"Real Madrid really do have a transfer budget of six hundred million euros."
When Yang Yang returned to his hotel room and sat down with Wei Zheng, Van Gaal, Van der Sar, and the others, his very first sentence stunned everyone present. The figure was simply staggering.
"Good grief, six hundred million! Who are they planning to buy?"
"Surely Real Madrid aren't actually planning to snap up our entire Ajax squad?"
"Bullshit! Six hundred million euros could buy our whole team? Aren't you selling yourself a little short?"
"Exactly. Look at Deloitte's current player valuations. We have four players worth over a hundred million, and even more worth over fifty million euros. You think six hundred million could buy our entire squad?"
"Tonight's Champions League trophy will definitely give our players' values another boost, but six hundred million really is a lot."
"How exactly are they planning to spend that money?"
Everyone chimed in, marveling at the figure, though they were confident in their own position.
Ajax were no longer the club they had been a year ago. After all, they were the newly crowned Champions League winners.
Van Gaal listened to his colleagues' discussion, but his attention remained on Yang Yang. Only when everyone had finished did he calmly ask, "What did you discuss with Real Madrid?"
"I want Frenkie de Jong," Yang Yang said with a smile. He had never hidden his admiration for the Dutch midfielder.
He was also the only player Yang Yang had specifically requested. All the others had been recommended by Real Madrid.
"That player won't come cheap," Van der Sar said with a chuckle.
Yang Yang shrugged. "You'll have to negotiate that with Real Madrid. There's no point telling me. I won't be involved."
"I have to say, the lad really does have