When playing football, you should call it GOAT.

Chapter 146 The Crown Prince, the Oligarch, and the Springtime of the Wealthy
French Ligue 1 teams have enjoyed a long-awaited moment of glory in European competitions.

Monaco have once again reached the Champions League semi-finals, following their success in the 1997-98 season, reclaiming the glory of French clubs in Europe's top club competitions.

Meanwhile, Lyon successfully advanced to the Champions League quarterfinals, and the two Ligue 1 teams jointly created the best season for French football in the Champions League.

In addition to their breakthrough in the Champions League, Marseille also performed impressively in the UEFA Cup, defeating Premier League powerhouse Liverpool to advance.

The simultaneous progress of three French Ligue 1 teams in European competitions has allowed French football to regain its presence in the European football scene.

Monaco's path to the final was particularly exciting.

As representatives of Ligue 1, they eliminated several top teams, including Real Madrid, demonstrating the resilience and strength of French football.

This performance not only earned respect for Ligue 1 but also injected new confidence into French football, making the whole of France excited.

The French Professional Football League president, Thiés, immediately sent a congratulatory message, a move that was quite ironic – just at the beginning of last season, he publicly questioned whether Monaco should occupy a French club's Champions League spot, arguing that the Monte Carlo team enjoyed special tax benefits.

But now, Monaco has proven its worth with its performance.

Their match against Real Madrid attracted 1300 million French viewers to watch the live broadcast, a figure equivalent to one-fifth of the total population of France.

The team's star player, French international Roy, saw his popularity skyrocket, even surpassing that of Julie Lescott, a popular French TV actress.

Monaco's victory has rekindled the long-dormant passion for football among the French, reminiscent of the nationwide celebrations following their World Cup victory in 1998.

This team not only brought honor to French football, but also provided tremendous inspiration to French fans on a spiritual level.

It has proven to be a wise decision not to strip Monaco of their Champions League qualification.

2004年4月9日，就在摩纳哥两回合10-4淘汰皇马的第三天，俱乐部主席坎波拉在蒙特卡洛的办公室里收到了一份来自摩纳哥王储阿尔贝的最后通牒。

The Crown Prince made it clear that if Campora did not resign voluntarily, his past alleged money laundering dealings with Russian capital would be made public.

Recently, the project that Kamborah was working on with the Omani royal family for investment suddenly encountered numerous obstacles.

If this team from Ligue 1 can ultimately win the Champions League, even if key players like Roy transfer away, the commercial value of this legendary season alone will be enough to ensure a sustained return on investment.

Having tasted success with their investments in Formula 1 racing, the Omani royal family is now actively seeking opportunities to enter the football arena.

However, during the negotiations, Crown Prince Albert, the current head of the Monaco royal family, secretly obstructed the process.

The shrewd crown prince was well aware that once Omani capital entered the scene in large numbers, the royal family's traditional influence over the club would be significantly weakened.

He prefers to bring in funds from Russian billionaire Rybolovlev, which would both solve the club's financial crisis and preserve the royal family's influence through equity structure.

Behind this capital game is the Monaco royal family's unwillingness to completely relinquish control of the team that carries national honor.

Meanwhile, Crown Prince Albert has reached an agreement with Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev to acquire Campora's shares in the club.

Just a few months ago, Campora renewed the contract of star player Roy for €4000 million, a deal that temporarily made the club's financial statements look decent.

But now, the chairman, who has led the club for many years, has no other choice.

After signing his resignation papers, Campora left in disappointment with a substantial severance package, enough for him to live comfortably in his old age.

Just as all of Europe was talking about this dark horse team, Russian billionaire Rybolovlev saw an excellent investment opportunity.

At this time, although Monaco had a brilliant record, the club was in turmoil.

Rybolovlev seized the opportunity presented by the team's "glorious success but chaotic backstage situation" and decisively initiated negotiations to acquire it.

At the same time, Russia's domestic political environment is also changing.

Putin is about to begin his second presidential term, and his control over the country's wealthy is becoming increasingly stringent.

As a Russian potash tycoon, Rybolovlev urgently needed to find safe investment channels overseas. Acquiring a renowned football club like Monaco would not only demonstrate his support for a "sports powerhouse" to Putin, but also allow him to establish a new business network in Europe.

More importantly, Monaco's unique tax incentives were extremely attractive to Rybolovlev.

He plans to bring in Russian players after the acquisition, which would both cultivate talent for his home country and take advantage of Monaco's tax benefits.

For him, this deal was both a business investment and a political safety net.

And Monaco Football Club is about to usher in a new era of Russian capital.

The 2004 Champions League saw a series of major upsets, causing a profound upheaval in the power structure of European football.

After Real Madrid was eliminated by Monaco, President Florentino Pérez immediately called AC Milan CEO Galliani, and his first words were the bitter "We lost."

Less than 24 hours later, AC Milan also unexpectedly lost to Deportivo La Coruña and was eliminated.

The series of defeats by top clubs prompted Florentino Pérez to urgently contact G14 members, including AC Milan, Liverpool, and Bayern Munich, requesting an early meeting of this important alliance of elite clubs.

A dramatic scene of collective defeat unfolded in European football, behind which lies a complex power struggle and business calculation.

When traditional powerhouses like Real Madrid and AC Milan are eliminated in the Champions League by non-powerhouse teams like Monaco and Deportivo La Coruña, it may seem like an upset on the surface, but it actually hides a deeper story.

The G14 elite group was secretly pleased with this outcome.

They believe that the decline in the quality of the Champions League is a good opportunity to undermine UEFA's authority and weaken its commercial value, thereby gaining more influence for themselves.

UEFA, on the other hand, is caught in a dilemma: on the one hand, it is happy to see the big clubs suffer a setback, as it can curb the arrogance of club bosses like Florentino Pérez; on the other hand, it is worried that the decline in the appeal of the competition will affect broadcast revenue and sponsor confidence.

In this game, the Chinese market has become a key piece.

At the China-Europe Football Business Cooperation Conference held in Beijing a week ago, a professional organization released its latest research report, which showed that Real Madrid, Arsenal and AC Milan are the three European clubs most recognized by Chinese fans.

The representatives of the G14 elite clubs attending the meeting were very excited to see this result.

BJ's local sports company, Rudong Sports, immediately drafted a detailed "G14 China Business Development Plan," which outlined specific ways to make money, including playing friendly matches in China, running a football school, and selling merchandise.

At the meeting, executives from various clubs expressed particular optimism about Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez, hoping he could take the lead in developing the Chinese market.

"Florentino should be bolder in China, just like he did when he built the Galácticos, to set an example for European clubs to develop in Asia," said a club owner who declined to be named.

Participants generally believed that, given Real Madrid's immense popularity in China and Florentino Pérez's exceptional business acumen, it is entirely possible to transform this potentially huge market into tangible commercial profits.

However, with Real Madrid's elimination from the Champions League, public opinion pointed the finger at their Asian tour, believing it to be the main reason for the team's failure.

This accusation not only chilled Florentino Pérez's heart but also deterred other top clubs from pursuing their Asian plans.

What is little known is that a major reason for former Real Madrid coach Vicente del Bosque's dismissal was his staunch opposition to the Asian tour, and even his refusal to lead the team to Kunming for training.

Although AC Milan believes it has a huge fan base in China, its previous commercial operations have repeatedly failed.

Having learned from Real Madrid's experience, they decided to postpone their plans in China.

Even the underdog Coruña, who eliminated AC Milan, had their negotiations with China's Gaode Company for five Asian tour matches fall through on April 3 due to a lack of confidence on both sides.

This series of events has exposed the core contradiction in the football industry: competitive performance and commercial value are not always positively correlated.

Elite clubs need championships to maintain their brand value, but excessive commercialization may harm their competitive performance; UEFA needs elite clubs to bolster its image, but is unwilling to allow them to become too powerful; emerging markets are tempting, but also harbor hidden risks.

In this multi-party game, China, as the most promising emerging market, has become an important battleground for all parties and a key factor in their considerations.

On April 10, 2004, Manchester United held a special shareholders' meeting in Manchester, with the main topic being the summer transfer budget, focusing on the feasibility of signing Roy.

Inside the meeting room, club executives presented a detailed business analysis report to the major shareholders.

The meeting materials included market research reports from Repucom China and Dentsu Advertising Japan.

Manchester United CEO David Gill presented specific data to shareholders in attendance: "According to the latest research from Repucom, although Ligue 1 is not televised in China, news related to Roy still averaged 280,000 clicks on the three major portal websites, 3.2 times the average for Premier League stars. More notably, data from Sina Sports shows that reports with 'Roy' in the title received 40% more views than similar football news."

"This number is particularly astonishing, considering that Manchester United's global exposure is more than 20 times that of Monaco, and its Asian exposure is 30 times greater. Our matches are watched by more than 25 million people every week in China, while Ligue 1 has almost no broadcasts. But Roy has created such attention in the Chinese market with just highlight videos and written reports."

The marketing director added, "Our research found that Chinese fans mainly follow Roy through three channels: first, match highlights circulating on online forums; second, special reports in print media such as Sports Weekly; and third, the 'Top 10 Moments of Roy Every Week' photo and text feature produced by Sina Sports. All of this shows that even without league exposure, he can still attract a lot of attention through his personal charm."

"Imagine if a star player with such a large following wore a Manchester United jersey and appeared on Premier League broadcasts every week; his commercial value in China would at least triple. Considering our existing Chinese market base, this would be a qualitative leap."

“Our offline questionnaire survey conducted in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou showed that among football fans aged 18-35, Roy’s recognition rate reached 68%, second only to Beckham’s recognition rate of 89% and Ronaldo’s recognition rate of 76%, and surpassed Henry’s recognition rate of 63%. Among them, 28% of the respondents could accurately name the club Roy played for.”

According to data from Dentsu Inc., Roy's jersey sales rank third in the Japanese market, behind only Beckham and Nakata. Sales records of European players on the J-League's official store show that Roy's merchandise sales average between $15 and $18 per month.

"It is worth noting that Roy is the only Ligue 1 player in the top ten in sales, his mixed-race identity is more popular in young consumer areas such as Shibuya and Harajuku, and female consumers account for 38%, far higher than the average of 25% for other European players."

At this point, the financial director added, "Based on our detailed calculations, acquiring Roy will bring significant economic returns to the club. Specifically:"
Firstly, regarding sponsorship revenue, the existing main sponsor Vodafone contract includes a superstar clause, which will automatically trigger an additional £300 million in revenue upon Roy's arrival. We have also made initial contact with China Mobile and Rakuten, both Asian giants, who have indicated their willingness to become regional sponsors of Manchester United if Roy joins, potentially bringing in a total of £400 million in additional revenue. Nike's revenue share will increase by approximately £200 million due to increased shirt sales.

Secondly, merchandise sales are the main focus. In the Chinese market, Roy's arrival is expected to generate an additional 8 to 10 jerseys, which, at £50 each, amounts to £4 to £400 million. The Japanese market is expected to see an additional 500 to 3 jerseys sold, at £70 each, totaling approximately £210 to £280 million. Adding scarves, hats, and other related merchandise, an additional £150 million could be generated.

Third, revenue from commercial matches. Two friendly matches are planned in China, each with 5 attendees and tickets priced at £15, totaling £150 million. With sponsorships and subsidies from local governments, an additional £200 million can be generated.

Overall, the first year's direct business revenue growth is estimated to be between £1800 million and £2200 million.

In the long run, this signing will solidify our leading position in the Asian market.

The guaranteed cumulative return over three years is £5000 million.

Ferguson remained silent throughout the meeting.

He had the competition data provided by himself in front of him, but most of the shareholders didn't care much about it.

Roy has scored 14 goals in the Champions League this season, breaking Van Nistelrooy's record of 12 goals set the previous year.

This French striker has displayed rare versatility. At Monaco, he frequently switches roles depending on the needs of the game, sometimes controlling the tempo as the attacking core, and sometimes transforming into a finisher to deliver the decisive blow. His running range covers the entire attacking third, enabling him to form seamless partnerships with different types of forwards. Even more remarkable is his leadership quality, allowing him to step up in crucial moments.

Roy's technical skills and mental attributes both prove that he is the ideal successor to that legendary number.

He can both continue the tradition of Manchester United's number 7 – brilliant individual skills and decisive performances – and inject new meaning into the number – more comprehensive tactical value and a stronger desire to win.

The report concludes by emphasizing that Roy's arrival will not only enhance Manchester United's attacking firepower, but more importantly, it will make the team's tactical system more comprehensive and versatile.

He can both serve as the core of the tactics and perfectly integrate into the existing system, which is exactly the number 7 player that Ferguson has been looking for for many years.

If Roy and Van Nistelrooy, two super strikers, are both on the front line, with Ronaldinho, a playmaker behind them, Manchester United will be one of the biggest favorites to win the Champions League next season.

In addition, Monaco's left-back Patrice Evra is also on Ferguson's transfer list.

This French defender can perfectly solve Manchester United's defensive problems on the left flank.

If Manchester United can sign both Roy and Evra at the same time, their overall strength will be significantly enhanced.

He knew that Roy held 100% of the image rights in Monaco, which meant that Manchester United's actual commercial revenue would be significantly reduced.

"Regarding the impact of Roy's 100% image rights on commercial revenue, we need to reassess the expected income. Under the current rights distribution model, the club can only receive a limited base income. As for sponsorship revenue, although Vodafone's contract can activate the £300 million superstar clause, most of it needs to go to the player personally."

"Of the new sponsorships from China Mobile and Rakuten Japan, we can only retain the value of the club brand, with an estimated actual revenue of around £150 million. Regarding merchandise sales, for each jersey bearing Roy's name, the club will only receive a share of the team crest licensing fee. Revenue from the Chinese market is expected to drop to around £120 million, and from the Japanese market to around £80 million. (Regional sponsors may lower their bids or withdraw, and Nike's share may decrease.)"

"Commercial match revenue also needs to be reduced by the player's personal appearance fees. The net revenue from the two China tours is approximately £200 million. Overall, assuming Roy retains all image rights, the club's actual commercial revenue in the first year is approximately £600-700 million, less than half of the revenue from a regular transfer. This does not include the additional costs we need to pay for coordinating with the player's personal sponsors. It is recommended that we strive for at least 30% of the image rights during transfer negotiations; otherwise, the economic value of this deal will be significantly reduced."

“Unless,” he said, glancing meaningfully in Ferguson’s direction, “it brings tangible rewards like the Champions League trophy on the competitive level.”

The sound of calculator keys clicking could be heard from the other side of the conference room.

The chairman of the finance committee suddenly looked up: "Considering the loss of image rights and salary costs, the ROI (return on investment) of this deal is only 40% of that of a standard signing. Unless..."

Before he finished speaking, a knowing laugh rang out in the conference room.

The shareholders exchanged glances, and one of them whispered jokingly, "It seems we need to consider not only 'Roy,' but also ROI (Return on Investment)."

Amid the laughter, the Glazer family representative tapped the table: "Jokes aside, this is a serious matter. If this ROI can't bring us enough ROI, then we might as well invest in other players."

One shareholder added, "According to our calculations, if we can acquire 30% of the image rights, the ROI can be improved to an acceptable level. Otherwise, as the CFO said, we are just doing the work for the players' personal brands."

The atmosphere in the meeting room relaxed a little, but the shareholders' expressions remained serious.

This double entendre perfectly captures the most difficult dilemma in this transfer deal.

Malcolm Glazer, sitting in a corner of the room, carefully examined the investigation report in his hand.

The American businessman who quietly acquired a 2.9% stake in Manchester United in September 2003 now holds a total of 22.7% of the club's shares through multiple offshore accounts.

According to Section 429 of the UK Companies Act, a company holding more than 30% of the shares must make a takeover offer to all shareholders.

Glazer's lawyers are calculating the funds needed to acquire the remaining shares.

The meeting ultimately drafted a resolution.

David Gill announced:
"After thorough discussion by the board, we have officially approved Roy as our top transfer target for this summer and have authorized me to immediately contact Monaco and the player's agent. The base budget for the transfer is set at £4000 million, with a margin of £500 million to be adjusted based on market conditions."

"It must be emphasized that the core premise of this deal is ensuring that the club obtains at least 30% of the image rights. This clause has a veto power, and if it cannot be reached, negotiations will be terminated immediately. In terms of specific operations, the board has authorized us to take the following special measures: to use signing fees of up to £500 million in exchange for image rights; to design a tiered revenue sharing scheme, in which the club's share can be increased to 40% when commercial revenue exceeds £1500 million; and to allow up to £1000 million of transfer fees to be converted into image rights acquisition funds."

"To ensure the security of the transaction, we have set aside a £200 million contingency fund for negotiations and will report progress to the board weekly. The final agreement will require the signatures of the finance, legal, and football directors. It is important to note that if the deal is successfully reached, it will set a precedent for a Premier League club to acquire a player's image rights, and all terms must be fully compliant. At the same time, the board has instructed the youth academy to immediately begin developing young players with their own image rights to mitigate future transfer risks."

After David Gill finished reading the resolution, he looked around the conference room and said, "Now, I would like to ask all shareholders to vote."

Ferguson was the first to raise his right hand in approval.

Subsequently, the major shareholders exchanged glances and raised their hands one after another.

But Malcolm Glazer, at the other end of the conference table, remained motionless, looking down at the financial forecast report in his hands.

The atmosphere at the scene gradually froze.

Ferguson kept his eyes fixed on Glazer, but the American businessman simply shook his head slightly and continued taking notes on the documents.

Influenced by him, some board members also remained silent.

After a two-minute wait, Jill began counting the number of people who raised their hands and the shares they held.

"With more than half in favor, the resolution is passed."

He announced, noting that the dissenting votes mainly came from Glazer shareholders.

As the meeting adjourned, the CFO whispered to his assistant, "Mr. Glazer is clearly worried that this transfer will drive up the stock price and affect his acquisition plans."

The assistant nodded, watching Glazer's retreating figure as he quickly left the conference room.

After their private meeting at the Hotel Mallorca, Florentino personally escorted Mendes to the hotel lobby.

As he parted, he lowered his voice and said, "Jorge, remember our agreement—Roy and Wenger, neither can be missing. The commission will be paid at the highest rate."

Mendes suppressed a smile and gripped Florentino's hand tightly: "Don't worry, Mr. Chairman, you will see them at the Bernabéu very soon."

As he turned to walk toward the waiting Mercedes, his steps were much lighter than when he arrived, and his right hand unconsciously touched the agent agreement he had just signed in the inner pocket of his suit.

That night.

Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez slammed his fist on the table during a high-level meeting: "The most important task this summer is to welcome back our Castilla gem – Roy! This youth academy talent who was mistakenly let go should now come home!"

He surveyed the executives present, his tone firm: "At the same time, we must completely overhaul our defense; last season's defense was a joke!"

Sporting director Butragueño immediately added: "Roy was originally a Real Madrid child. He showed his talent at Castilla when he was 17, but unfortunately he was sold to Monaco for short-term gains. Now he has scored 14 goals in the Champions League and proven himself. We must bring him back."

The CFO hesitated, saying, "But Monaco's asking price might exceed 4000 million euros."

Florentino interrupted directly: "That's more than a hundred times the price we paid for him back then! But it's worth it! A homegrown youth academy superstar is more exciting for the fans than any new signing!"

He turned to sporting director Butragueño: "Our first choice for the defense is Roma's Samuel. The Argentine is the best center-back in Serie A. He can solve our problem of conceding goals last season. Auxerre's Mexes and Porto's Carvalho are alternatives."

The CFO frowned and interjected, "If we sign Roy and these defenders at the same time, the budget could exceed 1 million euros."

Florentino interrupted him directly: "Money is not a problem! He can bring commercial value no less than Beckham! Remember, what we need is a squad that can win the championship immediately, not patching things up!"

He finalized the plan: "I will personally handle Roy's negotiations, Butragueño will handle Samuel, and Valdano will handle the others. I want to see all these names printed on the Bernabéu jerseys by August 1st!"

But in private, his ambitions are even greater.

He secretly contacted Portuguese agent Mendes, hoping to bring in Roy and Arsenal manager Wenger in a package deal.

"Wenger is best at developing young talents. Roy can play very well under him. I want both of them."

Florentino said to his confidants.

However, this operation is very complicated because Wenger still has a contract with Arsenal, and Roy's transfer fee could be as high as 6000 million euros.

After Mendes met with Florentino at his resort hotel in Mallorca, Florentino immediately convened a high-level meeting to discuss a special summer transfer plan.

Unlike others, he does not intend to handle this transfer through Real Madrid's official channels and sporting director, but instead plans to adopt the "private negotiation" model used when he brought in Figo.

Florentino Pérez offered a special condition: if Roy joined Real Madrid, the club would guarantee him the 2004 Ballon d'Or.

If Real Madrid ultimately fails to win the award, they will have to pay a huge release clause as compensation.

This secret transfer plan will be entirely handled by Mendes.

Abramovich stood on the deck of his £3 million superyacht, Eclipse, the sea breeze tousling his hair.

He turned to his confidants sitting around on the teak deck and said, "The era of Claudio (Ranielli) is over. I want Chelsea to play football that is worth the investment."

CEO Peter Kenyon flipped through the data report: "Deschamps at Monaco was indeed a good choice; he led a team with a limited budget to the Champions League semi-finals with overwhelming dominance. But what about Eriksson?"

"Don't mention that Swede!"

Abramovich waved his hand to interrupt, the ice cubes in his champagne glass clinking. "What I need is a young coach who dares to play attacking football. Deschamps coached Roy, he knows how to use a talented striker."

Israeli agent Zahavi squinted: "But the real key is Roy. I just spoke to Miriam Jo on the phone, and that kid is now worth at least £3000 million."

Abramovich suddenly slammed his fist on the table, making the lobsters on the seafood platter shake: "Then give them 4000 million! Tell them that no matter how much Manchester United or Real Madrid offer, we will always overstate it by 20%."

He pointed at Kenyon, "Get the checks ready. I want to sign him on the first day the transfer window opens."

Zahavi poured cold water on the idea: "But Migliaccio hinted that Roy would prefer to go to a club with Champions League DNA. We've only been a team for a year."

"Then let's use money to build our foundation!"

Abramovich loosened his shirt collar and said, "Top salary in the Premier League, the best mansion in London, and arrange a club ambassadorship for his father."

Kenyon cautiously reminded him, "Roy's father died when he was young."

A brief silence fell on the yacht deck.

"Then arrange it for his mother!"

The Russians quickly adjusted their strategy.

“Buy a vineyard in France, or... bring her to London as a youth training consultant.”

He turned and glared at Zahavi: "Why the hell didn't you say so sooner?"

"If Deschamps can convince Roy to join, I will give him an additional £2000 million in transfer budget."

Kenyon quickly calculated: "The total investment could exceed £1 million."

"Money is no object. I want the morning the transfer is completed to be the first thing the entire football world sees on the headlines: Chelsea snatched the two players that all of Europe wanted most!"

Abramovich's superyacht cut through the night in the English Channel, sailing slowly along the southern coast of England.

Kenyon gazed at the dark coastline outside the porthole and suddenly remembered something: "Boss, that's Pevensey Bay ahead—the place where William, Duke of Normandy, landed in 1066."

The yacht was passing the White Cliffs of Dover, where the gravel beach where William's army landed gleamed coldly in the moonlight.

Early in the morning, Deschamps had just stuffed the training report into his briefcase when his phone suddenly rang.

Agent Jean-Pierre Bernes' voice was filled with barely concealed excitement: "Didier, something big has happened! Moggi just called me. Lippi might be going to coach the Italian national team this summer!"

"So?" Deschamps paused, his hand, which was loosening his tie, stopped.

"That's why they specifically requested you to succeed them!"

Bernes almost shouted, "And they're going to sign Roy as a package deal! The Agnelli family has personally promised that if you agree, they'll immediately activate Roy's release clause!"

Deschamps' gaze unconsciously drifted toward the bookshelf.

There was a picture of him wearing the Juventus black and white striped shirt in 1996, the year of the championship.

The person on the other end of the phone was still chattering away: "Moji said Nike has already prepared a dual endorsement contract, and Fiat is also..."

Deschamps recalled the moment he lifted the trophy while wearing a Juventus jersey.

He suddenly interrupted, "That's enough, I don't want to talk about this right now."

"What? Didier, this is..."

"I'm going to the training ground."

Deschamps abruptly hung up the phone and tossed it onto the sofa.

As he grabbed his training jacket, his fingers brushed against the glass frame of the photo.

The Monaco sun was shining brightly outside the window, but he seemed to smell the familiar cigar scent from the Turin dressing room again.

That was the Cuban cigarette that old Agnelli would only smoke when celebrating a victory.

Deschamps shook his head, as if trying to shake off some thought, and slammed the door shut.

(End of this chapter)