After the training match, head coach Pearson was extremely excited.
He immediately contacted Vichai to express his strong desire to keep Wei Shi Hao and train him.
“This is a genius, an absolute genius!” Pearson said excitedly into the phone to Vichai on the other end: “Boss Lin Dong, that guy, brought another genius player! He will definitely bring a lot of impact to our front line!”
“The vampire actually brought another genius player here? When did China have so many geniuses?”
Vichai was also a little suspicious. After all, throughout history, there were only a handful of talented footballers from China, and now there were two on his team.
“Pearson, what do you think we should offer to sign the player you mentioned?”
Vichai also wanted to know Pearson's opinion on this trial player from China.
“At any cost!!” Head coach Pearson said firmly.
“At any cost?!” Vichai's pupils constricted upon hearing this. He didn't expect that Pearson would value this player so highly.
He instantly understood the player's position in Pearson's heart.
Vichai reacted quickly and immediately contacted Lin Dong to discuss the contract.
After two hours of patient negotiations with Lin Dong, he walked out of his office with a subtle and complex expression. Vichai's roar could be heard again from behind.
Wei Shi Hao's situation was slightly different from Wang Chu's. His weekly salary was only a meager 5,000 pounds and he didn't have a signing bonus.
However, Wei Shi Hao's goal bonus and assist bonus were very attractive. The after-tax amount was 25,000 pounds and 10,000 pounds respectively, almost the same as Wang Chu's treatment.
Even more noteworthy was that Vichai insisted on setting the same penalty amount as Wang Chu's, a whopping 60 million pounds, which translates to nearly one hundred million euros.
Lin Dong wasn't worried about it.
He firmly believed that his players had unlimited potential and possibilities, and they would definitely grow into top-class stars.
As long as his players performed well enough, he believed that any team would be willing to pay, regardless of the price.
...........................
Meanwhile, Zhang Jie, a football enthusiast, was working as a reporter covering the English Premier League in England.
Suddenly, he received a message from headquarters asking him to cover the Championship.
At first, he thought he had been replaced, but soon he received new information.
It turned out that there were two Chinese youngsters in the Championship, 22-year-old Wang Chu and 18-year-old Wei Shi Hao.
Especially Wang Chu, who had already made his debut and had completed a hat-trick of assists in his first game, which surprised him greatly.
Once upon a time, as a Chinese fan, who would have imagined that Chinese players would shine in European leagues?
After learning about Wang Chu's amazing performance, headquarters asked Zhang Jie to cover the Championship mainly because they wanted him to interview Wang Chu.
The second task was Wei Shi Hao. They happened to know that another Chinese player had gone to Leicester City for a trial and successfully signed a contract, and they shared the same agent.
Therefore, Zhang Jie decided on his mission: first interview Leicester City's head coach, then chairman Vichai, and finally Wang Chu and Wei Shi Hao.
Although this job change was sudden, he didn't feel lost or angry.
On the contrary, he thought it was a great opportunity for him to be close to the geniuses of Chinese football.
What did this mean? It meant he had control over the traffic.
This statement was not an exaggeration. Recalling the future world, during the period when Wu Sanshi joined Espanyol, Espanyol's jersey sales soared several times.
Therefore, upon receiving this new assignment, Zhang Jie quickly applied to Leicester City for an interview.
When Leicester City learned that this interview team was from China.
Facing the reporter's interview invitation, Leicester City accepted without hesitation.
After all, in Vichai's plan, the idea was to use Chinese players to open the Chinese market at night. This reporter interview was exactly in line with their plan.
They immediately engaged in a detailed discussion with the reporter, delving into the performance and future potential of Wang Chu and Wei Shi Hao, the new players Leicester City had signed this season.
After some negotiations, both parties finally reached an agreement.
This move not only brought increased viewership for the media but also opened up a market in China for Leicester City.
The interview arrangements were quickly made, and with a translator present, Pearson first accepted the reporter's interview.
“Hello, Mr. Pearson, congratulations to Leicester City on signing two outstanding Chinese players.”
The reporter first expressed his congratulations to Mr. Pearson.
“Thank you for your blessings. We will face the challenge with a stronger lineup in the new season.” Mr. Pearson smiled in response.
Then, the reporter got straight to the point and asked: “After joining Leicester City, Wang Chu was immediately established as a core player. Will this not cause any external questioning?”
“Of course not. Our fans are all looking forward to seeing Wang Chu perform at his full potential in the team. He is undoubtedly our new core player.” Mr. Pearson replied affirmatively.
“I heard that Wang Chu achieved a hat-trick of assists in his Championship debut. Can you comment on his performance?” the reporter asked again.
“This was indeed a performance that surprised me. He was very active in the game. I believe his future at Leicester City will be very bright, and I am confident that his future will not be inferior to any great player, including Zidane.” Mr. Pearson was full of praise for Wang Chu.
During the subsequent conversation, the reporter also asked Mr. Pearson some questions about Wei Shi Hao.
Mr. Pearson responded positively, expressing his appreciation for both Wang Chu and Wei Shi Hao.
Soon after completing the interview with head coach Pearson, the interview with chairman Vichai began.
“I heard you personally negotiated with Wang Chu's agent to finalize Wang Chu's joining. Is this true?” the reporter asked curiously.
“That's right. I personally completed the signing of Wang Chu with Leicester City. After all, I have some Chinese blood in me, and I'm very happy about the arrival of this fellow countryman. At first, I was worried that he wouldn't be able to adapt to the Championship, but his performance quickly dispelled my concerns. He performed perfectly, gaining recognition from everyone at the scene. Ultimately, he successfully signed with Leicester City.” Vichai replied.
“I heard there was a Chinese player who came to Leicester City for a trial a few days ago. Is that right?” the reporter continued.
“You must be referring to Wei Shi Hao!” Vichai answered without hesitation. “He is a very promising striker. This trial was very successful. Unfortunately, his shooting and passing skills still need improvement. However, he's still young.”
Then, the reporter asked if Leicester City would consider letting Wei Shi Hao play.
Vichai answered decisively: “As long as Wei Shi Hao performs well enough, the head coach will naturally see his value and let him play.”
Afterwards, the reporter learned that Wei Shi Hao and his father had returned to China, so he turned his attention to the interview with Wang Chu.
Wang Chu's recent performance has been outstanding. As a former prodigy, he was surrounded by countless hot topics.
Therefore, for this interview, Zhang Jie prepared thoroughly.
First, regarding his debut, Wang Chu's answers were relatively official, mainly humble replies.
Next, he talked about how he returned to his peak and performed so well in the Championship, after his injury, his form declined, and he was even without a team for a while.
He stated that through hard training and persistent effort, he finally achieved success.
Finally, regarding the Football Association's statement about the reason for Wang Chu's poor form being due to a decadent lifestyle, Wang Chu, contrary to his usual self, revealed everything in detail.
He said that after his ankle injury, the Sichuan Football Association asked him to inject painkillers and participate in the National Games, which he couldn't accept, as it would ruin his professional career.
After learning about Wang Chu's experience, reporter Zhang Jie felt a little helpless. He couldn't comment on the chaotic state of the domestic football system.
He could only polish Wang Chu's words in the report, which was the best help he could offer.
This interview, upon being transmitted back to China, sparked widespread attention.
After many years, England finally saw the return of Chinese players, and Wang Chu's Leicester City was performing exceptionally well. If they hadn't been unlucky last year, they would have already been promoted to the Premier League.
This season, Leicester City has a high chance of promotion.
Therefore, it is highly possible that we will see Chinese players in the Premier League next season.
What's even more exciting is that Wang Chu is only 22 years old.
Wang Chu seems to be the future of Chinese football. His appearance has once again attracted the attention of many people.