Chapter 90: Wenger's Crazy Decision! Arsenal Really Has Deep Pockets!
The night of January 10th, at Loftus Road Stadium in London.
The first leg of the League Cup semi-final, Bayswater Chinese FC hosted Arsenal at home.
Due to several injuries, Yang Cheng was unable to field his strongest lineup for this match.
Goalkeeper: Manuel Neuer
Defense: Leighton Baines, José Fonte, Laurent Koscielny, and Pascal Chimbonda
Midfield: Andreasen as the holding midfielder, with Gökhan Inler and Lassana Diarra ahead
Forwards: Franck Ribéry, Edin Džeko, and Aaron Lennon
José Fonte had just recovered from injury right before this match.
Otherwise, Yang Cheng would've had no choice but to field the old English League Two center-back pairing of Roger Johansen and Koscielny.
Arsenal, too, were affected by injuries.
Goalkeeper: Manuel Almunia
Defense: Lauren, Sol Campbell, Philippe Senderos, and Kerrea Gilbert
Midfield: Alexander Hleb, Gilberto Silva, Cesc Fàbregas, and Fredrik Ljungberg
Forwards: Thierry Henry and José Antonio Reyes
Arsenal's left flank had been hit hard by injuries, with both Ashley Cole and Gaël Clichy sidelined long-term.
For this match, Wenger opted not to play the left-footed center-back Pascal Cygan, instead shifting right-back Lauren to the left, while fielding young Kerrea Gilbert at right-back.
And that decision became Bayswater Chinese FC's golden opportunity.
...
Both sides started the match cautiously.
But Yang Cheng quickly noticed the weakness in Arsenal's backline and signaled for Ribéry to press Kerrea Gilbert relentlessly.
In the 6th minute, under Ribéry's constant pressure, Gilbert was forced to concede a corner.
Andreasen's resulting header narrowly missed the crossbar.
Arsenal responded quickly.
In the 9th minute, Ljungberg's shot flew way over the goal.
Though only 28, the Swede's form had clearly taken a dive.
In the 16th minute, Lennon broke down the right and whipped in a cross, giving Džeko a golden opportunity near the penalty spot, but his header went just wide.
Yang Cheng immediately spotted a gap in the coordination between Arsenal's two center-backs and told Džeko to exploit the space between Campbell and Senderos.
That earlier header chance had come from precisely that area.
Unfortunately, the Bosnian striker's heading ability still left a lot to be desired—an area that clearly needed improvement going forward.
Before Yang Cheng's tactical adjustments could even take full effect, another threat emerged from the left wing.
Ribéry, facing Gilbert, unleashed a series of feints and suddenly cut inside, leaving the young fullback behind.
Panicking, Gilbert pushed Ribéry from behind.
Referee Howard Webb didn't hesitate to blow the whistle, awarding a free kick and showing a yellow card.
Gianni Vio once again sprang from the dugout, directing the team's set-piece play from the sidelines.
Leighton Baines stepped up to take the kick, delivering it precisely into the box.
In the ensuing scramble, Koscielny got in front of Sol Campbell and powered a close-range header into the bottom-left corner of the net. 1–0!
After taking the lead, the game settled into a stalemate.
Bayswater Chinese FC focused more on defense.
Chimbonda, in particular, stayed glued to Henry, giving him no room to maneuver.
This completely stifled Arsenal's attacking rhythm.
In the 33rd minute, Džeko attempted to break the offside trap but was pulled down by Senderos.
Webb let play continue, to the dismay of the home crowd.
Just before halftime, Lennon broke down the right and sent in a diagonal ball.
Džeko escaped Campbell's marking and entered the box, firing a shot near the penalty spot—only for Almunia to rush out and save it at his feet.
After switching sides for the second half, Bayswater Chinese FC kept up the pressure.
Lennon on the right wing was especially lively.
Against the right-footed Lauren, Lennon repeatedly posed a threat.
In the 51st minute, another of Lennon's crosses found Inler in the box, but his shot went over the bar once more.
This lit the fuse for a new wave of attacks.
Lennon's repeated threats forced Wenger to make changes.
Left-footed midfielder Mathieu Flamini replaced Ljungberg.
Hleb moved to the right wing, Reyes switched back to the left, and Arsenal shifted to a 4-3-3 formation.
The new midfield trio: Flamini, Gilberto Silva, and Fàbregas.
But this change pushed Henry more toward the center, which in turn gave Chimbonda more room to operate.
In the 67th minute, Chimbonda supported Lennon for a deep cross.
Two minutes later, Chimbonda made a blazing run down the right, played a slick one-two with Lennon, broke into the box, and was sandwiched by Campbell and the charging Almunia—falling to the ground.
Yet again, referee Webb refused to award a penalty.
The stadium erupted in boos, and Bayswater Chinese FC's players loudly protested.
That was the second clear foul they felt had been ignored!
...
"This kid really doesn't hold back!"
Wenger cast a glance toward Yang Cheng at the home bench, gritting his teeth.
"Look at his lineup, look at how he's managing the match—does he look like a 25-year-old rookie to you?"
"If someone told me Sir Alex Ferguson was running things tonight, I'd totally believe it," he added bitterly.
Arsenal had been under siege all game long.
They couldn't control the midfield, and the defense was shaky.
"Bayswater Chinese FC really is playing at their highest level under him. These young players are all incredibly distinctive, and they're improving rapidly," said assistant coach Pat Rice.
That's the thing about young players.
Put them in the right tactical system, give them the freedom to express themselves, ensure consistent playing time, and their development can be astonishing.
Just look at Fàbregas.
Only 18, and already the core of Arsenal's midfield.
But the real marvel of this Bayswater team is that Yang Cheng somehow unearthed a bunch of wildly talented youngsters—and then built a tailor-made system around them.
In the league, where long-term consistency matters more, such a young team might struggle.
But in the cup competitions, Yang Cheng's tactical prowess and in-game adjustments shine brilliantly.
It's hard to believe he's only 25.
Being a head coach is a role that relies heavily on experience and tactical vision.
But Yang Cheng's emergence has upended all conventional thinking.
"The Dutch media say Van Gaal is full of praise for them."
Despite his failures at Barcelona and Ajax, Van Gaal is still one of Europe's top managers.
His opinion carries weight.
"At this rate, if Bayswater keeps progressing, by next season—definitely before 2008—they'll be one of the most competitive teams in the Premier League," Pat Rice said with a sigh, both impressed and uneasy.
Wenger let out a cold chuckle. "They won't get that chance."
"You mean…"
"Ferguson, that old bastard, won't let them rise. Neither will Liverpool, Chelsea... even Tottenham won't sit back and let this happen."
As he spoke, a cruel smirk crept across Wenger's face.
"Survival of the Fittest — Bayswater Chinese FC Won't Be the First, and Definitely Won't Be the Last"
"Survival of the fittest. Bayswater Chinese FC isn't the first, and they won't be the last."
"Ever since the Bosman ruling, the rules of the game have changed!"
Pat Rice nodded in agreement.
Dark horses are like meteors—brilliant for a moment, then gone in a flash.
Because now is the era of capital.
No money? Then don't even think about talking.
If the elite clubs can't beat you on the pitch, they'll ruin you off it.
That's the go-to move for all the big teams.
Let's not even talk about how deeply in debt Bayswater Chinese FC already is.
Even clubs like Tottenham and Everton—can they really hold onto their players?
Even a club like Arsenal—just Arsenal!—goes to the Bundesliga and picks whoever they want.
British media had just reported that Arsenal were interested in Czech international Tomáš Rosický from Borussia Dortmund.
Not long after, Rosický himself told German media he looked forward to playing alongside Thierry Henry and that playing at Highbury was a dream of his.
Give me a break!
It's just because the Bundesliga isn't competitive enough!
"You think if Yang Cheng loses his players, he can develop another batch?" Pat Rice suddenly asked.
If they weren't trailing in this match and the timing wasn't so bad, Wenger might've laughed out loud.
"Transfers are high-risk. You really think big clubs are idiots? Chelsea is willing to overpay just to sign proven players—does that make them stupid?"
"In the end, it's about using money to minimize the risk in signings."
"Besides, even if Yang Cheng can find another group of talented young players, how long will it take to develop them? Wouldn't that hurt their Premier League competitiveness?"
"And the most important thing—once he puts in all that hard work developing new players, the big clubs just swoop in again and buy them. Simple as that."
Pat Rice nodded firmly.
European football is a pyramid—and the Premier League is no exception.
The meaning behind Wenger's words was crystal clear.
If you want to remain competitive, you either develop talent or spend money.
For Arsenal to get back into the top four, it's already too late to rely on youth development.
If they don't spend, it'll be very difficult.
"I'm even starting to suspect Yang Cheng is doing this on purpose."
"What do you mean?"
"Look at it—ever since we put in that offer, Aaron Lennon's form has only gotten better."
Which actually made perfect sense.
Young players who want to move to bigger clubs will naturally push themselves to perform at their peak.
It's the same as players going all out during a contract year.
But what irked Wenger was that Yang Cheng didn't seem to be restraining Lennon at all.
On the contrary, he seemed to be encouraging Lennon's ambition, letting him run wild on the pitch, play sharper and fiercer than ever.
It felt like he was putting Lennon on full display for potential buyers.
Just thinking about it made Wenger incredibly uncomfortable.
I'm trying to buy your Aaron Lennon, and you send him out there to humiliate me on the pitch—then use that to jack up the price?
Damn it! You take all the benefits, and later you'll probably play the victim in front of the fans, too? Pretend you were helpless?
It's criminal!
...
While Wenger was mentally cursing Yang Cheng, Bayswater Chinese FC sounded the horns for another attack.
In the 78th minute, Aaron Lennon received a pass from Lassana Diarra on the right and carried the ball up the flank, forcing Lauren and Flamini to retreat.
Arsenal's defensive line fell back into their penalty area.
But at that moment, Lennon suddenly cut the ball back.
Chimbonda had surged forward from deep.
He met Lennon's pass, glanced at the edge of the box, and—before Flamini could close him down—delivered a driven cross with the outside of his foot, sending the ball diagonally across the pitch.
Senderos and Campbell had both dropped into the penalty area.
Džeko, who had been positioned between them ready to pounce at the near post, saw Chimbonda's pass and immediately pulled back to the top of the box.
The Bosnian striker faced the right wing and brought the ball down with his chest, pushing it slightly to the right edge of the arc.
With that single touch, he completely bypassed Campbell.
Arsenal's defenders were aging—slow and cumbersome.
Džeko let the ball drop, chased it with a quick burst forward, and—just as it dropped into position—unleashed a thunderous volley with his right foot.
The Bosnian forward's technique was on full display with that strike.
The ball rocketed toward the goal like a missile, flashing past Almunia's hands and smashing into the back of Arsenal's net.
2–0!
The entire stadium erupted!
Yang Cheng was so fired up, he leapt into the air.
Only on the visitors' bench did Wenger sit with a face full of frustration, as if he'd just suffered the greatest injustice in the world.
"Can I just buy Chimbonda too?"
"And Ribéry—hell, I'll take them all!"
Pat Rice's eyes widened in disbelief.
Professor, now you're just dreaming.
Well, at least dreams don't cost anything...
...
Bayswater Chinese FC defeated Arsenal 2–0 at home.
Koscielny and Džeko each scored once.
But the biggest buzz surrounded Ribéry and Aaron Lennon—both frequently linked to Arsenal in the media.
After the match, both players earned widespread praise from the press.
Especially Aaron Lennon.
As a local talent, the 18-year-old is currently the hottest English right winger around.
He's even being hailed as England's next great wide man.
After all, by the end of this season, Beckham will already be 31.
There was also Shaun Wright-Phillips—but since moving to Chelsea, his form and consistency have plummeted.
Now, it's Aaron Lennon who's drawing all the attention.
Before the game, many media outlets described this League Cup tie as a "test drive" for Arsenal.
Now that the match was over and Lennon had torn their right flank apart, it remained to be seen whether Wenger was satisfied with the result.
Following the match, Arsenal and Wenger were heavily criticized in the press for their performance and tactics.
But the real bombshell came from Thierry Henry's explosive post-match comments.
The Gunners' captain was deeply disappointed by the two goals they had conceded.
"This match was a microcosm of our entire season's problems."
"The attack up front gets no support, and the defense at the back can't hold the line."
"At this rate, it's going to be very hard to win games, let alone fight back into the top four."
When reporters pressed Henry to name names, the captain avoided direct accusations.
"We've already paid too much—too dearly—for our mistakes."
"If making one mistake could teach the team a lesson and help us grow stronger, then we should have been strong a long time ago."
There was no doubt—Henry was pointing fingers at the club's management.
And possibly even at Wenger himself.
Since Patrick Vieira's departure, Arsenal had not brought in any top-class replacements for midfield.
That, in itself, was a massive failure.
That was Arsenal's captain—one of the best defensive midfielders in the world.
Losing him without it having any impact?
Impossible.
With no major signings before the season, and opponents now easily cutting through Arsenal's midfield...
How were they supposed to compete?
Back when Vieira was around, he brought both strength and stability to the midfield, supporting the attack and shielding the defense.
And now?
They're relying solely on Gilberto Silva? That's not enough.
If Henry's anger revealed the dressing room tensions, what followed only piled on the pressure.
The Sun revealed that Valencia was willing to offer Robert Pirès a two-year deal—
—sending fresh waves of worry through Arsenal fans.
Pires in Form, but Arsenal's Crisis Deepens!
Pires had been in fine form—far better than Ljungberg on the right.
But Arsenal had long adhered to a policy of only offering one-year extensions to players over 30.
Pires was clearly dissatisfied with that, and his contract renewal had been left on hold.
Now, Valencia had made the first move, proving that Pires still had market value.
In just six more months, the Arsenal midfielder would be a free agent.
Meanwhile, Spain's Catalunya Daily revealed that Barcelona planned to pay £10 million to bring in Henry at the end of the season, citing the fact that his contract expired in 2007.
That news put Arsenal in the spotlight.
Pires and Henry—two of Wenger's fellow countrymen, both club legends.
Who would he choose to keep?
To make things worse, after losing 0–2 to Bayswater Chinese FC in the first leg of the League Cup semifinal, Arsenal's chances of reaching the final were slim.
After 21 rounds in the league, they sat sixth—six points behind fifth-place Tottenham, and even further behind fourth-place Liverpool.
A return to the top four was beginning to look unlikely.
Missing out on the Champions League would mean a loss of at least £20 million.
And amidst this internal chaos and external pressure, Arsenal returned to Highbury for Round 22 of the Premier League.
Just as everyone was starting to doubt the Gunners' form, Henry exploded.
The French striker notched a hat-trick and added an assist as Arsenal annihilated Middlesbrough 7–0 at home.
Young Reyes assisted four of the goals and was a standout performer.
Pires also scored in the match.
It was a full-on explosion of firepower from the Gunners.
Meanwhile, Manchester United had just drawn 1–1 with Blackburn away in the League Cup semis.
But in the Manchester Derby, they lost 1–3 away to Manchester City, with the Blue Moon putting up a resilient fight.
Liverpool beat Tottenham 1–0 at home.
Chelsea came from behind to beat Sunderland 2–1 away.
Bayswater Chinese FC, battling fixture congestion and injury woes, drew 1–1 at home against West Brom.
After this round, Bayswater Chinese FC picked up a point and overtook United in the standings.
Arsenal narrowed the gap between themselves and Tottenham.
...
January 21st — Premier League Round 23
That week of rest had been a godsend for Bayswater Chinese FC.
Even more importantly, injured players like Modrić returned one after another.
Only Yaya Touré remained absent, still away with Ivory Coast at the Africa Cup of Nations.
With a midweek showdown against Arsenal at Highbury looming, Yang Cheng rotated his squad slightly for this match.
Even so, the team's early attacking strategy paid off.
Just 40 seconds in, Andreasen sent a long pass to the left flank. Ribéry brought the ball down, cut inside, and after beating his man, delivered a diagonal pass to the edge of the box. Inler followed up and smashed it into the net.
1–0!
Then in the 29th minute, from a set-piece near the box, Andreasen scored again—this time with a header.
2–0!
It wasn't until the 66th minute of the second half that Middlesbrough clawed one back through a Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink header.
But in the end, Bayswater Chinese FC won 2–1 away at the Riverside.
Tottenham drew 0–0 at home with Aston Villa.
Chelsea, playing at home, were held 1–1 by Charlton.
Mourinho's "Iron-Blooded Blues" were finally showing signs of fatigue—especially with players like Drogba and Essien away at the Africa Cup.
Manchester United needed a last-minute winner from Ferdinand to beat Liverpool 1–0 at Old Trafford.
Arsenal, however, lost 0–1 away to Everton.
Fàbregas received a red card in the dying minutes for retaliating against an opponent.
That defeat widened the gap between Arsenal and Spurs back to four points.
Wenger's team was in crisis again.
...
Evening of January 24th — Highbury Stadium, London
Second leg of the League Cup semifinal.
Bayswater Chinese FC visiting Arsenal.
For Wenger, it was an emotional roller coaster of a match.
His mood swung wildly with the ebb and flow of the game.
Although the match was being played at Highbury, Yang Cheng's team took the initiative from the start.
But they just couldn't turn their dominance into a goal.
The entire first half was evenly matched.
With a two-goal advantage from the first leg, Yang Cheng had more leverage in the second.
His side focused more on defending—creating fewer chances than Arsenal, but theirs were more dangerous.
In the dying moments of the first half, Ribéry cut in from the left and dribbled past four Arsenal defenders, charging into the box before laying it off to Lennon on the right.
In a critical moment, if not for Gilberto Silva risking an own goal to slide in and clear the ball off the line, Arsenal would've conceded.
After the break, Bayswater Chinese FC continued their wing attacks, keeping Arsenal's defense under pressure.
In the 51st minute, Lennon again broke through on the right and drilled in a low cross.
Džeko darted between the two center-backs and got his shot off—only to see it ricochet off the post.
For over an hour, Wenger watched on with bated breath.
Only when Henry scored in the 65th minute did Arsenal's hopes reignite.
Though he had often denied it publicly, even Wenger had to admit—Henry was still Arsenal's most vital asset.
But after the goal, the match devolved into a scrappy, tense battle.
Both sides had chances, but none were clear-cut.
Wenger stood on the touchline, quietly observing.
He only used two substitutions.
The first saw Diaby come on for Flamini to bolster the midfield.
Then in the 80th minute, he subbed off Henry for Van Persie—saving his star striker for an upcoming FA Cup away match against Bolton.
The crowd at Highbury voiced their discontent.
Wenger understood them.
Taking off Henry basically meant Arsenal had no more real threat against Bayswater's goal.
Van Persie, under tight marking from José Fonte and Koscielny, couldn't do anything.
And then came Yang Cheng.
Damn this Chinese guy—he threw on Gareth Bale, Theo Walcott, and Blaise Matuidi, three promising young guns, in the 83rd minute.
Fearless and full of energy, these rookies brought a new spark.
In the 87th minute, Campbell fouled Walcott just outside the box, giving Bayswater a free kick.
But they failed to convert.
In stoppage time, things turned sour on the pitch.
Reyes, having been dispossessed by Leighton Baines, chased him all the way back to Arsenal's half and fouled him.
Still fuming, the Spaniard slapped Baines across the face after the whistle.
Baines dropped instantly.
Referee Phil Dowd pulled out a straight red.
Two legs, two red cards!
On the sidelines, Wenger rubbed his face with both hands.
"We're under so much pressure lately," explained assistant coach Pat Rice.
Fàbregas and Reyes weren't normally volatile players.
Yet both had lost their cool near the end of their respective matches and picked up red cards.
There was only one explanation: pressure.
Everyone in the team knew the club was drowning in debt from the new stadium project.
They had to finish top four and qualify for the Champions League.
Everyone was going all out.
But it just wasn't enough.
And Wenger?
He understood that all too well.
"Damn that Yang Cheng!" Wenger growled through clenched teeth.
Although he had a personal acquaintance with Yang Cheng, he truly hated him at this moment.
If Yang Cheng hadn't brought up Bayswater Chinese FC, Arsenal wouldn't be in such a passive situation now.
Two years ago, when Arsenal applied for a bank loan to build their new stadium, it was Wenger himself who gave personal assurances.
He pledged to stay on as Arsenal's manager and promised to qualify the team for the Champions League every season.
And now what?
The new stadium isn't even finished, and they're already on the verge of missing out on Champions League qualification?
Just the thought of it made Wenger feel sick.
All he could think about now was how to bring Arsenal back into the Premier League top four.
Failing to finish in the top four would mean a massive drop in income—something Arsenal's finances couldn't withstand.
One slip-up could start a vicious cycle... and that would be a complete disaster.
With that thought, Wenger gritted his teeth hard.
A man known for his lifelong caution and prudence, the Professor made a mad decision this time.
...
In the second leg of the League Cup semifinal, Bayswater Chinese FC lost 0–1 away to Arsenal.
But with a 2–1 aggregate score, they knocked the Gunners out and advanced to the League Cup final for the second consecutive season.
At Old Trafford in Manchester, Manchester United defeated Blackburn 2–1 thanks to goals from Van Nistelrooy and Saha.
That set up a League Cup final between Manchester United and Bayswater Chinese FC.
The match would take place on February 26th at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.
After the semifinal, Arsenal made another offer to Bayswater Chinese FC—this time for Aaron Lennon, raising the transfer fee to £18 million.
Once again, Yang Cheng signaled to Adam Crozier to reject the Gunners' bid.
Three days later, in the FA Cup Fourth Round, Arsenal lost 0–1 away to Bolton.
Bayswater Chinese FC also lost 0–1 away to Manchester City.
Both teams were eliminated, but their situations couldn't be more different.
Yang Cheng's team was in the League Cup final and ranked second in the Premier League.
Wenger's side sat sixth and had virtually no chance of winning anything outside of the Champions League.
And just one day after the FA Cup exit, Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein personally visited Bayswater's stadium.
There, he handed Adam Crozier three transfer bids.
...
"What did you just say?"
It was noon the day after the FA Cup match.
Yang Cheng had just finished lunch with Xia Qing and returned to the admin office when Adam Crozier brought back an earth-shattering piece of news.
"Not one offer—three. They want to buy three of our players as a package deal."
Even Crozier's voice trembled with excitement as he relayed the message.
It was completely unexpected.
"Three players?"
Yang Cheng shot up from his seat, equally stunned.
Has Arsenal gone mad?
But soon, he realized something.
"Wait… do they even have the money?"
Adam Crozier nodded. "Based on their income, if they squeeze things, they probably can afford it."
That summer, Arsenal sold Vieira and received a sizable transfer fee.
But they also signed players like Hleb, Alex Song, and Carlos Vela.
So in the end, much of the Vieira money was already spent.
But the real issue was...
"I heard that, based on their current financials, Arsenal could be operating at a loss this season?"
Operating at a loss didn't necessarily mean taking on debt.
Arsenal's losses were mainly due to massive loan interest payments from building their new stadium.
Then there was their growing wage bill.
In some ways, Yang Cheng could understand why Arsenal were hesitating over whether to renew the contracts of Henry and Pires.
Renewing would mean at least keeping them on their current salaries.
Arsenal's wage-to-revenue ratio was already quite high.
In the 2005/06 season, their total wage bill exceeded £70 million—about 63% of total revenue.
Rumors said that renewing Henry's contract would require bumping his salary to £120,000 or even £130,000 per week.
That would further increase Arsenal's wage pressure.
Of course, their only saving grace was the new stadium, set to open in the summer, which would more than double matchday income and reduce the wage-to-revenue ratio.
Even then, it would still be over 50%.
And in that situation, they still had money to buy players?
"They want Ribéry, Aaron Lennon, and Chimbonda."
"Ribéry and Lennon are each offered at £20 million, Chimbonda at £10 million.
A bundled price of £50 million for all three."
At this point, Crozier was visibly excited.
Fifty million pounds!
But when he saw Yang Cheng's calm, unshaken expression, he couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed.
No wonder he's a rich second-generation with global experience.
A £50 million offer, and he didn't even flinch.
Even Xia Qing was stunned, though she instinctively glanced at Yang Cheng with admiration in her eyes.
That's half a billion RMB… insane!
And he's still keeping his cool!
"Do they really have the money?" Yang Cheng asked again.
Crozier could only offer a bitter smile.
He wasn't sure either.
"If the Gunners are trying to pull some financial sleight of hand again, we're not playing along."
Yang Cheng made his stance clear.
But soon, something else occurred to him.
"Looks like Lauren's injury is serious."
Crozier's eyes lit up. He immediately understood Yang Cheng's angle.
After the FA Cup match, reports suggested that Henry and Lauren had suffered thigh strains, and Gilberto Silva had a calf injury.
Arsenal had lost the match—and picked up three new injuries.
If Wenger wanted to buy Chimbonda, it must mean Lauren's injury was serious.
At this point, both of Arsenal's left-backs were already out.
If their right-back Lauren was injured too, and with Kolo Touré away at the Africa Cup (and primarily a center-back), Arsenal's defense would be in real trouble.
Wenger's squad management was clearly flawed.
And this wasn't the first time.
Nearly every season, Arsenal got hit by injury waves during the winter and the second half of the season.
That's why Ferguson's Manchester United often managed to mount comebacks in those very periods.
If it happened once or twice, you could chalk it up to bad luck.
But every year? Still bad luck?
Now, Arsenal had seven players out injured.
That's definitely a structural issue.
"So how do they want to structure the deal?" Yang Cheng asked, intrigued.
"Half fixed fee, half performance-based."
Yang Cheng chuckled. He had expected that.
There were plenty of tricks in the transfer market.
Take Reyes's move from Sevilla to Arsenal, for instance.
The publicized fee was £23.2 million—about €35 million.
But in reality?
Only £10.5 million of that was guaranteed—and even that was paid in installments.
The rest was tied to appearance clauses, performance bonuses, and so on.
If the conditions weren't met, Arsenal didn't have to pay the remaining amount.
In Yang Cheng's previous life, Arsenal eventually loaned Reyes to Real Madrid precisely to avoid triggering those clauses—meaning Reyes never met the benchmarks needed to unlock the rest of the transfer fee.
It's said that Arsenal only ended up paying around £17.5 million—possibly even less.
"Tell them, there's no way we're selling Ribéry or Chimbonda."
Yang Cheng knew that after all the back-and-forth with Arsenal, they'd pretty much squeezed the Gunners dry already.
"If They Want Aaron Lennon, Then It's £20 Million—No Bonuses, No Tricks"
"If they want to sign Aaron Lennon, then put up £20 million. It can be paid in installments, but I don't want any performance-based clauses. I want a solid, no-strings-attached £20 million."
"Understood."
This was, in effect, a price increase in disguise.
"But Arsenal might not agree to it, right?" Adam Crozier said with a grin.
"They probably will."
"Why?"
"It's simple—they want to weaken us and force their way into the top four."
Yang Cheng smiled faintly. "More importantly, our dear Professor is finally letting himself be impulsive for once. I reckon he can convince the board—he really doesn't have any other options."
"This year, Arsenal is operating at a loss. If they miss out on next season's Champions League, even with the new stadium, their financial position will be in serious trouble. So now, they have to go all in."
"There are only two ways into the Champions League: finish in the top four, or do what Liverpool did."
Adam Crozier suddenly understood and nodded repeatedly.
Last season, Liverpool only finished fifth in the Premier League—so how were they playing in this season's Champions League?
Because of the miracle in Istanbul.
UEFA made a rare exception to allow Liverpool to compete as defending champions, though they had to start from the first qualifying round.
For Arsenal, whether it's the top four or the Champions League trophy itself, they have to give it everything they've got.
...
It was already the 28th, just days away from the close of the transfer window.
After speaking with Yang Cheng, Adam Crozier immediately contacted David Dein to relay Bayswater Chinese FC's terms.
Arsenal were clearly determined to get Aaron Lennon.
After only an afternoon of deliberation, David Dein got back to Crozier.
£20 million.
Arsenal accepted Bayswater Chinese FC's conditions.
The payment would be made over two years in four installments.
This is when having both clubs based in London really paid off.
That very evening, the administrative teams from both clubs began exchanging documents, and Arsenal started negotiations with the player and his representatives.
Aaron Lennon was thrilled at the chance to join a club as prestigious as Arsenal.
Even more so, the salary they offered was significantly better than what he had at Bayswater.
Yang Cheng didn't feel any particular regret about the transfer.
Lennon was performing well at the moment, but he wasn't irreplaceable.
Besides, Arsenal were offering an extremely generous fee.
Beckham's transfer from Manchester United to Real Madrid had cost just over £20 million.
So there was really no reason not to sell.
And more importantly, Yang Cheng had already sent Mike Rigg out ahead of time to negotiate with Lennon's potential replacement.
Talks were going well.
That's why Yang Cheng ultimately made the decision to sell.
Besides, ever since Lennon had subtly resisted Yang Cheng's personal training program, the coach had known that the English winger wasn't cut from championship cloth. He was more of a role player on the right flank.
At best, just another Shaun Wright-Phillips.
The next day, news of Aaron Lennon's transfer sent shockwaves through the British media.
No one had expected Arsenal to shell out £20 million in the winter window for this domestic right-wing star.
Arsenal fans were ecstatic.
In the last two legs of the League Cup semifinal, Aaron Lennon had repeatedly tormented Arsenal's back line.
And now he was theirs.
Lennon wouldn't be eligible to play in the Champions League, but as long as he kept appearing in the league, that would be enough.
But what Yang Cheng didn't expect was that, on the very same morning the news of Lennon's transfer broke, after training, Chimbonda's agent came knocking.
Representing the player, the agent made it clear to Yang Cheng: they hoped the club would seriously consider Arsenal's offer.
"You know, he turns 27 in February," the agent said.
"For my client, this might be his last shot at joining a big club. Neither of us wants to miss this opportunity."
Yang Cheng was caught off guard.
He was sure Arsenal had already contacted Chimbonda and his agent in private.
In fact, they'd probably already reached some sort of preliminary agreement.
Ribéry?
After meeting with Chimbonda's agent, Yang Cheng immediately went to find Ribéry.
After multiple confirmations, Ribéry swore up and down that neither he nor his agent had had any contact with Arsenal.
"Boss, I promised you—I wouldn't consider any transfers before the World Cup. I gave you my word, and I'll keep it!"
Ribéry's firm and resolute promise put Yang Cheng at ease.
That had been their agreement all along.
After the World Cup, if a suitable offer came, Yang Cheng would let him go.
Until then, Ribéry would focus solely on the team.
As for Chimbonda, Yang Cheng had never even considered that Arsenal would be interested in the French international.
But now, he was genuinely torn.
He did have a suitable replacement in mind—but with one major downside.
The replacement wasn't eligible to play in the UEFA Cup.
Of course, Chimbonda wouldn't be able to play in the Champions League with Arsenal either.
That was UEFA's current regulation.
Last summer, the club had bought Chimbonda for just £500,000—a deal the media hailed as the best signing of the Premier League season.
Chimbonda had been the league's best-performing right-back in the first half of the season—without a doubt.
Some even said he was the best right-back in all of Europe at the time.
That was thanks to Yang Cheng giving him free rein down the right, maximizing his overlapping and attacking contributions.
But at 27 years old, with a physically demanding style of play, Yang Cheng estimated that Chimbonda had maybe two more peak seasons left in him.
So the question was—should he sell?
While Yang Cheng was still weighing his options, Adam Crozier came to him again—with a fresh offer from Arsenal.
The Gunners had raised their bid for Chimbonda to £12 million.
Twenty-four times what they'd paid just six months ago!
But Yang Cheng didn't mind.
Bastia had been relegated, and he'd scooped Chimbonda up for a bargain.
His quality was clear for all to see.
Besides, Wenger had always had a soft spot for French players.
With that in mind, Yang Cheng immediately told Adam Crozier to issue a counter-offer:
£15 million.
Take it or leave it—no more haggling.
At the same time, he instructed Mike Rigg to seal the replacement deal as soon as possible and be ready to fly to France immediately.
It was the 29th.
Time was running out for both clubs to wrap up their business.
And just as Yang Cheng had predicted, Arsenal's right-back Lauren would likely miss the rest of the season.
That left Arsenal with only a bunch of young backups.
Kerrea Gilbert?
Emmanuel Eboué?
Neither had made more than a few appearances all season.
Wenger's options were virtually nonexistent.
And with the club fighting on two fronts—Premier League and Champions League—there simply weren't enough players to go around.
With one eye on results and the other on injuries, David Dein made his decision swiftly:
Spend money. Protect the season.
So, on the afternoon of the 29th, Arsenal accepted Bayswater Chinese FC's terms.
£15 million. Payable over two years.
Arsenal really did have money to burn.
After the deal was struck, Yang Cheng immediately called Mike Rigg.
Get the paperwork done, and catch the next flight to France.
Relying on Łukasz Piszczek alone to fight on two fronts? That just wasn't realistic.
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