Chapter 136 The Dust Settles

The South African Confederations Cup divides eight teams into two groups for a single round-robin tournament, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semifinals.

Italy has been placed in Group B, competing with Brazil, the United States, and Egypt for two qualifying spots.

After the group stage, Brazil topped the group with 9 points from three wins, while Italy, the United States, and Egypt all had 3 points from 1 win and 2 losses. Ultimately, the United States qualified for the next round on goal difference and by the number of goals scored.

Italy finished third in their group and were eliminated, meaning Fino never got the chance to face Alonso.

On June 24, Fino and Pirlo, who had returned to Milan from South Africa, were besieged by the media at Malpensa Airport. At this time, rumors about Fino and Pirlo's impending transfers were already rampant.

"Andrea, Berlusconi said in an interview last week that he wants to keep you, but he also needs to consider the team's rebuilding needs. The new coach has his own tactics. What do you think about this?"

Berlusconi's statement implies that Pirlo has been put on the transfer market.

Pirlo's response was calm: "I'm not upset that Berlusconi said he wanted to sell me. I'm used to it. I'll talk to the club properly. I'm in frequent contact with Ancelotti, and I don't rule out the possibility of a transfer to Chelsea. I'm not opposed to new challenges."

Pirlo has already reached personal terms with Chelsea and is now awaiting the outcome of negotiations between AC Milan and Chelsea regarding the transfer fee. He has made no secret of his intention to leave Milan.

The reporter then began asking Fino questions.

"Fini, recently there have been frequent reports from Milan that you are facing threats to your personal safety and want to transfer. Is this true?"

Fino shook his head: "I have no intention of leaving Milan, nor am I afraid of any death threats. Any rumors that I am considering a transfer are false. But the club has its own considerations, and I fully respect the club's decision."

"Do you have a club in mind?"

Fino shook his head again: "Several teams have indeed contacted me, but my agent team has not yet started any specific negotiations. We are waiting for the clubs' attitude."

Fino's attitude was very clear: if you want to sell me, just say so. I'm not worried about finding a buyer, but don't try to pin the blame on me.

Pirlo put his arm around his waist and joked, "Let's elope!"

Fino burst out laughing: "It's not impossible!"

The two of them got into the car with smiles on their faces. As for how the media would interpret it or how the fans would react, let them be!

The club is the one causing trouble; should they be put on trial? They have no trouble finding new clubs; it doesn't matter where they play football.

Let's live this damn life to the fullest!

Throughout July, transfer news surrounding AC Milan never stopped, especially regarding Fino, with multiple teams being linked with him.

Milan's attitude was ambiguous. Amidst a flurry of false transfer rumors, they never came forward to clarify the situation, only stating that the club was concerned about Fino's personal safety and needed to strengthen precautions to prevent the future of Italy from being jeopardized.

In a media interview, new head coach Leonardo stated that the club highly values ​​Neymar and will definitely acquire him once he turns 18.

The club's true intentions are obvious to anyone with eyes to see; they simply don't want to bear the infamy of selling off the team's future.

Fino and Mendes have already begun contacting other teams.

There aren't many teams that can afford Fino and have the ability to win the championship. Mendes' team could only pick out four teams: Inter Milan, Manchester United, Chelsea, and Real Madrid.

Despite Mourinho's special meeting with Fino, Inter Milan were still the first team to be eliminated. Even if a transfer were to happen, Fino had no intention of going to their derby rivals; he couldn't get past the emotional barrier.

Initially, Fino preferred Manchester United.

This summer, Cristiano Ronaldo went to his dream club Real Madrid, and Carlos Tevez transferred to Manchester City, the city's derby rivals. Manchester United's former attacking trident is now reduced to just Wayne Rooney. Berbatov, who was signed last season, has been inconsistent in his performance. Manchester United's attacking line is in dire need of players.

Especially after Fino spoke with Ferguson by phone and learned about Ferguson's tactical ideas, he was very satisfied with Manchester United's ambitions for the next season.

But soon, the transfer to Manchester United became completely impossible, because Manchester United didn't have the money!

Yes, Manchester United, who just sold Ronaldo for £80 million, are broke!

A large portion of Cristiano Ronaldo's transfer fee was taken by the Glazer family to pay off debts. Ferguson only managed to secure £30 million in transfer fees this summer, enough to buy just one of Fino's legs.

Ferguson patiently talked to the Glazer family's representative at Manchester United, analyzing the benefits that buying Fino would bring to the club from both a sporting and commercial perspective. However, the Glazers remained unmoved, only replying with "no money!"

Ferguson was so angry he laughed. After a big argument with the other party, he had no choice but to give up on bringing in Fino.

Chelsea and Real Madrid are both very serious about pursuing Fino, and this sincerity is reflected not only in the transfer fee but also in his salary.

On Chelsea's side, Ancelotti has had several in-depth discussions with Fino, and Pirlo's transfer is almost a done deal. Ancelotti can completely replicate AC Milan's style of play at Chelsea.

Essien can take on Gattuso's role and protect the midfield maestro Pirlo, Lampard can play as a winger or attacking midfielder, and Drogba is a perfect all-around center forward.

In Ancelotti's vision, Fino could play in Kaká's position in a Christmas tree formation, partnering with Lampard, Joe Cole, or Deco as a double attacking midfielder. In a 4-3-1-2 formation, he could partner with Drogba as a strike duo, or act as a lone attacking midfielder connecting the midfield and attack.

Of course, these are all just ideas. Ancelotti doesn't yet have a deep understanding of the abilities of Chelsea's current players and needs to continuously test their compatibility with Fino.

When he proposed to Chelsea owner Abramovich to bring in Fino, Abramovich immediately agreed without a second's hesitation.

Aside from not having blond hair, Fino perfectly matches Abramovich's aesthetic in terms of appearance, character, athletic value, and commercial value.

Faced with absolute good looks (just kidding!), blonde hair doesn't seem to matter that much anymore.

Chelsea have offered Finau a net annual salary of £9 million (approximately €10 million), surpassing Terry and Lampard to become the highest-paid player in the Chelsea squad.

For Real Madrid, Florentino Pérez is equally determined to acquire Fino.

On the one hand, Fino's competitive value alone is enough to make any top club madly interested. He led Milan to snatch Inter Milan's fourth consecutive league title and defeated Barcelona to win the Champions League. After winning the Golden Boot in both competitions, it is unlikely that the Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year awards at the end of this year will go to anyone else.

With the signing of Fino, Real Madrid will soon have a new Ballon d'Or winner. Unlike superstars like Kaká and Ronaldo who bring their Ballon d'Or with them, Fino's Ballon d'Or will be won while wearing a Real Madrid jersey, a brilliant achievement since Florentino Pérez took over for the second time at the Bernabéu.

On the other hand, Fino's commercial value is no less than that of Ronaldo and Kaká. AC Milan earned a considerable amount of money last year just from selling Fino's number 14 jersey. In addition to the revenue from Fino's image rights and the team sponsors who came for Fino, the income is enough to make any team envious.

What Real Madrid's commercial team values ​​even more is that Fino has one-quarter Chinese ancestry, which is very important for Real Madrid to cultivate the Chinese market.

In 2005, on the 20th anniversary of the establishment of sister city relations between Madrid and Beijing, Real Madrid embarked on its second tour of China. This tour was not only driven by commercial considerations but also carried a certain political significance.

However, the China tour did not go well. Due to the conflict between Real Madrid's commercial development department and sporting department, many pre-arranged activities could not be carried out. The deepest impression Real Madrid left on Chinese fans was that they were untrustworthy and arrogant.

Feeling cheated, Chinese fans stopped buying in. Even though Real Madrid brought superstars like Beckham, Ronaldo, Zidane, Figo, Raul, Carlos, and Owen, the fans were not as enthusiastic as they were during Real Madrid's first tour of China in 2003. They couldn't even sell all the tickets for the friendly matches, and scalpers couldn't sell the tickets they had hoarded even below face value.

This summer, after Florentino Pérez took office for the second time, Real Madrid immediately set about increasing its commercial development efforts in East Asia, and the planning for a third China tour has already been put on the agenda.

Given the poor reception of their last China tour, bringing in a star player of Chinese descent would greatly benefit Real Madrid in repairing their relationship with Chinese fans and continuing to cultivate the Chinese market.

Real Madrid has hinted to Fino's agent that Fino's annual salary after transferring to Real Madrid will be the same as Kaká's, approximately 9 million euros after tax. The club will also provide substantial bonuses after he wins individual awards such as the Ballon d'Or.

Between Chelsea and Real Madrid, Fino prefers a move to Chelsea.

In the competition for the forward line, Drogba and Anelka are both over 30 years old, Kalou, who is in his prime, is not very efficient and his performance is only barely enough to be considered a rotation player. Sturridge, Kakuta, Borini and other young players are not yet ready to take on the main responsibility.

If Ancelotti's plan is followed, he needs to play in the attacking midfield position, and he is confident that he has no competitors in the Chelsea team.

Moreover, Chelsea's future playmaker is his good friend Pirlo, and he plays a style of play that Fino is familiar with, so it's hard for Fino not to be tempted.

Fino is not entirely uninterested in Real Madrid either. As a member of the second generation of Galácticos, engaging in a long-term confrontation with the rising Barcelona and helping Real Madrid, which has been in a slump in the Champions League, return to the top is an adventure full of passion and challenges.

Real Madrid's attacking line is more crowded than Chelsea's. Despite the frequent injuries to Van Nistelrooy and the impending departures of Robben and Huntelaar, Real Madrid still has a number of star players in their attack.

Although captain Raul is getting older, he still performs well. Higuain, who is only one year older than Fino, was Real Madrid's top scorer last season, and Cristiano Ronaldo, who transferred in this summer, is currently the world's best player.

Fino has never been afraid of competition. Last season, when eight players in Milan's front line were competing for three playing spots, he was able to firmly hold his starting position. This kind of competition among top talents only makes him more eager to try.

However, Real Madrid's summer rebuilding has made him uneasy. The new head coach, Pellegrini, has no significant honors to his name, and a weak coach with a strong squad is not a long-term solution.

On July 26, Chelsea made their first offer to AC Milan for Fino, with a transfer fee of 50 million euros.

Milan showed little interest in the matter, and with Chelsea clearly willing to continue increasing the transfer fee, Milan still preferred to send Fino to Real Madrid.

On the one hand, Milan and Real Madrid have a deeper relationship as long-established powerhouses; on the other hand, Milan hopes to include Real Madrid's Huntelaar in the Fino deal.

The 26-year-old Huntelaar, nicknamed the "next Van Nistelrooy," has not performed well for Real Madrid, but he is in his prime and has no obvious weaknesses in the striker position, which makes him very attractive to Milan.

Real Madrid was naturally very willing, as Huntelaar was a player Real Madrid wanted to offload, and this would offset part of Fino's transfer fee.

Milan and Real Madrid reached an agreement, but Fino and Chelsea had mutual interest, and the transfer stalled for a time.

After securing Milan, Real Madrid began to focus their efforts on Fino, communicating with Fino's agent team multiple times and also leveraging Kaká's friendship.

Fino's willingness to transfer has wavered somewhat.

By August, Fino's transfer intentions had completely shifted towards Real Madrid, and the reason lay with Pirlo.

On August 5, at the request of new head coach Leonardo, Milan halted Pirlo's transfer, removed him from the transfer market, and forcibly kept him on the team.

In Leonardo's tactical system, Pirlo still occupies the core position in midfield. Other important players who were also rumored to be transferring but were retained include Ambrosini and Seedorf.

This reassured Milan fans. Although they had already lost Kaká and would most likely lose Fino as well, keeping three key midfielders helped Berlusconi and Galliani regain some support, and even the protests decreased significantly.

People tend to prefer compromises. Compared to losing the next captain and completely rebuilding the midfield and forward line, selling only Kaká and Fino doesn't seem so unacceptable.

After Pirlo's transfer was halted, Ancelotti's vision for Chelsea's future playing style immediately became empty talk, and Chelsea's appeal to Fino was greatly reduced.

On the same day that Pirlo's transfer was called off, Alonso officially transferred from Liverpool to Real Madrid for a fixed fee of 30 million euros plus 5 million euros in add-ons.

Alonso's transfer has also increased Fino's desire to join Real Madrid.

This summer, Fino and Alonso maintained close contact, but both tacitly avoided the topic of transfers to prevent influencing each other's transfer plans.

Alonso's transfer went smoothly; his next destination was confirmed to be Real Madrid early on, and the transfer proceeded as planned.

Fino's transfer is different; this high-profile transfer is destined to cause a sensation in the entire football world and must be treated with utmost care.

Alonso understood that Fino was inclined to go to England, and although he longed to be Fino's teammate and felt a vague sense of resentment towards Pirlo, he remained silent.

It wasn't until Pirlo's transfer was called off that hope was rekindled in his heart; perhaps all the wishes he made at the Trevi Fountain in Rome would come true.

With Fino's change of heart regarding his transfer, his transfer process has been accelerated.

With the joint efforts of AC Milan, Real Madrid, and Fino, Fino's transfer was finalized on August 11.

Real Madrid acquired Fino's ownership for €50 million plus Huntelaar.

Huntelaar was brought in by Real Madrid from Ajax for €27 million in the winter of the 2008/09 season, but he did not perform up to his price tag and was put on Real Madrid's transfer list after only half a season.

Real Madrid's transfer strategy has always been to buy high and sell low, especially when they need to offload players, sometimes even selling them for half price. But even if Huntelaar's value was halved, Fino's transfer fee was almost the same as Kaká's.

Fino signed a 6-year contract with Real Madrid with an annual salary of approximately 10 million euros after tax, second only to Cristiano Ronaldo and Ibrahimovic, and not much different from Messi of Barcelona and Eto'o of Inter Milan.

After seeing Real Madrid's transfer announcement, Alonso sent Fino a text message: Now it's Espanyol's turn to treat.

Fino smiled knowingly. Last summer, he had promised Alonso that he would treat him to dinner after Alonso transferred to Juventus. He didn't expect Alonso to remember.

Fino put down his phone and let out a long sigh. He was indeed reluctant to leave Milan, but it was time to start a new journey.

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Author's Note: The next chapter is about Real Madrid! Thank you all for your support~ [droopy-eared rabbit head]