From Arsenal to the Ball God

[Skills: Burst Lv3]

[Skill Level: (192/2000)]

[Skills: Level 3 Foot Arch Pass]

[Skill Level: (381/800)]

[Skills: Reverse Foot Lv1]

[Skill Level: (259/300)]

Ma’el glanced at the other skill level panels, noticing a slight increase. The slow progress was due to his intensified training on Dipping Shot in recent days.

Now, with balanced training again, the speed of improvement would definitely surpass before.

”Grind, grind until a real Demon emerges!”

After countless repetitive trainings, Ma’el’s mind temporarily fell into a frenzy, the excitement causing him to lose a bit of his sanity.

Being an adult means not daring to go crazy in front of others, but alone, who cares.

Sometimes he thought, the feeling of dancing alone on the field and improving every day wasn’t bad.

......

That evening, while eating at home, Ma’el received a call from an unfamiliar number he had never seen before.

”You can’t forget to eat just because of training.”

Safina stood beside him, miffed at the missed call, ”I’ve never seen anyone like you. Everyone else is back on time after extra training, but you? Why punish yourself this way.”

”I underestimated you. Harry didn’t tell me everything about you. You’re not just a hard training fanatic, calling you a demon suits you more.”

”Most of them just go through the motions.”

Ma’el, talking big to defend himself, said, ”Not everyone truly wants to improve their skills; many just want the comfort of standing on the training ground as a self-consolation.”

”Of course, let’s not exclude that many people are self-disciplined, but it’s mostly within their capabilities. They won’t seek to break limits.”

”One must find joy in suffering, learn to taste the thrill of breaking limits, and pursue it as the highest goal.”

”Haha....”

He chuckled bitterly a few times, wondering who seeks joy in suffering, yet pursues... it’s all nonsense, just self-consolation. He answered the call, ”Hello, what is it?”

”Ma’el, with the winter window about to close, did Garrispeed mention that the club wants to sign a bonus incentive contract with you?”

The voice on the other end was generous, or rather, each word was spoken generously, ”It’s a special bonus set for special players, aside from the 6 million pounds overall bonus for the entire team.”

”Oh.... by the way, this is my first call. I’m McCabe.”

Ma’el’s expression brightened; it was a pleasant surprise, who would complain about having too much money? ”He didn’t mention it. When do we sign?”

”If you have time, today.”

”Okay.” Holding his curiosity in check, Mael finally couldn’t resist asking, ”Can you tell me the amount of the contract first? Sorry, it’s very enticing, and I want to know quickly.”

”Initially, I thought of 1.5 million pounds.”

McCabe’s voice became even more generous, like Sudhana, ”But my daughter suggested, why not go straight to 2 million pounds.... I think it’s true, though it sounds like a joke, as if treating money as child’s play.”

”But trust me, as a somewhat successful businessman, I value money more than anything. Even when someone asks to borrow ten thousand pounds, I’d have to consider it.”

”It’s just, I used to adhere to the belief that no matter how outstanding a player is, it’s still a team victory.”

”Until the last round’s match against Norwich, with that powerful shot, I heard my daughter in the box proclaim you as ’Sheffield’s God!’ That’s when I calmly considered things.”

”I’ll come over.” Ma’el held back a laugh, trying not to appear overly excited, suppressing his voice, ”Is it at the training base?”

”Yes.”

After hanging up the phone, he exhaled a long breath, stood up from the sofa, and walked to the door to change his shoes.

”You’re not done eating.”

Safina stood up and walked with him to the door, ”Is there something important?”

Ma’el nodded, brimming with joy, ”The team wants to sign a bonus contract with me. Lately, it’s been a string of good news, with pounds pouring down from the sky.”

”Is it a lot?” Safina couldn’t help but ask, a hint of curiosity in her eyes.

”2 million pounds.”

Ma’el didn’t hide it and told her.

”Ha....” Safina gasped, her face visibly stunned, ”Just a bonus?”

No matter how professional, she’s still a person living in the real world, with a very clear concept of money.

”Yes.”

Ma’el thoroughly enjoyed her expression, and after putting on his shoes, he headed for the door.

”Finish eating before you go.”

Safina’s voice came again. He turned back with a sullen face, finished a piece of chicken breast, and left with a bitter face to deal with happy business.

......

”Actually.”

Inside the training base, at the top floor of the administrative building in the boss’s office, McCabe, after saying this, coughed a few times abruptly before continuing, ”Some core players also have bonuses as well, I have to say it’s not just for you.”

He admitted, ”Like Evans, Janu, and Robert, but theirs combined can only match yours.”

”I shouldn’t have said that.”

McCabe smiled knowingly, aware that this was taboo, but he had his own plans, ”I hope you won’t share this.”

What he wanted was for Ma’el to feel special and important and everyone’s high regard for him.

”I won’t.”

Ma’el shook his head to assure him, browsing through the specific clauses of the contract.

On the way over, he had asked Mendes about it, and Mendes said he knew of this but had let the club contact the players directly at that time.

And so, the club voluntarily showed its sincerity and proposed an incentive contract to you.

You can’t go up and start haggling.

The 2 million contract wasn’t just a ’take everything if you lead the team to promotion’ foolish contract; it contains quite a few clauses.

The club is definitely still cautious, worrying that players might slack off if they feel the team is doing well in the second half.

Sneaking away 2 million pounds in bonuses might be a small matter, but misjudging the situation and failing to promote would be more significant.

But compared to Arsenal’s bonus contract, this bonus is fairly simple.

It’s mainly divided into two items, each with three levels.

The first item is the bonus for creating goals, with one level being 30+, the second level 40+, the third level 50+, and each bonus is 30 thousand pounds, totaling 90 thousand pounds.

McCabe still grasped the hearts of people well. Since he gave a bonus contract, why not just send something directly into Ma’el’s pocket first?

With 27 rounds of the league past, Ma’el has already scored 19 goals with 16 assists, surpassing 30 in terms of creating goals, pocketing 30 thousand pounds easily, not far from the next.

The second item, naturally, is the rank upon entering the Premier League, one tier being the play-offs, one direct promotion, and one champion.

The bonuses are 200 thousand pounds, 400 thousand pounds, and 500 thousand pounds respectively. You don’t have to pick just one; as you advance a tier, you can claim the previous ones.

”Mr. McCabe, I can assure you, this decision of yours will certainly not be wrong, rash.... nor unfair.”

Ma’el put down the contract, and since he took the money, it was only natural to say a few nice words, ”By the end of the season, I hope your team achieves success, and that I play a role everyone would want to see.”

McCabe beamed, gestured with a please and signaled Ma’el to sign.

On his way home that night, Ma’el visited a 24-hour self-service bank to check his balance. When he inserted the card, a secure number appeared.

774,901.21

”The efficiency is really fast.”

He removed the card, admiring McCabe’s swift transfer, becoming more and more eager for a driver’s license.

......

ps: Those brothers who are in a hurry, don’t worry, after some final foreshadowing, the pace will be faster later.