When playing football, you should call it GOAT.

Chapter 192 Welcome to Blue London!
On the evening of July 17, 2004, Joe Cole, seething with anger, dialed Terry's number.

“John, the club just called me,” Joe Cole said, his voice tinged with displeasure. “They asked indirectly if I would be willing to give up the number 10 jersey to that newcomer, Roy.”

Terry paused for a moment on the other end of the phone, then sneered, "Ha, they certainly know how to pick their timing."

"They even said they'd compensate me and guarantee playing time," Joe Cole said, getting angrier as he spoke. "As if I care! Number 10 is mine, why should I give it to him?"

"I was captain of West Ham United when I was 20, while he was just a kid in Real Madrid's youth academy."

Terry snorted: "That old guy Desailly was supposed to retire this year, but when he heard Roy was coming, he suddenly changed his mind and said he'd play for another year. Once he really retires, the club will probably just make Roy the captain without even asking us."

"That's fucking outrageous!"

Joe Cole cursed, "What makes a newbie like him so special? The club is paying him £120,000 a week, the highest salary ever in the Premier League! A £10 million signing bonus is deposited directly into his account, and on top of the bonus for winning the Champions League, he'll get another £5 million signing bonus. He gets 100% of the image rights, and they've even arranged a private jet for him!"

Terry gritted his teeth: "The club only cares about him now, what are we old players compared to him?"

John Terry is Chelsea's own son.

He joined the youth training program at 14 and made his first-team debut at 18. Every step of his journey has been taken while wearing the Chelsea jersey.

Now the club is treating this outsider like a treasure, no wonder this Chelsea loyalist is unhappy.

The two were silent for a while, and finally Joe Cole sighed: "Forget it, let's see how things go. If they really force me to give up my number, I won't let them get away with it."

Terry sneered, "Just you wait and see."

After a while, Terry's tone softened: "Alright, Joe, don't take it to heart. These guys only care about newcomers now, they don't understand our value at all. Your strength speaks for itself, no one can take you away. No matter how popular that kid is, he came later. Number 10 is yours, they can't force you."

Joe Cole calmed down a bit: "But if I don't let them, they'll definitely loan me out right away."

Terry snorted: "So what if it's a loan? What's the big deal? We'll still play in a different place. It's not like we're incompetent."

Joe Cole paused for a moment: "...Forget it, I don't want to be loaned out. Let's not think too much about it, let's just play and see. With this squad, the new coach is from the Champions League runner-up team, plus that incredibly strong Roy, we might actually be able to win the Premier League title. Yeah, we might even be able to challenge for the Champions League. Isn't that enough? Let them do whatever they want, let's win the title first."

Terry fell silent. His teammate's sudden concession on the other end of the phone felt like a punch to the gut.

He took a deep breath and asked in a low voice, "What did Lampard say?"

Joe Cole sighed. "Frank told me to relax and just focus on playing football."

After hearing this, Terry let out a cold laugh through his nose, but his eyes darkened.

The two toughest guys in the locker room, one suddenly backed down, and the other even advised people to swallow their anger.

Lampard didn't have much of an opinion because he had actually played against Roy in the European Championship.

Joe Cole wasn't even in England's squad for that European Championship, and Terry was sidelined with an injury. As a result, Ledley King, who replaced him, became the scapegoat. Roy tore England's defense apart in a single game, and Lampard was chasing him in midfield until his studs were sparking.

This was a fierce and bloody contest, and Lampard had personally witnessed Roy's prowess.

At a press conference on July 18, Mourinho answered questions about Roy's transfer and also mentioned the departures of Crespo and Veron.

Argentine striker Hernán Crespo has officially ended his Chelsea career and joined AC Milan on loan.

The club's official statement indicated that the player had consistently failed to adapt to the pace of the Premier League and the English lifestyle since Ranieri's tenure as manager.

His compatriot Verón also confirmed his return to Inter Milan on loan on the same day, and the two Argentine internationals will return to Serie A in a similar manner.

Mourinho was unreserved when discussing who should be held responsible for the two men's defeat. He said at a press conference, "I think you should ask Mr. Ranieri what went wrong with them."

"Because the problem lies in last season. You have to ask why big-name players like Veron and Crespo didn't succeed at Chelsea. That's not my problem."

“I told Crespo frankly, ‘I don’t want to work with people who have problems, I don’t want to work with unhappy people.’ He’s unhappy at the club, unhappy socially, unhappy in his family life, because he’s unhappy at work.”

The Daily Telegraph reporter held up the microphone and shouted at the top of his lungs:

"Mr. Mourinho, Roy's 45 goals in a single Ligue 1 season is indeed amazing. But the intensity and pace of the Premier League are completely different. How many goals do you think he can score in the new season? After all, the examples of Crespo and Veron are right in front of us. Aren't you worried that he might also have trouble adapting to the new environment?"

Mourinho frowned, his face darkening, as if something sore spot had been touched.

Losing to Monaco, where Roy plays, in the Champions League final is a bitter pill to swallow.

"Uncomfortable with the local climate?"

Mourinho's voice was laced with sarcasm, "You English journalists are always so ridiculous. Last year's Champions League final was Porto vs. Monaco, two small league teams you looked down on! But it was these two teams that eliminated Manchester United and Arsenal. And now you're questioning Roy? He scored 17 goals in the Champions League and 10 in the European Championship, including the one that thrashed your England team."

"Don't bring up the intensity of the Premier League with me - Chelsea will not accept any unfounded questions unless we lose the game."

He paused, his eyes sharp. "A player of this caliber would be top-class anywhere. The Premier League? Ha, for him it's just scoring goals in a different place."

When the reporter tried to ask another question, Mourinho impatiently waved his hand and said, "Next question."

A Guardian reporter raised his hand and asked: "Mr. Mourinho, Chelsea spent a lot of money this summer to bring in a top star like Roy. What are the club's specific goals for the new season? Is it to compete for the Premier League title, or is the Champions League result more important?"

Mourinho paused, staring sharply at the reporter who asked the question, before stating bluntly: "The goal? It's simple—win! Win everything we can win. With the club spending so much money and the fans supporting us so much, there's no point in saying anything polite like 'striving for better results' or 'going further in the Champions League.'"

"Chelsea now has only one goal: to win the title! The Premier League title? Of course. Arsenal had an 'Invincible Season'? Great, but now it's our turn. We have to turn this team into a team that's used to winning titles, like Manchester United and Arsenal. Yes, now, not next year! The Champions League? Of course, we'll compete for it. I led Porto to the final last season, although we lost to Monaco, but Chelsea is stronger now. Monaco was indeed strong last season, but their most crucial player is already in our team. So, nothing is impossible; we want an even bigger victory!"

The atmosphere at the press conference was tense, with English journalists firing off one sharp question after another.

"You just said that Crespo and Veron's failures were Ranieri's fault, but you yourself gave Roy a record-breaking top salary and special privileges as soon as you arrived. If he doesn't perform, will you admit it's your responsibility?"

"If veteran players are clearly dissatisfied with the treatment of new signings, how do you plan to handle the locker room conflicts?"

Faced with these aggressive questions, Mourinho's lips curled into a slight smile, but his eyes turned cold.

He retorted without hesitation, his tone forceful and even somewhat sarcastic.

English journalists quickly discovered that this Portuguese manager was not the kind of coach who would back down.

He was more difficult to deal with than they had imagined; every word he uttered was sharp, and he even turned the tables and threw the questions back at the reporters.

After several rounds of exchanges, the reporters gained no advantage whatsoever, and the atmosphere on the scene became increasingly tense.

Finally, Mourinho glanced at his watch and ended the Q&A session abruptly: "If you don't have any more valuable questions, then this press conference is over."

After he finished speaking, he got up and left, leaving behind a group of English reporters looking at each other in bewilderment.

Mourinho knew perfectly well that the reporters were being difficult because they wanted to see him make a fool of himself.

But no one can share the pressure that comes with this astronomical contract with Roy.

Roy's treatment at Chelsea was simply outrageous. His weekly wage of £12 broke the Premier League record, and the £1500 million signing bonus was spent without batting an eye. Even more outrageous was that the club even snatched the number 10 jersey from Joe Cole and gave it to him.

This doesn't even include his 100% image rights revenue and privileges like his private jet. Now all of England is watching him, waiting to see if he's worth the price.

The stats of an average star player? That's simply not enough. If Roy only scores 15-20 goals this season, even though that's considered top-tier for a Premier League striker, fans and media will still criticize him as a flop.

After all, the club broke all the rules for him, veteran players made way for him, and Mourinho shouldered all the pressure for him.

If he can't score more than 30 goals in a single season, and if he can't carry the team in key matches, those who are waiting to see him fail will immediately jump out and call him a "flop".

Roy had no choice but to beat the Premier League defenders like wooden stakes, smash the goal to pieces, and silence everyone with solid goals and championship trophies.

Teammates disagree? Then prove them wrong with your performance on the field.

The media is questioning us? Then we'll slap them in the face with a hat trick.

Chelsea broke all the rules for him, and he has to prove he deserves that privilege.

It's not just excellent, it's unique.

Otherwise, he will not be met with tolerance, but with overwhelming doubts and ridicule.

While Drogba was vacationing in Florida, his agent Pierre Frelott suddenly called: "Chelsea are going to sign Roy!"

Drogba immediately cut short his vacation and flew back to France.

In his Paris hotel, he sat across from Chelsea CEO Kenyon and recalled his encounters with Roy: "I witnessed firsthand how he destroyed the opponent's defense in Guingamp and Marseille."

He was particularly impressed by Roy's performance last season, when Monaco won the title eight rounds early and scored in almost every game.

Drogba told Kenyon, "When I heard you signed Roy, I knew I had to complete the transfer as soon as possible. I've played against him several times, and every time we faced Monaco, he could tear apart the defense with his incredible speed and dribbling, scoring goal after goal. To be honest, although I always lost to them, I have to admit that watching him play was a pleasure."

He paused, his eyes filled with anticipation: "Such a talent will definitely become the world's best player in the future. As a striker, just thinking about playing alongside such a partner is exciting. What's more, Chelsea has a coach like Mourinho. His ambition and his tactics make me believe that this is the place where we can realize our great dreams. I believe that here, we can not only win the championship, but also make history. I don't want to miss this opportunity, so the sooner this transfer is completed, the better."

On July 18, Chelsea Football Club officially announced that 26-year-old Didier Drogba is about to sign a four-year contract with Chelsea.

Chelsea paid Marseille a transfer fee of €3600 million to acquire the Ivorian striker.

If this figure is officially confirmed, this deal will become the second-highest player sale in the history of French clubs.

And at the top of the list is none other than Roy, who just joined Chelsea for 4000 million euros.

Ironically, just a year earlier in 2003, Marseille signed Drogba from Guingamp for only 600 million euros.

In just one season, the striker's value skyrocketed sixfold, a testament to his outstanding performance in Ligue 6 and the Champions League.

On the same day, Chelsea drew 1-1 with lower-league side Oxford United in their first preseason friendly of the new season.

This result greatly disappointed the fans, as the team's performance fell far short of expectations.

Mourinho's debut as Chelsea manager was less than ideal, but there were objective reasons for this.

At that time, nearly half of the main players were still on vacation, and the existing players had only just begun preseason training and were far from being in good condition.

Ultimately, this hastily assembled Chelsea team managed to hold their opponents to a draw, avoiding an even more embarrassing defeat.

It's worth mentioning that the day after this match, the highly anticipated new signing Roy will arrive in England to complete his medical and sign with Chelsea.

At this time, Roy was at home in Paris, making final preparations for his upcoming transfer.

His agent Mendes, female manager Claire, and assistant Heathlen were all present, along with his girlfriend Leticia Costa.

The other team members were coming and going, busy organizing documents and luggage.

Roy's sister, Romy, curiously observed the adults' busy figures, occasionally pulling her brother's hand and asking him all sorts of questions.

As night fell, Chelsea's private jet was already waiting at the airport.

This will be a pivotal moment in Roy's career.

That evening, he will fly to London to officially complete the formalities of joining Chelsea.

Roy stood by the window, gazing absently at the familiar street scenes of Paris.

He knew that in a few hours, his career would take a major turn.

The area downstairs was already packed with French media reporters, all with their cameras and microphones pointed at this moment.

Among them, Duruk, a senior reporter for L'Équipe, was granted special permission to follow Roy's team and document this important moment.

Inside the room, team members paced back and forth, making final preparations.

Roy took a deep breath, turned to Duruk and smiled: "Ready? We're about to set off."

As night falls, Tower Bridge is illuminated by blue lights.

(In August 2017, when Neymar joined Paris Saint-Germain for a record transfer fee, the club applied to and received approval from the Paris city government for a special arrangement to welcome the Brazilian superstar: on the night of the signing, the Eiffel Tower was illuminated in the red and blue of the PSG jersey, and the words "Welcome Neymar" were projected onto the tower. This grand light show became a sensation in the football world at the time, demonstrating both the financial power and influence of the Paris club and the special treatment given to the sports star by the city government. Such landmark lighting customization requires official approval and is usually only used for important national or international events.)
Tourists along the Thames stopped to take pictures.

Someone asked the tour guide curiously, "Is today a special day?"

The tour guide explained with a smile, "This is Chelsea welcoming their new season and new stars."

Several local fans wearing Chelsea jerseys stood at the bridgehead, gazing at Tower Bridge bathed in blue light, their faces filled with pride.

One of the young men said to his companion, “See? From tonight onwards, London is ours.”

In a West London pub, the television was broadcasting news of Roy's imminent arrival. Veteran fans clinked glasses, the foam in their beer mirroring their own emotions.

Even office workers who are not usually interested in football couldn't help but look up and glance at it a few more times on their way home.

The entire city seemed to be holding its breath in anticipation of this night.

A taxi driver in West London rolled down his window and shouted to tourists taking photos by the roadside, "Welcome to Blue London!"

Chelsea fans have been eagerly awaiting this moment.

Their new signing, Roy, is about to arrive.

This rising star, known for his incredible goal-scoring record and legendary rise to prominence, has sparked endless imaginations among Chelsea fans.

Outside Stamford Bridge, the club erected a huge welcome poster that prominently read: "Welcome, Roi."

The entire city of London seemed to be in a frenzy over the arrival of this superstar new signing.

(End of this chapter)