Werder Bremen was the northernmost team in the Bundesliga. Located in Bremen State, its home ground was Weser Stadium, which stood beside the Weser River flowing through the city center.
The club's Training Base was right next to the stadium and easy to find.
The flight carrying Lin Quan and the others landed at Bremen City Airport.
Unlike other airports that were far from the city center, Bremen City Airport was only 3.5 kilometers away from it.
So, after getting off the plane, the group reached their destination in just over ten minutes.
Guardiola and his party's sudden visit left everyone at Werder Bremen shocked and bewildered.
Upon seeing Guardiola, many staff members could not suppress their delighted expressions:
Could this legendary young manager's next stop be Werder Bremen?
Thinking about it carefully, it did not seem impossible.
This season, due to the team's poor results, club manager Allofs had begun considering leaving and planned to join Wolfsburg, another Bundesliga club.
After learning this news, his close longtime partner, Head Coach Thomas Schaaf, who had managed the team for thirteen years, also began considering departure.
The two had taken over the team back in 1999 and were veteran pillars of the club. If they left, it would be nothing short of a massive earthquake for Werder Bremen.
Therefore, the club needed to begin searching for its next manager and club director.
Having grown sick of the team's worsening results, it was not entirely impossible that the fans and club executives might grit their teeth, spend heavily, and bring in the hottest legendary young manager in world football.
Given what Guardiola had accomplished over the past few seasons, if he truly came to manage Werder Bremen, the club's fans would probably wake up laughing even in their dreams.
After receiving the news, Werder Bremen chairman Klaus Fischer personally went out to welcome Guardiola and his party, accompanied by first vice chairman Hessgrug Nevald, sporting director Essien, club manager Allofs, and others.
"I never expected Coach Guardiola, whom the entire football world is searching for, to come to Bremen at a time like this. It truly comes as a great surprise to us!"
Chairman Klaus politely shook Guardiola's hand, then introduced the club executives standing beside him one by one.
Guardiola also took the opportunity to introduce his family. Once both sides had finished their introductions,
Chairman Klaus asked in confusion, "May I ask what brings Coach Guardiola here so suddenly?"
He was certain that he had not sent Guardiola an offer to take over the team. Werder Bremen was merely a small lower-mid-table club and could not afford a Head Coach of Guardiola's caliber.
To say nothing else, Guardiola's salary alone was beyond what they could afford.
Werder Bremen's total revenue last season had only been 73 million euros, while Guardiola's salary alone was 10 million euros.
They simply could not afford that kind of wage.
Besides, Guardiola could not possibly think highly of a small club like theirs!
Therefore, he desperately wanted to know why the other party had suddenly come to visit.
The most likely possibility was that Guardiola had taken a fancy to one of their young players and had personally come to recruit him.
But it was already late May, and the Bundesliga season had ended more than a month ago.
Werder Bremen had been on holiday for over half a month. The players had long since gone home to their families.
Coming to the club to look for a player at a time like this was like climbing a tree to catch fish, wasn't it?
The less he understood it, the more curious he became.
Guardiola had long anticipated that his arrival would cause unnecessary trouble. Fortunately, he had arrived suddenly and had not alerted the reporters. Otherwise, there would probably be plenty of speculative reports the next day.
So, he immediately explained:
"It's like this. Werder Bremen previously submitted a loan request to Barca. I came because of that matter."
"A loan request?"
Klaus looked toward sporting director Essien. After thinking for a moment, Essien nodded.
"There was indeed such a matter. Our midfield lacked depth on the bench, so following the Head Coach's instructions, we submitted loan requests to six Giant Clubs. In the end, only Chelsea and Barca responded to our request and agreed to loan players to us."
Upon hearing the name Chelsea, Lin Quan's heart skipped a beat, and he interjected, "What is the name of the player Chelsea is loaning out?"
Essien glanced at Lin Quan, then looked to the club chairman for approval.
Before a player reported to the team, loans were uncertain matters.
The parent club could change its mind at any time, and other clubs could also swoop in during the transfer window.
Moreover, with the new season not yet underway, they did not want to reveal relevant information too early and risk adversely affecting the team's preparations.
So, Lin Quan's question was actually somewhat inappropriate.
However, Werder Bremen chairman Klaus Fischer generously waved his hand and said,
"That player is called Kevin De Bruyne, a twenty-one-year-old young midfielder."
Upon hearing that name, a faint smile appeared on Lin Quan's face.
It really was De Bruyne. Lin Quan remembered that after joining Chelsea, he had been unable to fit well into Mourinho's tactical system.
So he had been loaned to the Bundesliga for a period of time.
The club that had taken him on loan seemed to have been Werder Bremen. It now seemed that Lin Quan's memory had not been wrong. De Bruyne really was coming on loan.
At the thought of working alongside this future world-class midfield maestro next season, Lin Quan became even more confident about the coming campaign.
Seeing Lin Quan's delighted expression upon hearing De Bruyne's name, the people from Werder Bremen were completely baffled, unable to understand what he was so happy about.
Could he be a De Bruyne fan who had specifically come to Werder Bremen to meet his idol?
No way, right?
De Bruyne had some fame, but surely not enough to warrant that?
"Ahem, it's like this, Chairman Klaus. The midfielder Barca is loaning to your club is my eldest son!"
Seeing that Lin Quan had led the conversation off topic, Guardiola gave a light cough and hurriedly brought it back.
He solemnly introduced his adopted son to the people of Werder Bremen:
"He played as a defensive midfielder in the youth team and possessed La Masia players' trademark delicate technique and outstanding vision.
Before I left Barca, I had planned to groom him as Xavi's successor. Today, I formally entrust him to you. I hope you will develop him properly and not squander his talent.
Believe me, you will be proud to have him!"
After Guardiola finished speaking, the Werder Bremen side was utterly stunned.
No way?
A legendary young manager in world football had made a special trip here just to lobby for his own son?
That was one formidable background!
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