cooperation, Chen Ran painted a beautiful vision and promised many good conditions, instantly bamboozling the newly 21-year-old Cech.
Shortly after, Chen Ran bought Cech from Rennes for 6 million euros.
There was no helping it; with the aura of the currently all-powerful Arsenal hovering over him, the price couldn’t be haggled down.
Old rules: payment in installments.
Two years, 3 million euros per year.
Next, Chen Ran took Luis to Zagreb, the capital of Croatia.
“Chen, this time we have to go straight to Dinamo Zagreb.
I really don’t know anyone here,” Luis was very helpless.
Would Chen Ran’s next stop be Moscow?
“It’s fine, I know you’ve tried your best.” Chen Ran patted Luis’s shoulder to reassure him.
At Dinamo Zagreb, hearing they had guests from the UK, club president Zdravko Mamić personally received Chen Ran.
“Your Excellency has become a club owner at such a young age?” Mamić, acting like a big boss, couldn’t help but sigh while looking at Chen Ran’s business card.
“Crystal Palace is just a small club in the UK, and it’s still in the second tier.
It can’t compare to Dinamo Zagreb,” Chen Ran said very humbly.
He had to be.
Others might not know, but as a reincarnator, Chen Ran knew something about this boss of Dinamo Zagreb.
This big shot was truly someone who covered the sky with one hand in Croatian football.
After taking over Dinamo Zagreb, he directly appointed his brother—who had zero coaching experience—as the head coach.
He then announced the team would be champions for the next ten years, and from then on, they really did win 10 consecutive league titles.
He was also involved in selling matches and manipulating player selections for the national team.
It was said Mamić could directly decide who became the national team coach and which players were fielded.
He also forced players to sign a deed of sale early in their careers, forcing them to share all future income with him.
For example, in his past life, Luka Modrić reportedly had to hand over 20% of his salary to Mamić every year until the end of his career.
(END CHAPTER)