Jonathan cleared his throat on the other end of the line, evidently having prepared a detailed report.
"Let's start with Serie A. Fiorentina and AC Milan both responded, but their positions are similar-they see you as a prospect and want a long-term contract, starting at three years, preferably five. In terms of wages, Fiorentina offered €12,000 a week. Milan were slightly more generous, at €15,000."
"What about a starting spot?" Zhang Kuang asked.
"No promises." Jonathan's tone grew cautious. "They said they'd put you in the first team, but whether you play depends on your training performances and the head coach's arrangements. AC Milan even hinted that they might put you in the youth team for half a season to adapt first."
Zhang Kuang fell silent for two seconds.
Serie A, once known as the "Little World Cup," held an appeal for any player. But if going there meant warming the bench or playing youth matches, how was that any different from staying back home?
What he wanted was playing time, goals, the Golden Boot, and Upgrade Cards.
Not watching matches from the bench.
"What about the Bundesliga?"
"Of the two Bundesliga teams, Werder Bremen and Hamburg, Hamburg offered better terms-€14,000 a week and a guaranteed first-team place, but no guaranteed starting spot. You'd have to compete with their existing forwards. The contract would be at least three years."
Jonathan paused before adding, "Werder Bremen offered much the same, with slightly lower wages but stronger guarantees of playing time."
Zhang Kuang thought it over. The Bundesliga played at a faster pace than Ligue 1, with more physical contact and greater demands on players. With his current rating of around 80, he could indeed secure a starting spot there.
But that long-term contract was a little restrictive. Still, if there really weren't any better options, the Bundesliga was a good choice. However, its winter break was almost over, leaving him very little time to adapt.
"What about Ligue 1?"
"Four Ligue 1 teams are interested-Auxerre, Rennes, Lorient, and Montpellier," Jonathan said, going through them one by one. "Rennes offered the highest wages, €11,000 a week on a four-year contract, but you'd have to compete for a starting spot. They already have three forwards."
"Lorient and Montpellier offered similar terms, €8,000 to €9,000 a week. They're willing to give you a rotation role, but both want at least three-year contracts."
As Zhang Kuang listened, he was already weighing his options.
"What about Auxerre?"
The other end went silent for a second, as though Jonathan were checking something.
"Auxerre's terms are the most unusual," Jonathan said. "Their budget is extremely limited, so they can only offer €8,000 a week-that's the highest they can go. They practically gritted their teeth to approve it. But they've completely conceded on two points."
"Go on."
"First, a guaranteed starting spot. Fernandez personally promised that as long as you sign, you'll be his second striker. No competition, no rotation. As long as you're fit, you'll play. That means plenty of playing time for you."
Zhang Kuang nodded. That was important.
"Second, the transfer clause." A hint of satisfaction entered Jonathan's voice. "They've agreed to include a low release clause in the contract, set at €3 million.
"In other words, after half a season, if another team offers €3 million, Auxerre have to let you go. For a rising star like you, that's a very favorable figure."
Zhang Kuang did the calculations in his head.
For an eighteen-year-old who had only played half a season in Ligue 1, €3 million was neither high nor low. If a team was genuinely interested in him, that price would be no obstacle at all.
"What about the other teams? What did they say about a release clause?"
"None of them agreed." Jonathan sighed. "They all said you'd need to play at least two seasons before discussing it. Some even demanded that you complete three years of the contract before a release clause could be set."
Rather than answering immediately, Zhang Kuang walked over to the apartment's floor-to-ceiling window.
Outside, the Eiffel Tower glittered in the winter sunlight. In the distance, the Seine River flowed gently, a few sightseeing boats moving slowly across its surface. Paris was beautiful, but its beauty was something to be consumed-it required money, time, and freedom.
And time was what he lacked most.
He needed to grind up his rating in the shortest time possible, win Golden Boots and championships in the shortest time possible, and accumulate enough Upgrade Cards and Qi and Blood Points in the shortest time possible.
He couldn't grind stats sitting on the bench, and he couldn't grind high-quality stats in lower-tier leagues either.
He needed to play, score goals, and gain exposure.
Although Auxerre was a small city, Ligue 1 was no small platform. If he could score a dozen or even twenty goals in half a season and deliver top-level performances, big clubs would naturally come looking for him in the summer window.
"Jonathan," Zhang Kuang said, turning around, "which one do you think I should choose?"
"Speaking as your agent," Jonathan said candidly, "I'd recommend Auxerre."
"Why?"
"Three reasons. First, playing time. What you need most right now is playing time, not money. You're only eighteen. As long as you prove yourself, the money will come sooner or later.
"Second, your tactical importance. Fernandez really appreciates you. He'll build his attacking system around you. The other teams won't.
"Third, the release clause. With a €3 million release clause, you'll be one of the most sought-after young forwards on the market after half a season.
"Normally, release clauses are fifteen to twenty times a player's annual salary. If your weekly wage is €8,000, your annual salary is €416,000. At fifteen times that, the release clause would be €6.24 million.
"But we repeatedly put pressure on them. First, there's no transfer fee for you, which gives us room to cut the release clause. Second, you can slot straight in. They can't find a forward rated close to 80 on the market who's this cheap.
"Third, they come out ahead. If they sign you and you really deliver, then someone pays €3 million to buy you out, your arrival won't just have helped them score plenty of goals and perhaps even win a championship-they'll also pocket €3 million in transfer fees.
"As long as they're not idiots, they can work out the numbers. You could call it a hundred benefits without a single drawback, and all it costs them is a little over €200,000 in wages for half a season."
After hearing him out, the corners of Zhang Kuang's mouth lifted slightly. What Jonathan had said was almost exactly what he had been thinking.
"What about goal or assist bonuses? Championship bonuses?"
"Ha, they've got all of those, though they're not high. Once you score more than ten goals, the bonus is €2,000 per goal. Fewer than ten, and there's no bonus. Assists are calculated the same way, but the bonus is only €1,000.
"As for the championship bonus, there isn't a specific formula or percentage. It's just allocated according to the team's particular bonus split."
"Then Auxerre it is."
"You're sure?"
"I'm sure."
"Good." Jonathan sounded amused. "Then I'll start discussing the contract details with Auxerre. €8,000 a week, a six-month contract-no, a two-year contract.
"But it'll include a €3 million release clause that takes effect after half a season. I'll push for the best possible terms on the other bonuses."
"One more thing," Zhang Kuang added. "Find me a place to live in Paris. I like somewhere a little livelier. Auxerre is too small."
"You'd rather put up with five hours in a car or driving every day?" Jonathan was somewhat surprised, and also faintly uneasy, feeling that Zhang Kuang didn't seem particularly grounded. "It takes two and a half hours to drive from Paris to Auxerre. Even the train takes two hours."
"It's fine. I can handle it," Zhang Kuang said firmly.
"All right, I'll arrange it," Jonathan said. "It'll probably take three to five days to get the contract signed. Keep up your training in the meantime."
"Don't worry."
After hanging up, Zhang Kuang tossed his phone onto the sofa and lay down.
Auxerre.
A small French city he hadn't even heard of two weeks earlier, a "town" with a population of only forty thousand, a place without even an airport of its own.
But it had the stage he needed.
He closed his eyes, sank his consciousness into his mind, and opened the system. He was ready to allocate his points.