Chapter 49
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Translator: Silver Dragon
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: England's Pride, The Importance of Hometown Ties
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[Luis Figo signs 4-year contract with Blackburn Rovers.]
[They're insane, Rovers! After Roberto Baggio, now Luis Figo joins Blackburn!]
[60 million euros, the transfer of the century!]
['Figo requested the transfer and triggered his buyout clause, so we couldn't stop it.' Barcelona chairman's pathetic excuse.]
Blackburn was buzzing once again, just like after Baggio's arrival.
This time too, countless fans gathered at Ewood Park, chanting "Wild Rovers" in unison, and Figo proudly hoisted the Blackburn jersey high.
Number 7 on the back—the one originally worn by Keith Gillespie, who barely played 10 games last season and happily handed it over for a superstar like Figo.
In return, Figo gifted him a luxury Swiss watch from one of his endorsement deals.
"Everyone, what did I tell you? That we'd sign the world's best players this season, right? Baggio and now Figo—two of them!"
At the unveiling ceremony, arm-in-arm with Figo as he flashed a thumbs-up for the cameras.
As shutters flashed even more wildly than for Baggio, I whispered to Figo.
"Turn the shirt around to the front too, not just the back."
"Ah, like this?"
Figo flipped the jersey as I suggested, revealing the bold "DY Global" sponsor logo emblazoned across the Blackburn Rovers kit in English.
Korean papers would run this photo, spreading Daeyang's name across the world beyond Europe.
No doubt tomorrow's stock would hit the daily limit up, and partnership inquiries would flood the European branch.
"Luis Figo, how did you end up leaving Barcelona for Blackburn?"
"Please, just one word."
Among the swarm of teams—even turning down Real Madrid—the absurd choice of Blackburn was first on their list.
"People need change sometimes. I had great times in Barcelona, Spain, but England is new territory, so I'll show even better form here."
"Any teams in England you're looking forward to facing?"
"Manchester United, Leeds, Arsenal, Liverpool."
"I heard you had an offer from Real Madrid originally. Any reason you chose Blackburn?"
"I just chose the Premier League. Nothing else."
Unlike Baggio, Figo offered no quotable gems to wow the press—just blunt answers, done.
The ceremony wrapped quickly; after greeting the Ewood Park fans, he headed straight back to his lodgings.
That left me for the owner's interview slot.
"Mr. Lee, you've pulled off back-to-back massive transfers."
"I always keep my promises to the press. Though sometimes in ways they didn't expect."
Laughter rippled through the room as other reporters jumped in.
"Luis Figo to the Premier League is huge, but wasn't the price tag too steep?"
A familiar face—Tony Stone from Sky Sports, the guy who scoffed at our Korean signing and mocked bringing in a Second Division striker like Kevin Phillips.
"In just two years running the club, you've spent astronomical sums. Won't critics say you're just buying trophies with cash?"
I knew this was coming.
Down the line, oil money clubs would blow even this out of the water, but right now, I was basically the league's biggest disruptor.
"True, it could look like buying success. Your thoughts?"
"Didn't this transfer window feel too overheated?"
I stood up quietly.
Grabbed a mic, walked to the front, sat cross-legged casually before the press corps, and spoke.
"Alright, everyone, come closer and listen up."
I took the mic to the front, plopping down comfortably in front of the reporters.
The tense press room air loosened in an instant.
"Come on over. I've got a fun story about this transfer window."
To counter the "new owner's cash splash" narrative, I'd asked our correspondents worldwide for other leagues' dealings—plenty of juicy examples.
"Cash splash? Absurd amounts flying around?"
As reporters nodded, I dove right into current market comps.
"Italy's Serie A, SS Lazio."
[??????]
"Hernán Crespo, Claudio López, Perruzzi, Castromán, Dino Baggio, Baronio, Poborski, Lombardi—eight signings for a total of 122.32 million euros."
[!!!!!]
"For Parma's Crespo alone, 56.8 million euros in fee—plus trading Conseição and Ugu Almeida worth 40 million euros combined. More expensive than Figo, right?"
I laid out a club that spent double what we did over the same period this season.
"Next, Italy's Serie A, AS Roma. Batistuta, Walter Samuel, Jonathan Zebina, Emerson, Gianni Gucci, and more—98.3 million euros. Just 1.7 million shy of 100 million."
As I rattled off Lazio and Roma's 00/01 spending, reporters' eyes bulged; some frantically called for fact-checks, murmuring in disbelief.
"Inter Milan this season, 94 million euros—26 million on Robbie Keane alone."
Looking at it now, Serie A really went ham back then... Three teams around 100 million euros, and AC Milan, Parma, Juventus dropping 60-70 million each.
"Compared to England's Premier League—soccer's homeland and the world's top league—Italy's spending even more? That's why all the world-class stars flock there."
The reporters' smirks at the cash splash turned serious as they scribbled notes.
"When Manchester United did the Treble including Champions League in '99, the Queen said: 'Ferguson didn't raise a trophy—he raised England's pride.' Isn't our 60 million euros for the Premier League's pride?"
One reporter in the murmuring crowd piped up.
"Will you keep spending Serie A levels going forward?"
"If good players are available. But this summer window's done. From now on, transfers everyone can applaud. That's all!"
Clap-clap-clap.
One reporter started applauding, others nodding and joining in.
'That guy's got an incredible gift of gab.'
'Born showman. No wonder they call him the Lancashire Trumpeter.'
'Plenty of material for articles now, perfect contrast with the Italians.'
This season's Blackburn spending controversy would fizzle into laughs.
Compared to Serie A clubs dropping nearly 100 million dollars per team, Blackburn would come off like a fairy tale.
[Luis Figo's signing embodies the 'Premier League pride' as the world's top stage.]
[EPL's world-class talents lag no behind Spain's La Liga or Italy's Serie A.]
Reading the British papers at home provided by Blackburn, Figo chuckled.
"What a fun guy for a boss..."
Instead of the outrage of ditching hated-yet-beloved Barcelona for a straight shot to Real Madrid, he'd chosen Blackburn.
"Quiet, peaceful neighborhood. Gotta drive to Manchester just to shop."
Figo nodded at his wife's comment, baby in her arms.
"Gotta focus on football for now. Preseason tour coming up soon—Asia way."
"Think we can settle in here?"
Knock-knock-knock.
Late-night knock; Figo rose and opened the door.
"Hey~ Luis."
"!?"
Manager Jupp Heynckes leading the pack, with this year's signings Roberto Baggio, Alf-Inge Haaland, Brad Friedel, and captain Gareth Southgate—holding cakes and champagne aloft.
"Welcome to Blackburn, Luis."
"Mind if we come in?"
"..."
Figo stared blankly before grinning wide and flinging the door open.
"Come on in."
Seeing fellow new signings, the manager with a teddy bear as tall as himself plus a coffee set—Figo's lips curved into a smile.
A call from Seoul—the pro football federation president, Chairman Yoo.
[Vice President Lee, your team's coming on Asia tour, right? Figo and Baggio both?]
"Of course. Tour hitting Korea and Japan."
Preseason Asia tour locked in; Steve Miller even snagged Japan matches.
"Korea FA requested a friendly with Huh Jung-moo's Olympic squad ahead of Sydney. Japan too—Olympic tune-up at Tokyo National Stadium."
Korea's Huh Jung-moo crew and Japan's Troussier side, prepping for Sydney Olympics and 2002 World Cup, both wanted Blackburn games.
Merch sales, friendlies, sponsorships—around 10 million pounds in revenue.
[World-famous stars coming? Post-Olympics, it'd help pro football too.]
"Ah, K-League friendly? Sorted. Hosting vs. Busan Daeyang Royals, our acquisition."
Acquired, but brother-in-law handling clubhouse build, old Zeus Royals front office running it.
"Talked to Royals' president Kim Se-han. Perfect timing right after first half."
[Yeah... good idea, but... the team...]
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