Excitement surged!
His hands trembled!
With head coach Mancini as his witness,
beneath a poster covering the entire wall behind him, celebrating the 2010 treble,
Tang Long solemnly signed his name on a professional contract with the first team.
Five years, with an annual salary of 400,000 euros after tax. That was the first-team minimum.
The instant his pen touched the paper, a familiar voice rang out in his mind!
"Congratulations, host! You have signed a professional first-team contract with Inter Milan!" "The Green Field Intelligence Engine System has upgraded!" "Basic level — Intermediate!" "[Smart AI Cloud Training Mode] has now been unlocked!"
Mancini lightly tapped his fingers on the desk, looking at Tang Long meaningfully.
From then on, Tang Long would be one of the players Mancini personally cultivated in the locker room.
He would also be Mancini's eyes and ears within the team.
"Young man, play well. I have high hopes for you!"
"Coach, I'll train hard and won't let you down!"
At Mancini's instruction,
Inter Milan's official website published a special news item on its homepage.
[Congratulations to 18-year-old prospect Tang Long on signing a professional first-team contract with Inter Milan]
Below a smiling photo of Tang Long and Mancini,
was an interview with Mancini by Inter Milan's official TV channel.
"Why did I choose Tang Long? Because I saw his potential. In my opinion, Tang is already capable of playing in Serie A."
"He provided an assist in the last match? Yes, he helped the team a great deal. That was also the direct reason I promoted him to the first team. I'm very grateful to him."
"What are Tang Long's strengths? In my opinion, Tang is a very versatile player who can play in several positions in the midfield and attack."
"How many opportunities will he get? I have to stress that, under my management, everyone has an equal chance. Inter Milan is a fair stage for football, just as the club's founders declared over a century ago: 'We are brothers of the world!'"
News of Tang Long officially signing with the first team reached China online almost immediately.
This time, Chinese fans were even more shocked!
Even more shocked than they had been by Tang Long's Serie A debut!
"Isn't this happening too fast? I thought this was just a routine one-day trip to Serie A for a youth-team player!"
"Looks like Mancini had been keeping an eye on Tang Long for a while. He trusts Tang's ability!"
"Signing a professional contract is definitely great news for Tang Long. Sure, he probably won't get much playing time in the upcoming matches, but training and playing alongside first-team stars will be a huge boost to his development!"
"Hahaha, I'm a Premier League fan, but now I have a reason to stay up late and watch Serie A."
However, plenty of people voiced deep doubts about the signing!
The truth was, many Chinese fans had a realistic idea of how good their own players were.
They weren't getting carried away.
Some said Tang Long had been promoted from an unknown youth-team player to the first team solely because Inter Milan saw the vast Chinese market behind him!
"I'll say it right now: Tang Long's contract is nothing but a commercial signing!"
Just wait. Inter Milan's viewership in China is about to skyrocket, and Chinese sponsors will be lining up to throw money at them!
There's definitely an agent pulling the strings behind the scenes. Then, a year later, they'll sell him back to China for 100 million yuan—I've already figured out the whole plot. You're welcome.
Think I'm going to stay up at some ungodly hour to watch Serie A? They signed a player for marketing. No thanks!
"When will our Chinese players finally become starters in the Top Five Leagues through sheer ability, like Nagatomo Yuto?"
Tang Long soon returned to the youth team to say goodbye to his teammates.
His teammates looked at him with thinly veiled envy.
Head coach Laino gave him a perfunctory greeting.
Only Chivu, the assistant coach who had always believed in him, pulled Tang Long aside and told him:
"At a European giant like Inter Milan, the relationships in the locker room are complicated. You're a newcomer, so it's best not to get involved in anything or take sides. Just train hard and cherish this opportunity. Not everyone gets the chance to play for a giant like Inter Milan."
Chivu said that if Tang Long ran into any difficulties, he could talk to Zanetti.
"Zanetti will always be my captain. He's a good person. You can tell him anything, and he'll be able to help you.
"Tang, your strength is your understanding of football, but your fundamentals are still very weak. If you can, put in extra practice after training!
"You're a first-team player now. Don't worry about the way other people look at you.
"Remember this: in football, no one cares about your skin color, nationality, or background. If you want to be admired by thousands, the only way is to have outstanding skills!"
Tang Long took his benefactor Chivu's advice to heart.
So, as soon as he moved into the first team's dormitory,
he eagerly awakened the Green Field Intelligence Engine System.
Rubbing his hands together, he entered the [Smart AI Automatic Training Ground]!
According to the system's prompt,
this was a reward unlocked when the Green Field Intelligence Engine System reached the intermediate level.
Its special feature was that Smart AI could simulate training in his mind!
Ordinary players had to train physically, sweating it out on the field or in the gym.
Some even hired personal trainers at great expense to work on their weaknesses.
But once Tang Long entered the [Smart AI Automatic Training Ground], all he had to do was sit still, and he could [Cloud Train] in his mind!
The gains from [Cloud Training] were not only fast and efficient, but also transferred directly to Tang Long's body.
In short,
other players trained for two or three hours a day before their bodies grew tired and their minds started to resist.
But Tang Long could train at any time, on top of his regular sessions!
And it wouldn't cost him a bit of physical energy.
His skills would improve gradually without him even noticing.
"The Smart AI Automatic Training Ground is now open. Please select a training program!"
"Great. Start passing practice!"
Tang Long entered a simulated training session and was surprised to find a line of people standing opposite him!
Pirlo, Beckham, Ronaldinho, Xavi, Iniesta...
They stared blankly at Tang Long, like robots.
Tang Long walked over and pinched the faces of these world-class passing masters.
They even felt just like real people~
"Please select a passing master to train with!"
Unbelievable!
Cloud Training was one thing.
There was even a cloud training partner!
And not just any training partner—one of the greatest passing masters in world football.
In the real world, that kind of treatment was pure fantasy!
"You're the one, Iniesta. Let's start with short passes!"
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