Wenger Visits

Before the final, Lin Feng received an unexpected visitor.

"Would you mind if I came in for a moment?"

Professor Wenger appeared outside his hotel room, asking with a smile.

"Of course, please come in!"

The moment Lin Feng saw Wenger, he roughly guessed the reason for his visit.

Although he was a bit surprised that the man would personally come to recruit him, upon reflection, it seemed quite reasonable and consistent with the style of Professor Wenger.

After eliminating the Argentina team, Lin Feng had topped the Youth World Cup scoring charts with five goals.

With Messi eliminated, the Best Player award for this Youth World Cup was essentially out of his reach.

Therefore, once the China Youth Team defeated the Nigeria team in the final, Lin Feng would likely win both the Top Scorer and Best Player honors for this tournament.

As a premier event for young athletes, the Youth World Cup held significant influence in the Football World.

Especially during the final stages, countless teams across the globe kept their eyes on the tournament, hoping to scout and nurture top-tier potential star players.

Once Lin Feng secured these two honors, his Market Value and the attention he received would inevitably skyrocket.

By then, there would be no shortage of teams looking to sign him, and the result of many teams eyeing the same person would be a bidding war.

Although the Arsenal Football Club managed by Wenger was a giant in the Premier League, the club's finances were stretched thin due to the loans taken out to build the Emirates Stadium.

Head Coach Wenger was the type to pinch every penny.

If it truly came down to a bidding war, he had no confidence he could beat his rivals.

Therefore, after observing Lin Feng for a few days and confirming that his abilities fully met or even exceeded his requirements, Wenger decided to take the initiative.

Acting now meant the lowest cost and the highest return.

After entering the room, the Professor glanced around and saw the television playing a replay of the match between Nigeria and Morocco.

He hadn't expected this little guy to be working so hard in private, which made his first impression of Lin Feng even better.

"The strength of this Nigeria team cannot be underestimated. Their footwork is very refined, their physical fitness is outstanding, and they have star players like Mikel. Defeating them will not be an easy task."

Lin Feng nodded; he had also realized that Nigeria's strength exceeded his expectations.

Initially, after defeating the Argentina team, he and his teammates on the China Youth Team were brimming with confidence, feeling that the remaining African teams were nothing to worry about and that defeating them would be a piece of cake.

But after watching a few of the Nigeria team's matches, Lin Feng realized that this team was definitely not that simple.

Although they fell short every time, collapsing at the feet of the Argentinians, the fact that they could reach the final every time was proof of their strength in itself.

And losing to an Argentina team featuring Messi was no disgrace; it could only be said that they were unlucky!

"However, they are not without weaknesses. I have observed their players; they are easily influenced by their emotions, which prevents them from consistently displaying their full strength. Sometimes, they even commit grave errors due to their impulsiveness and lack of rationality."

Lin Feng was lost in thought after hearing this; he trusted the Professor's eye for talent.

Having led his team to an unprecedented undefeated title run in the Premier League just last year, the Professor was undoubtedly one of the most outstanding coaches of this era.

"Thank you for the reminder, Mr. Arsene!"

Lin Feng expressed his gratitude politely, even though he knew the man said these things to build rapport and close the distance between them.

However, he was still grateful for the Professor's advice.

"You're welcome, Lin. I believe you already know the reason for my visit. I am now formally extending an invitation to you, hoping you will join us, join the Arsenal Football Club."

Lin Feng did not agree immediately, but instead looked into Wenger's eyes and asked a question:

"Mr. Wenger, Arsenal is currently strong and deep in every position, making it one of the most powerful teams in the Big Five Leagues. As a young player who hasn't proven himself in the Big Five Leagues, can I get stable playing time at Arsenal?"

Wenger was somewhat surprised; the scenario he had anticipated, where the other party would throw themselves into Arsenal's arms without hesitation upon hearing his offer, did not happen.

On the contrary, the other party asked a very practical question.

Young players need sufficient playing time to improve their skills and accumulate match experience.

If they cannot get stable playing time, it is very detrimental to young players who are in the growth phase.

Many talented players have been ruined exactly this way.

Wenger was pleased that the other party was grounded and not aiming too high.

But for Arsenal this year, they really didn't have much time to let young players level up.

Last season, The Blues Chelsea rose to power under the leadership of Mourinho, suppressing Arsenal to win the title.

This season, The Gunners were fully geared up, wanting to snatch the Premier League title back from The Blues.

Moreover, in addition to reclaiming the Premier League title, Wenger and his disciples also wanted to challenge for the Champions League trophy.

Players like Pires and Henry were getting older, and their desire for the Big-eared Cup was growing by the day.

If they couldn't win the Champions League, these star players might not stay.

Under such immense pressure for results, there really wasn't much room left for young players to shine.

This is especially true for a young Player who has just turned 17 and lacks experience playing in the Big Five Leagues.

"Of course, there is the most critical point: I don't have a Work Permit!"

Lin Feng spread his hands and said helplessly.

Although he had lived in Germany for a long time, Lin Feng did not hold an EU passport.

For non-EU Players, a Work Permit is required to play in the Premier League.

To obtain a Work Permit, one must either be selected for the China national team and maintain a very high appearance rate;

Or have Arsenal apply for a special talent clause through the Department of Labor, taking a special route.

Since the National Football Team has a very low world ranking, the first path is likely not an easy one to take.

As for the special talent clause, processing it is also extremely troublesome.

Given the efficiency of the British, it would take months, if not half a year, to get it sorted out.

If he agreed to join Arsenal, but they failed to secure the Work Permit in time, Then next season, Lin Feng might not even be able to play a single match.

He did not want to take such a huge risk.

After hearing Lin Feng's words, Wenger sighed.

The other party's attitude was already very clear; he would not consider joining Arsenal for the time being.

He had missed out on another world-class wonderkid!

Wenger couldn't help but sigh again.

Every time he missed a wonderkid, it felt like a piece of flesh had been cut from his body, leaving him feeling miserable.

It was the same with Messi back then, and it was the same with Lin Feng right now.

Why did he always miss out on such talented Players?

The Professor still maintained his composure; although he knew he couldn't persuade the other party to join Arsenal, Business aside, there was still goodwill, and his attitude toward Lin Feng remained unchanged.

Unlike some people with shorter tempers, who might have just stormed off at this point.

"Since that is the case, I shall take my leave. I wish you and your team victory in the final and hope you take home the crown!"

"Thank you for your well wishes, Mr. Arsene. I also wish your team great success next season!"

After walking Wenger to the door, just as Lin Feng was about to close it, Wenger hesitated for a moment before speaking up:

"Lin, the doors of Arsenal will always be open to you. I hope we will have the opportunity to work together in the future."

Lin Feng was stunned, not expecting the Professor to be so persistent.

Did he really think that highly of him?