Chapter 50
Chapter 50
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: Bolton, You See (2)
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This season, as always, the teams promoted from England's League One to the Championship drew interest from so-called rich investors.
What they all had in common was a love for soccer—and a deep affection for a particular club.
Just two days ago, a Russian billionaire had taken over Sunderland, no different from the rest.
Right after the acquisition, he gave an interview.
[When I was five, I traveled to England with my father and witnessed a match at Sunderland's home stadium with my own eyes. That's when I fell in love with this team...!]
Thirty years later, he had become a tycoon with an estimated net worth exceeding 20 billion pounds—over 32 trillion won.
To him, Sunderland's debt of about 70 million pounds—112 billion won—was no issue at all.
On the contrary, he exuded confidence and thrilled the fans.
[Sunderland is a club with more roots than any other. We have a great squad, and this season, we'll aim for promotion to the EPL. To that end, we'll invest around 80 million pounds—128 billion won—in the summer transfer window.]
Huge debts weren't a big problem for these mega-rich folks, especially the eccentrics.
They had teams of experts constantly crunching numbers.
Would this debt significantly impact the club?
Could the team overcome it over time?
Above all, many owners prioritized the club's heritage.
Even if relegated to League One or Two—or stuck in the relegation zone—each team had its own unique value.
Franchise stars played a role, but most eyes were on the club's history.
Not just teams promoted to the Championship were up for sale.
Even some League One teams dropping to League Two had entered sale procedures.
Owners who had gambled everything on survival or promotion were now exhausted, dumping their clubs at fire-sale prices.
'The reasons for selling vary.'
Jeong-woo grimaced and stabbed his fork into the steak.
Squish!
He skewered a piece, brought it to his mouth, and chewed slowly.
Naturally, with Bolton securing survival, several consortiums and businessmen had approached.
"Our family has run a fertilizer factory for 50 years. As the former second-generation chairman, I boosted its profit margins by about 70%."
Across the table, a balding man was spitting as he spoke.
Jeong-woo hadn't started any sale process.
It was more like on hold. After hearing about Sunderland's takeover, he needed time to think deeply.
But with the team escaping relegation hell, suitors like this were multiplying.
"Our factory's revenue last year—as you'll have seen in the documents..."
He had met this man about three months ago.
Precisely, he was a die-hard Wanderer.
'The guy who thanked us for the good results and generously donated sponsorship money.'
And from the start, he had shown ambitions to buy the club.
No different now.
Of course, this dinner wasn't about that sponsorship thanks or the sale.
"Of course, Chairman Ma is doing wonderfully, but... I was born and raised here. I've always wondered what it would be like if I got the chance to lead this club..., heh heh."
"So, Chairman Bald, how much do you value our Bolton? Of course, for a Wanderer, it's priceless."
Once he showed his hand, curiosity got the better of Jeong-woo, so he played along.
The motormouth who had just been rambling about why he was born 50 years ago suddenly clamped his mouth shut.
He narrowed his bulging eyes at Jeong-woo.
Sizing him up.
After about ten seconds of silence, Bald spoke.
"Of course, but... the bank debt is substantial, right?"
Starting with the debt nerf, huh.
Jeong-woo smirked as if expecting it and nodded.
"Yes. Around 100 million pounds—150 billion won. We're covering the monthly interest with gate receipts alone. Once we promote to the Championship level, it's a manageable amount."
He wasn't making excuses.
Just stating facts.
That's why he also pitched the ongoing events, the resting place—aka lounge—business.
"But getting to the Championship is a brutal fight in itself."
The guy was stating facts too.
Bald paused, then slyly curled his lip and quoted a pre-set figure.
"4 million pounds—6.3 billion won."
Jeong-woo feigned nonchalance, flashing the bright smile he'd learned from Geers.
"Heh heh, let's finish our meal first. The meat's getting cold."
Inside, he thought:
4 million pounds? What a load of bullshit.
* * *
[Bolton Wanderers, Owner Change Incoming...?]
[Bolton Wanderers, Chinese Consortium Shows Interest...!]
He hadn't even mentioned a sale, yet these stories popped up daily.
But it wasn't surprising.
Club staff went about their normal routines.
To them, this was just one of the seasonal events.
Some prospective buyers used media play to shake things up.
A warning to other consortiums.
This club's reserved by me—hands off.
So unless the owner himself confirmed it through the press, the gentle routine would continue.
That's when it happened.
"Whoa, even the Chinese are approaching."
In Jeong-woo's office.
Hee-won fiddled with his phone on the sofa.
"Some nibbles, huh?"
He glanced at Jeong-woo in the head seat.
Jeong-woo nodded while slurping cup ramen.
"Yeah, they're coming. All small fry, though."
The Chinese consortium contact wasn't appealing either.
It barely qualified as contact.
He'd just learned about it from the article Hee-won mentioned.
Bad articles about Bolton kept uploading endlessly.
[Bolton! 100 Million Pounds in Debt! If They Don't Survive Next Year and Get Relegated, Bankruptcy Looms...!]
Even old rumors were reposted recently.
Media play again.
Prospective owners' tricks to buy cheap.
Despite no sale declaration, they shook the boat.
"Trying to snag it for peanuts."
In many ways, current Bolton was a poor club.
So like the articles said, some Wanderers truly hoped for a sale.
A rich owner beats a broke one, right?
"They're player-flexing too. Sunderland's got roots among roots, enough for billionaires to swoop in."
Jeong-woo finished the broth and lit a cigarette.
Hee-won, still buried in his phone, furrowed his brow.
"Yeah, makes sense. Multiple EPL titles, tons of famous players produced."
There was another reason tycoons pursued clubs with massive debts.
"Promote to the Premier League, and revenue explodes—multiples, dozens of times over."
Same with League One to Championship.
Promotion alone boosted brand value, and broadcast revenue saw huge jumps.
More fans meant local economic boosts too.
Jeong-woo exhaled gray smoke through his teeth and muttered.
"Why, Leicester City made at least 170 million pounds—2.5 trillion won—from promoting from the Championship."
Exactly.
Rich owners bought clubs for the future, not current debt or team.
"Like stocks. Anyway, Bolton's a respected name in League One."
That's why small fry were biting after survival.
Puck was probably the fastest forward in League One.
Sometimes tactics spotlighted Owen to highlight him.
Making it:
We're a really attractive team~
Indirectly appealing.
While staying composed, Jeong-woo quietly hoped.
Like Sunderland's owner, someone madly in love with Bolton would appear.
I'll invest billions to buy Bolton!
'Yeah, sucker. Please show up...!'
Sunderland's sale was famous beyond local Horwich broadcasts, all over the UK.
Even now, TV showed the former and current owners sandwiched by reporters, interviewing.
Envy on one hand.
"They're really playing management sim, huh?"
Dumping 80 million pounds solely on transfers right after takeover.
Even EPL clubs couldn't pull that off easily.
Jeong-woo tapped ash into the tray and muttered.
"That's why having money rules. They're going all-in on a signing spree."
Some offers had come for Bolton too.
"But they're all under 6 million pounds—95 billion won—for a takeover. That's the issue."
Jeong-woo originally eyed around 100 billion won.
Even that felt cheap. Taxes would halve it.
Plus, hearing Sunderland—valued at 400 billion won three years ago—sold for 1.6 trillion...
'Why am I so unsatisfied.'
Still insanely envious.
'Damn it.'
His standards had skyrocketed.
* * *
A sunny afternoon, Jeong-woo's office.
Unexpected fallout from the sale rumors spread by Bolton suitors.
"Uwaaaang! Owner bro, don't gooo!"
Shirus Muamba, Muamba's son, clung to Jeong-woo's leg, bawling like a faucet.
Practically fused to him.
And that wasn't all.
"Don't goooo! Uwaaaang!"
"Nooo, you can't leave! Don't gooo! Uweeeeng!"
"Uweeeng! Boltoooon! Boltooooon!"
"Kids, where do you think I'm going?"
"Uweeeng! Don't sell Boltoooon!"
For about ten minutes, Jeong-woo had been awkwardly stuck by the door, unable to move.
The reason the kids were bawling and clinging was simple.
Sale articles had spread to their ears.
Most were rumors or unconfirmed.
But the kids, seeing only headlines, wailed and latched on.
'Not latching...!'
Grab!
Wobble!
"Gahk!"
Jeong-woo staggered.
He crouched to pry off Shirus Muamba, but another kid seized the moment, jumping onto his back.
"Uweeeng! Don't gooo! Bolton can't disappearrrr!"
Squeeze!
Arms wrapped around, choking his neck.
Another climbed on, double-choking.
"Ah, kids. Bolton's not disappearing...!"
Squeeze!
"Kek!"
My soul's departing first, you little monsters!
Have a nice day~
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