Capítulo 363: Chapter 363: Will I Become Russia’s Richest?
I visited Elland Road, the home ground of Leeds United, to watch the last match of the season with Han Gyeong-yeong.
"Welcome! This is your first time at the home ground, right?"
I nodded at Han Gyeong-yeong's question, exploring the stadium since it was my first visit.
As we walked to the seats set aside for club officials, I couldn't help but express my disappointment about the stadium's state by clicking my tongue.
"The facilities are way too run-down. They look worse than Jamsil Baseball Stadium or Sajik Baseball Stadium…"
From the outside, it looked quite decent, but inside it was another story.
A musty smell filled the air, and the old walls bore graffiti from fans, alongside chipped paint.
Han Gyeong-yeong chuckled, seemingly sharing the same sentiment.
"The financial situation has been rough, so we sold the land for a new stadium we were planning to build, and we even tried to sell this one. We managed to halt that when we took over the club. But despite its age, the fans are attached to this historic home ground."
Well, fans likely have a different perspective. I paused my steps, looking down at the stadium as I responded to Han Gyeong-yeong.
"The view from the stadium is decent. The pitch seems well-maintained, but we'll definitely need a new ground."
Elland Road, which has been home to Leeds United since 1919, was a symbol for the club.
That also meant it was incredibly old.
Yet, it was a stadium that could accommodate a large number of spectators, ranking among the top ten in England.
"We should preserve this as a historical landmark and build a new stadium somewhere else. One that can be the largest in England."
I moved forward to find my seat. As I arrived at the club's section, Director Ellen greeted me.
"Charlie, long time no see."
I took Ellen's hand, managing a small smile.
"It's been a while, Ellen. I heard you successfully wrapped up the club's restructuring."
Ellen didn't just hold onto the knife I had given her.
She had cut away players from the youth ranks who were premised on devouring the club, gathering those who shared her vision into the front office.
Thanks to her deeper love for the club than I had anticipated, and her bold reforms, they managed to achieve third place this season.
A victory in today's match would secure second place. Curiously, the last game of the season was a showdown between second-placed Chelsea and third-placed Leeds United.
Despite hastily taking over the club and not achieving proper rebuilding, this level of performance was entirely due to Ellen's capabilities.
"It's thanks to James pouring in support."
Still, I preferred the way she deflected praise onto Han Gyeong-yeong.
"Let's take a seat. The game should be starting soon."
Following Ellen's suggestion, I sat in the assigned seat. The home ground, just minutes away from kickoff, was filling up with fans who continued to stream in.
As I observed the endless flow of fans, I turned to Ellen and asked.
"How's the reaction from the supporters?"
"It was quite mixed in the early season. However, after establishing a spot in the top tier and signing Ronaldo during the mid-season transfer window, the atmosphere has shifted positively with gradual faith in the club."
Leeds splurged on transfer fees, bringing in Ronaldo, who missed the early season due to injury.
I wasn't too well-versed in football, but I did know legendary players like Ronaldo and Zidane.
Zinedine Zidane set a world record and moved to Real Madrid, prompting Ronaldo to target him and initiate talks with Inter Milan.
Inter Milan acquired Ronaldo from Barcelona in 1997 for an astounding twenty-five million pounds.
Perhaps that's why an outrageous one hundred million euros was proposed as his transfer fee.
Ronaldo was focusing on rehabilitation due to injury, however.
Yet, Ellen proved to be more skilled than expected. She negotiated the transfer fee down to forty-five million dollars while ensuring Ronaldo's salary was on par with what Zidane had recently received after moving to Real Madrid.
Having transitioned to Leeds, Ronaldo was still recovering from his injury, putting in effort towards rehabilitation with the club's support.
He marked a brilliant comeback by scoring a hat-trick in his debut match.
In ten appearances, he netted thirteen goals, showcasing an insane scoring ability that met the fans' expectations and led them to passionately cheer for him.
"Honestly, I thought Ronaldo's prime was over. So when James suddenly insisted on signing him, I hesitated at first. I reluctantly complied, thinking it was your directive, Charlie, but I never expected him to perform this well. You made the right call."
Ellen praised me, and I returned her compliment with a smile.
"I don't know much about players. Ronaldo was the only one I knew, so I thought it would be a good idea to target him. I hastily gave orders due to my greed, but the transfer fee turned out to be much lower than expected. I generally don't intend to meddle in club operations, but I hope you will continue to acquire the players I request from time to time."
"Understood."
As I conversed with Ellen, the players began to enter the field.
I clapped for the Leeds players entering alongside Chelsea's squad.
At that moment, Chelsea's owner Roman walked over to greet me.
"Charlie, long time no see."
I rose from my seat and shook Roman's outstretched hand.
"It's been a while, Roman. Are you here to see the last match of the season?"
"Haha, of course. Coincidentally, Chelsea and Leeds are set to clash, making for an exciting matchup."
"Right? I adjusted my schedule to be here since I heard this was the last match against Chelsea."
Though I hastened the club's acquisition compared to my previous life, Roman had not changed his choices.
He had brought in Peter Kennan, the former Manchester United director, right after acquiring Chelsea.
Roman sold many existing players and invested over a hundred million pounds to revamp the squad.
Football enthusiasts mocked him for thinking he could buy success with money, yet Roman silenced them with results.
If Chelsea won today's match, it would mark the first runner-up position in the inaugural acquisition year.
However, today's match also served as a launching pad for Leeds' revival.
There would be no mercy; it would undoubtedly be a critical clash.
I introduced Ellen to Roman beside us.
"Roman, this is Ellen, who I brought in. She's the one leading the club's operations and direction."
Ellen extended her hand to Roman for a handshake.
"Mr. Roman, nice to meet you. I believe we met last time, but… I'm Ellen."
"Oh, Director Ellen! I remember. Signing Ronaldo was also a fresh shock for me."
Roman praised Ellen while she looked over at me to respond.
"That was Charlie's choice."
"But lowering the transfer fee was Ellen's skill, wasn't it? I tried probing as well, but when I heard one hundred million euros, I gave up on the idea."
"Charlie insisted on acquiring him no matter the cost, but there's no need to pay such an unreasonable transfer fee. That's something I can't condone as someone responsible for the club's finances."
Ellen spoke assertively, even in front of Roman without feeling intimidated.
Roman seemed to react with mild admiration and turned to me.
"Where on earth did you find such a person, Charlie? I envy you."
Constantly amazed, Roman gazed over at Ellen with a greedy look.
"Why not consider Chelsea? I promise to provide good treatment."
"I am a longtime Leeds fan. I have no intention of leaving Leeds."
"Haha, Roman, don't be greedy. Ellen is someone essential for Leeds."
As I bantered, Roman clicked his tongue in disappointment.
"I've always felt this way, but Charlie has an extraordinary eye for talent. I wish I could learn from you."
"It's all just luck."
While exchanging various conversations, the referee's whistle finally signaled the start of the match, filling the stadium.
Ellen waved goodbye and stepped aside, while Roman and I took our seats together.
The game's intensity rose right from the start. Both sides launched fierce attacks for victory, but finding the net proved elusive.
"Charlie, have you heard the rumors?"
Engrossed in the game, I turned my head at Roman's inquiry.
"What rumors?"
"There are talks that Putin is once again about to intervene with the oligarchs and Siloviki."
Intervene, huh…
Putin frequently targeted the two pillars of power, oligarchs and Siloviki, to bolster his power.
"So, someone might lose their position again."
"That seems likely, doesn't it?"
"Is there someone you think it might be? It can't be Roman, right?"
"Well, thanks to my connection with you, I've distanced myself from Putin, to some degree, and being appointed as governor of Chukotka really helps, too."
After Putin rose to power, Roman moved to serve as governor of Chukotka under his orders, being the easternmost governor in Russia.
To win Putin over, he invested his personal wealth into infrastructure projects like hospitals, schools, and kindergartens in the previously underdeveloped Chukotka.
Although he often claimed he would only be governor for four years, whether that would happen exactly as planned remained uncertain.
Roman took a sip from his coffee and continued.
"Chairman Mikhail Khodorkovsky has made frequently hostile statements against Putin. He's likely to become the scapegoat for the upcoming elections."
"Ah… I heard he criticized Putin's oil pipeline policies and corruption?"
"Yes."
Putin had firmly indicated he would no longer tolerate political interference from the oligarchs.
Most oligarchs obeyed his warning and kept their heads down.
However, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the chairman of Yukos, was different.
He openly challenged Putin, criticizing him while frontline funding opposition parties.
Witnessing the abrupt downfall of Boris Berezovsky and Vladimir Gusinsky, he fearlessly spoke out against him.
From Putin's perspective, it's only natural he couldn't forgive Mikhail's audacity. I chuckled softly and joked with Roman.
"Then it looks like you'll become Russia's richest?"
"Don't say that. I want to live a long life without attracting attention."
Roman waved his hand dismissively, and I couldn't help but burst into laughter at his reaction.
Yet, my laughter drowned amid the cheers of Leeds fans.
Just before halftime ended, Ronaldo scored the opening goal with a stunning header.
I jumped from my seat, clapping in jubilation while Roman shot me an annoyed glance.
"Haha, it's 1-0!"
"There's still the second half ahead, Charlie."
Roman replied with a grumble. I wanted to tease him further at his displeasure but decided to curb my urge and continued our earlier conversation.
"Yukos, huh… I'm quite envious."
"Are you interested?"
"If the head of Yukos really gets taken down, wouldn't the company inevitably face dissolution processes? Western European countries would probably inquire about acquisitions too. Wouldn't you want to keep it? Aren't you interested, Roman?"
"True, but if you show interest, I will yield my claim."
Roman answered firmly. Yielding if I showed interest…
"Why?"
"Because I'm not confident in winning. Ultimately, the owner will be determined by Putin's wishes. How can I win against you? I'm not planning to turn into an enemy of Charlie."
"Nonetheless, Yukos is the second-largest oil company after Gazprom. Aren't you concerned?"
"Sure, but… my life is far more important."
I nodded at the realist mindset.
If Yukos were to be up for grab, it would be worth acquiring. If Khodorkovsky was arrested as planned and the company began its dissolution, it would create an opportunity.
With that conviction, I decided to persuade Putin to acquire Yukos.
"If such an opportunity presents itself, Yukos will be mine."
"I figured as much. Should Khodorkovsky really be taken down, I'll assist in making sure you can acquire Yukos."
Roman showed more humility than before, hinting at a goodwill gesture.
He seemed to have learned his lesson the hard way.
"Alright. If you help me, I'll also return the favor one day."
"Thank you."
As we shared smiles across from each other, the second half commenced, and we shifted our focus onto the match.
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