After rejecting Liverpool, Tang En was not worried that Benítez would simply let things go; he knew that Liverpool badly needed a forward like Crouch.
As expected, Liverpool's second offer swiftly appeared before Tang En and Evan. This time, their offer was irresistible to Forest: 11.5 million pounds!
Upon seeing the offer, Tang En looked up at Evan with a grin. "The new Euro Champions are indeed generous."
Evan nodded. "What about Crouch's side?"
"I haven't asked, but I don't think Crouch and his agent would refuse Liverpool's offer. Their terms of contract are much better than what we currently offer."
As they started discussing wages, their attention moved from Crouch's transfer to an adjustment of the pay structure of the team.
"What's restricting the growth of the team now is no longer the question of whether their transfer fee is enough, but their wages. Evan, if we can't offer a higher salary to the players, we won't be able to attract them to join us no matter how many promises I make about becoming champions. The football world is very practical. I'm sure you know this better than I do. For professional footballers, playing football is their work. It's for earning a wage to feed their families."
"Yes… I have been thinking about that too. The club approves raising the salary ceiling. Regarding players who have already signed, we'll slowly adjust when we renew their contracts."
After coming to an agreement on an appropriate rate for the highest pay, they also agreed to sell off Crouch.
※※※
The next day, Nottingham Forest replied to Liverpool Club, agreeing to their offer. Now, Benítez could speak with Crouch and his agent regarding the details of their contract. There was nothing else more to do with Forest and Tang En.
Crouch's departure from Forest had become set. Benítez's expenditure of 11.5 million pounds resolved Liverpool's issue with their forward line. Meanwhile, Tang En continued to be troubled over his forward. He now had lots of funds, but nowhere to spend them.
Forwards were closely related to the scoring of goals of a team and their results. It is a critically important position. As a result, Tang En's requirements for it were equally harsh. They could not just bring in any second-rate player from the domestic leagues. Since Forest's intention for this season was to battle in the UEFA Champions League, it was best for them to find a forward who had experience playing in Europe. The player could not be too young, as Forest team was not lacking in youth forwards. What the current Forest team wanted was a forward who was in his prime and did not need additional grooming from the team. He needed to come ready for battle.
There were plenty of forwards within the European and international football scene. However, not many would be left after sifting them through with Tang En's requirements.
If the Forest Team was not fighting in the Champions League, Tang En could even buy Harewood back from West Ham United. He was, after all, also a speed-type forward. Furthermore, if it was the Forest team who called him back, he would be more than happy to return to City Ground and work under Tang En.
Yet, in Tang En's view, Harewood was still lacking a little compared to his requirements.
Just as Tang En was at his wit's end about the signing of a forward for the team, Nottingham Forest Club received a phone call. The man on the phone claimed to be the agent of French forward Nicolas Anelka. He hoped to speak with Tony Twain about Anelka's interest in transferring to Forest.
Tang En was stumped for half a day after hearing that news. In his initial search for a suitable forward, he had cast his gaze all around the international soccer scene but had not for a moment thought about the name Anelka. The Frenchman, who had been estranged from European's football mainstream circle, seemed to already have been forgotten by the world.
He vaguely remembered that Anelka had transferred from Man City to Fenerbahçe S.K., a team in Turkey, just last season in the final moments of the winter transfer window.
It had only been half a season. Could Anelka's older brothers, his managers, no longer stand the loneliness?