Chapter 4
Chapter 4
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: Contract
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“Hoo…”
Standing still on the grass, feeling the breeze, Camila approached me as she watched.
“How is it?”
“It’s nice…”
A stadium that could hold a whopping 40,000 people.
I’d moved between countless clubs, but thinking of this as the first stadium of my new life made it feel especially meaningful.
“Then let’s go talk contract!”
Following Camila into the club office, there was one more person there.
“I’ll translate for you! I’m fully prepared for contract-related terms.”
It seemed she’d prepped vocabulary focused on what was needed for the contract.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Martin Leo, the manager.”
Martin Leo…
Martin Leo was a name I remembered well enough.
After Espanyol’s relegation and failure to promote back, the original manager was sacked, and he rose from interim to full manager.
Right after, he gathered youth talents and prospects, using aggressive mercenaries to secure a foothold in the top flight.
His style would work perfectly with my plans.
“Hello. I’m Lee Si-eon.”
“Oh… Your pronunciation’s not bad at all. Have you studied on your own?”
“I can handle basic communication.”
Of course, in my previous life, I could manage to some degree in every country where I’d played.
German was my strongest after my native tongue, followed by Spanish.
Complex conversations might be tough, but daily life chatter was easy.
“Being able to communicate is a plus. Shall we get to the point?”
“Sounds good.”
I hadn’t expected to meet the manager himself before signing.
It wasn’t like I was some must-have resource, so it must be that they desperately needed bodies right now and had to fill gaps fast.
That put me in a strong position.
Setting aside my true skills, objectively, I was an inexperienced Eastern prospect with no pro experience.
No one would say a player like that held the upper hand in negotiations.
But precisely because of that, I was even more certain.
They hadn’t even thought to play hardball using my weak spots—instead, the moment contact was made, they’d sent plane tickets.
Compared to a resource they had no rush for, the club’s urgency was clear.
Whether it was because they saw me as that attractive, or their situation was that dire, one thing was sure.
I held the power in this contract.
Hmm… An inexperienced prospect meeting the club manager would usually be nervous, but he doesn’t show a hint of it.
Surprisingly, Lee Si-eon’s prediction was wrong on the process but spot-on with the result.
The real reason he held absolute power in this deal.
It was far more advantageous than his appeal as a talent or the club’s thin depth.
The owner’s pick.
And once the owner fixated on someone, they wouldn’t rest until they saw them play in a match.
So, within what the club could bear, they had no choice but to meet whatever conditions Lee Si-eon wanted.
But no one could’ve predicted he’d be the one in control—it would’ve ended like a standard prospect deal.
“The terms we’re offering are pretty solid for a prospect. And you’ll get semi-regular minutes right away. Honestly, our squad depth isn’t exactly luxurious.”
Smooth sailing.
Watching Si-eon silently read the contract, the manager mentally planned how to use him as rotation.
“First off, I’d like to add three clauses of my own.”
“Hmm… Three’s a fair few. Let’s hear them.”
“The first is that if I want, I can play whatever position I choose.”
“That’s no issue. No need to worry about your position anyway.”
He seemed to have taken my words differently.
He thought I was worried about being played at center-back or midfielder instead of fullback—but it was the opposite.
“No, I mean if I want to play other positions, let me. Like, say, central midfielder as an extreme example.”
“Hmm… Craving a position change? In our current thin squad, your versatility is actually welcome. But a multi-role fullback and actually playing other spots are two different things.”
The manager wasn’t wrong.
A versatile fullback overlapping tactically didn’t mean they could play wing—and drifting central for midfield battles didn’t make them a midfielder.
True enough.
If the player was just ordinary.
Strictly speaking, Lee Si-eon wasn’t the versatile fullback the manager described.
He was a player boxed into fullback despite mastering tactical movements for every position.
This life, he’d unleash all his talents freely.
“Of course, I’m not ignoring you or demanding free rein—that’s impossible anyway. If I prove my worth, I just hope you’d make the bold call. And I’d like it explicit as a non-binding contract clause.”
“Fine by me. As long as you recognize it needs my approval, no reason to refuse. If it works like you say, the team benefits most.”
A free signing covering at least two positions?
If it panned out, for depth-strapped Espanyol, it’d be a godsend.
“Lay out the rest boldly.”
“Second, in the next transfer window, sign one player I want.”
“What? Ha… In my playing and managing days, you’re the first to ask that. Let’s hear—who is it?”
“Pedro Yong.”
“Never heard of him…”
Of course not.
Pedro Yong was in Ajax youth at this time, a winger with fast feet but nothing special yet.
But four years later, he’d be key in Ajax’s league and Champions League double.
Right now, I could mold his speed to my taste, and his weaknesses would all hit top level soon enough.
I’d faced him in the U-17 World Cup, so I already knew how to use him.
“He’s a winger in Ajax youth now. Best synergy with my play, and cheap. I’d appreciate you considering it positively after I perform for half a season.”
“No reason to reject outright. Even without your input, snagging good talent cheap is smart. I’ll tell the scouts.”
True to his youth, the young manager took an overreaching prospect’s idea with open mind.
“Lastly, goal bonuses and championship bonuses.”
“Right, contract’s just guaranteed pay. Adding bonuses means cutting salary?”
“Doesn’t matter. Set salary minimum, goal bonus at 5,000 euros, championship at 30,000.”
“Hmm…”
A decent attacker scoring 10 in a season was solid.
Even assuming position shifts, 5 goals from a fullback would be huge.
This season’s promotion push made championship realistic but no guarantee.
30k championship bonus wasn’t much, and cutting salary while motivating the player was no loss.
“Then salary at 40,000 euros, add goal and championship bonuses. You sure? Not even clean sheets.”
“You might regret it. What if I become top scorer?”
Hearing my reply to his ready agreement, Manager Martin Leo burst out laughing.
“Haha! If this deal lands a top scorer, what’s regret? You’d be the sucker. Alright, we’re set.”
Stopping his laugh, the manager turned serious again.
“With that confidence, medical should be fine, right? Would love to use you in a match soon. Let’s wrap up.”
“Thank you.”
Manager Martin Leo stood and left promptly.
“Hoo…”
Medical tests were routine; no way this body failed.
With things this far, it really hit: I was back in soccer’s world.
“Si-eon!”
Camila, who’d watched it all, confirmed the manager was gone and approached me.