Football: Salary System - Chapter 152: The Real Reinforcement (Patreon)

The next day, November 30.

After training, Zayn followed Favre into his office again.

This time, Zorc was there as well. He looked as though he'd been waiting for quite a while.

The Dortmund veteran had naturally come to present Zayn with his new contract.

But Zorc showed no intention of putting it on the table right away.

"Sit down first." Favre nodded toward the chair.

Zayn sat across from the two of them.

He had assumed today would simply be a matter of signing his name, nothing more than a formality. Judging by the setup, though, they were probably going to talk about the winter transfer window first.

Sure enough.

"There's no rush to sign.

"Favre already told me what you had in mind. Your requirements are very clear, so I've compiled the reports our scouting department currently has. Take a look."

Dortmund's senior management had already convinced themselves that, from beginning to end, Zayn's only real demand had been for the club to strengthen the squad in January.

That was precisely why Zorc was "going along" with Zayn and had arranged for the new contract to be signed only after they discussed winter reinforcements.

Zayn could only sigh inwardly as he accepted the file Zorc handed him.

The report wasn't particularly thick, only around ten pages. Each page covered a single player, with basic information, a summary of technical characteristics, an estimated market value, and a scouting grade.

Zayn went through it page by page, reading carefully.

Neither Favre nor Zorc rushed him. They simply waited in silence.

But the farther Zayn read, the deeper his frown became.

Most of the players listed were around twenty years old, and several weren't even twenty yet. Every one of them was a prospect.

One example was Leonardo Balerdi, the young Argentine center back at Boca Juniors. In the original timeline, Dortmund would sign him that winter for €15.5 million as a rotation option.

It was exactly the kind of signing Dortmund usually made.

Still, Zayn could understand.

He had only told them yesterday that he wanted someone "experienced, capable of rotating into the side, and able to organize the defense."

Dortmund's scouting department wasn't omnipotent. They couldn't produce a fresh list of perfect candidates in half a day. Most of the players in this report were probably targets they'd already been tracking.

Favre noticed his expression.

"Nothing you're looking for?"

"The direction's a little different," Zayn replied without beating around the bush. "I'm not saying these players aren't good. But what we need most right now is someone who can come in and contribute immediately."

Zorc nodded without arguing.

He had expected as much before coming here.

Given Zayn's ability and age, the prospects on this list probably weren't going to impress him.

There was still a full month before the winter transfer window opened, though.

Zorc's main reason for bringing the report today was simply to show Zayn that the club really was working on strengthening the squad.

Zayn neither knew nor cared about the little calculations going through Zorc's mind. Instead, he continued,

"I thought about it after I went home yesterday. There are actually two players who might work."

Both men looked at him in surprise.

Even Favre hadn't expected Zayn to come up with actual candidates after just one night.

Zayn continued.

"First, Emre Can.

"He's versatile in the defensive half. His main position is defensive midfield, but he can play as a ball-playing center back or at right back. He's a good ball-winner in midfield, and his distribution is above average."

This choice was essentially Zayn copying an answer from his previous life.

In the original timeline, Emre Can would join Dortmund on loan during the following winter transfer window.

A classic utility player, he would play at fullback, defensive midfield, central midfield, and center back for Dortmund.

With his ability to cover large areas, his physicality, and his solid ball-carrying, he quickly became an important part of Favre's midfield and defense.

It also helped that he was a Germany international who had come through Bayern's academy and developed at Bayer Leverkusen. Adapting to the Bundesliga was never going to be a problem for him.

Zayn also remembered that Emre Can would eventually inherit the Dortmund captain's armband from Reus, going from an emergency reinforcement to one of the team's leaders.

Zorc, however, shook his head.

"We've already looked at Emre Can. He only moved from Liverpool to Juventus on a free transfer this summer. Allegri rates him highly and is using him in both the league and Champions League.

"And while Juventus didn't pay a transfer fee, they did spend around €10 million on his signing bonus. The chances of them loaning him out or selling him in January are basically zero."

When Emre Can first emerged, the German media had once labeled him the "new Kroos," so naturally Zorc had done his homework on him.

"Understood. The ability is there, but he's unavailable right now."

Zayn nodded.

Only after Zorc mentioned Allegri did Zayn remember the circumstances that eventually led Emre Can to Dortmund.

It wouldn't happen until after the 2018-19 season, when Sarri left Chelsea and took over at Juventus.

The veteran Italian coach would drastically reduce Emre Can's playing time and even leave him out of the Champions League group-stage squad.

Only then would Emre Can decide to leave on loan during the winter window, with Dortmund eventually making the move permanent.

Trying to sign him now really wasn't realistic.

Zayn didn't argue and immediately moved on to his second candidate.

"Forget him, then. The second one is Pepe."

Zorc and Favre both froze.

"Pepe?" Favre repeated, as though making sure he'd heard correctly.

"That's right. Képler Laverán Lima Ferreira. The Portuguese center back. He's with Beşiktaş in the Turkish league right now."

Seeing their puzzled expressions, Zayn was worried they might think he meant the winger Pépé at Nice in Ligue 1, so he gave them the veteran defender's full name.

"A thirty-five-year-old center back..." Zorc frowned. "He certainly fits your requirement for experience, but isn't he a little too old?"

Clearly, Zorc's first impression of the suggestion wasn't particularly positive.

After all, Dortmund's recruitment strategy had revolved around youth for years.

The last time they had signed a player over thirty was all the way back in 2007, when they brought in thirty-three-year-old Robert Kovač.

And the younger brother of current Bayern head coach Niko Kovač had joined Dortmund from Juventus on a free transfer.

That alone showed just how reluctant Dortmund were to spend money on older players.

More importantly, Dortmund's current attacking system often left huge spaces behind the defense during transitions, especially when both fullbacks pushed forward.

When opponents had enough space to accelerate into, a veteran whose physical ability had begun to decline couldn't survive on experience alone.

Favre, however, didn't immediately respond.

He frowned as the image of Pepe violently kicking opponents surfaced in his mind.

Although Pepe had gradually changed his style after being sent off against Germany at the 2014 World Cup, his old fouls had left such a strong impression that people still associated him with those aggressive incidents whenever his name came up.

In reality, as Pepe entered the later stages of his career, he became increasingly controlled.

He relied less on crude physical challenges and more on anticipation, positioning, and his reading of the game's rhythm to defuse danger.

Still...

Zorc voiced what Favre had been thinking.

"I understand why you want a veteran who can organize the back line. But the level of competition in Turkey isn't the same as the Bundesliga or Champions League. And he'll turn thirty-six next February.

"If he can only give us one good half per match, signing him would just be creating a problem for ourselves."

"His form and ability are absolutely fine. Last night, I watched several of his matches from the past year, including Portugal's Nations League games. He's played regularly for Beşiktaş, and his numbers show that he's still capable of completing ninety minutes. Pepe is in excellent physical condition. There's no sign of any sudden decline."

Of course, Zayn's claim that he'd watched recordings of Pepe's Beşiktaş matches was completely fabricated.

But he still spoke with absolute confidence.

From Zayn's memories before his transmigration, the longevity of the Portuguese defender's career was almost absurd.

Pepe wouldn't retire until after Euro 2024 in Germany.

Even at forty-one, he remained one of the most dependable members of Portugal's defense.

In the quarterfinal against France, he started and played the entire 120 minutes, recording three tackles, two blocked shots, six clearances, and a 97% pass completion rate.

He helped Portugal keep France scoreless and delivered an outstanding performance.

Portugal ultimately lost on penalties, bringing the final match of Pepe's career to an end.

Naturally, none of that was something Zayn could say out loud.

"More importantly, he can bring exactly what our dressing room lacks right now. Championship experience."

Favre slowly nodded.

That was exactly the point.

Pepe alone had won three Champions League titles.

How many players currently at Dortmund had ever lifted the Champions League trophy?

Zero.

Some of the younger players hadn't even experienced winning a league title.

This young Dortmund side genuinely lacked the composure of players who had already been through the biggest occasions.

Zorc had to admit Zayn was right.

But as sporting director, he had other factors to consider.

He remembered Pepe earning an annual salary in the eight-figure range at Beşiktaş. After Dortmund had already spent heavily on Zayn during the summer, the club simply couldn't afford that kind of salary for an aging defender.

Seeing the difficulty on Zorc's face, Zayn could roughly guess that money was the problem.

But Zayn remembered that Pepe would leave Beşiktaş on a free transfer during this very winter window and return to Porto.

His contract hadn't actually expired.

Beşiktaş had run into financial trouble and voluntarily terminated the high-earning Pepe's contract, allowing him to enter the market as a free agent.

Before leaving, Pepe had even paid money out of his own pocket to help the club cover wages owed to some of its employees.

And when he returned to Porto without a transfer fee, he accepted reduced wages as well.

If Dortmund moved quickly, bringing a top-class veteran like Pepe to Westfalen wouldn't cost much at all.

But Zayn couldn't reveal any of that either.

So he pretended not to notice Zorc's concern and kept his words deliberately vague.

"We could send someone to look into Pepe's situation. There might be a pleasant surprise."

Favre was the first to nod.

"I agree with Zayn. We really do need someone like that in defense.

"His age is obviously a concern, but that's also exactly why the price shouldn't be excessive.

"And rather than gambling on a twenty-year-old not making mistakes in a Champions League knockout match, I'd rather bring in someone who's already proven himself in Champions League finals.

"January signings are supposed to help us make the push in the second half of the season."

After hearing that, Zorc stopped resisting.

"In that case, I'll send someone to investigate immediately."

The club would naturally do its best to satisfy Zayn's request.

And it was only a trip to Istanbul.

If they couldn't afford Pepe, they could simply walk away.

"Anyone else?" Zorc asked, obvious expectation in his voice.

The two names Zayn had suggested were more convincing than the last.

Emre Can might not be available now, but suggesting him alone showed how accurately Zayn had identified Dortmund's weaknesses.

Pepe surprised Zorc even more.

Ever since leaving Europe's top leagues, most people assumed the Portuguese veteran had simply gone to Turkey to wind down his career. Almost nobody paid close attention to his matches anymore.

Zayn's eye for players was remarkably sharp.

Favre also looked at him.

"Nope," Zayn replied immediately.

He wasn't being modest.

There genuinely weren't any more.

He'd only come up with those two before going to sleep the night before.

Zorc was slightly disappointed, but didn't push him.

"Then we'll leave it there for now. We can keep discussing the winter window whenever necessary. Let's get the contract signed."

He pulled out a neatly bound document and slid it across the table toward Zayn.

It was the long-awaited contract containing his pay raise.

Zayn didn't waste any time.

He opened it and skimmed through the terms.

Apart from his weekly wage, almost nothing in the contract had changed.

His new salary of €240,000 per week was noticeably higher than Reus's and Götze's, but not so outrageous that it completely destroyed Dortmund's wage structure.

It was the result of mutual concessions between Raiola and Dortmund's management.

Zayn picked up the pen and signed his name.

"All right." Zorc stood up. "If you think of any more players for January, contact me anytime."

He hadn't noticed Zayn's excitement.

As far as Zorc understood it, Zayn had gone through all this trouble simply because he wanted the club to strengthen the squad.

"No problem."

Zayn stood as well and shook hands with both men.

He didn't linger.

He quickly left the building.

Only after getting into his car did he close his eyes and sink his consciousness into the system space.

[Main Quest (7): Salary Dominator]

[Objective: Become the No. 1 player on the Squad Weekly Wage Ranking at a top-flight, title-contending club.]

[Status: Completed]

[Reward: Fragmented Money-Power Template Draw ×1]

Even if it was only a Fragmented Template, it still represented a direct increase to his potential ceiling.

Zayn didn't hesitate.

He immediately chose to draw.

[Randomly drawing a Forward Template belonging to a player who "has previously broken a transfer fee record or weekly wage record"...]

Having already gone through two Template draws, Zayn noticed that the pool was identical to the one from his first draw.

Following that logic, he would probably only get someone who had broken a club record this time...

Before Zayn could think any further, a blinding light burst from the system interface.

[Fragmented Money-Power Template Confirmed]

[Eden Hazard]

[In 2019, transferred from Chelsea to Real Madrid for a fixed transfer fee of €120 million, potentially rising to €160 million with add-ons, breaking Real Madrid's transfer record and becoming the most expensive signing in Bernabéu history!]

Even with Zayn's current composure, he couldn't stop himself from laughing.

Without a doubt.

This was Dortmund's real reinforcement.