It hadn't been long since the red envelope scandal involving Guo Chao exploded across the media.
Alessandro's social pages were still buzzing with activity.
A flood of fans continued checking in, many lining up just to offer apologies.
And many more asked the question on everyone's mind:
Where would Alessandro play next?
A large number of supporters called on the Shandong provincial team to bring him back.
After all, the bribery charges had been proven to be a set-up.
The original reason for his expulsion was no longer valid.
But to everyone's surprise, Shandong kept quiet.
They ignored the fans' appeals, pretending not to hear a thing.
So what about other teams?
The national league had fully resumed, and during press conferences, both head coaches and team captains were asked whether they'd consider signing Alessandro.
After all, to most fans, he was a starting midfielder on the national youth team, incredibly talented, and—most importantly—a free agent.
On paper, he could've joined any club.
But reality had a bitter taste.
Even the wealthiest club—Guangzhou Evertrust—refused to comment when asked about him.
Soon, the fans saw the truth.
Sure, Alessandro had cleared his name with that damning footage.
But in doing so, he had offended the Football Association at the highest level.
And once you've made enemies there?
Forget about playing domestically.
Clubs weren't ignoring him because they didn't see his value.
They were afraid.
Afraid of provoking the Football Association.
That's when the fans finally understood:
The problem wasn't the clubs.
The problem was the Football Association itself.
If the FA didn't give its blessing, no team would dare sign him.
And so, the fans erupted in fury.
They stormed the FA's official website—crashing it within minutes.
(Of course, maybe the site hadn't been updated since 2002, which helped.)
When that didn't work, they turned to social media.
They flooded the national team and FA's official pages with insults and scathing comments.
Both accounts instantly trended.
They stayed there for days.
But the Football Association?
Still silent.
They'd seen this all before.
Public outrage, no matter how loud, was a storm that always passed.
And sure enough, just as expected, the noise began to fade after two or three days.
The FA breathed easy.
The storm had passed.
Then came the thunderbolt.
Alessandro updated his profile.
---
> "I'm thrilled to share with everyone that I've officially signed with Manchester United's youth team."
Attached was a screenshot of Manchester United's official website.
Fans stared at their screens, stunned.
At first, they thought it was a joke.
Until they clicked the link.
Until they followed the breadcrumbs.
And there it was—Manchester United's official announcement.
What followed was an explosion:
> "HOLY S**T!!!"
> "NO WAY!"
> "Bro signed with MANCHESTER UNITED???"
> "I take everything back. Alessandro, you're HIM."
> "The FA thought they buried him. He just bloomed in Europe!"
> "He's cooking now! Damn proud of this guy."
> "I doubted him. I apologize. Sincerely. Starting my apology tour now!"
Within moments, the post was all over the trending page.
Because this wasn't just any team.
This was Manchester United.
Among football clubs, even the most conservative fan would place them in the global top ten.
Many wouldn't hesitate to say top five.
Outside of Real Madrid and AC Milan, few clubs could rival United in sheer silverware.
Even Bayern, Liverpool, and Juventus were arguably on the same level—not higher.
United were, without question, a world-class football titan.
Even if Alessandro had only joined their youth team, it was a monumental leap.
News headlines followed:
> "Second Player in National History to Join Manchester United!"
> "Shocking Move! Rising Midfield Star Alessandro Joins Man Utd Youth Team!"
> "Another Young Talent Heads Abroad—Alessandro Lands in England!"
The media went into a frenzy.
And just like that, Alessandro's name was back on every screen in the country.
---
Meanwhile, inside the Football Association headquarters…
Director Cheng—nicknamed "The Headache Generator" by his subordinates—rubbed his temples and sighed.
"This kid again..."
It was now clear.
Alessandro wasn't just a troublemaker—he was a problem they couldn't control.
"He's way too bold… and smart," Cheng muttered.
"This all started because Guo Chao thought he could bully him."
"Can we block his registration somehow?" Cheng asked.
Secretary Wang, standing nearby, shook his head. "Impossible. He's a free agent. We can lock him out domestically, but that means nothing to foreign clubs."
Cheng stood up, face grim.
"If this kid gets even more famous, we'll completely lose control."
"He's just in their youth academy for now," Wang offered. "Remember Dong Fangzhuo? He also signed with Manchester United back then…"
Cheng shook his head.
"No. This one's different.
I can feel it."
He let out a long breath.
"…We'll play it by ear. Step by step."
The Football Association had been completely caught off guard.
But what could they do now?
They could intimidate domestic clubs.
But Manchester United?
That was a whole different level.
They couldn't touch him anymore.
---