Leon stared at his phone screen, his heart pounding like a drum. Three new notifications. Three urgent emails from his agent, Mr. Davies.
All about transfer offers. Real Madrid. Atlético Madrid. AC Milan. All while he was enjoying the peace of Tokyo.
He took a deep breath. This was it. The moment of truth. He tapped on the first email.
[EMAIL 1: URGENT - TRANSFER OFFERS - REAL MADRID]
From: Mr. Davies (Agent)
Subject: Official Offer: Real Madrid - Leon Fischer
Real Madrid has submitted an official offer for your transfer.
Their bid to Aston Villa is €50,000,000 (fifty million Euros).
Proposed Personal Terms:
Contract Length: 5 years
Weekly Wage: €150,000 per week
Signing Bonus: €5,000,000
Performance Bonuses: Significant bonuses for goals, assists, league titles, Champions League wins, and individual awards (Ballon d'Or, etc.).
"This is a significant offer, reflecting their strong interest in you as a long-term cornerstone of their team. We need to discuss this urgently."
Leon's eyebrows shot up. Fifty million Euros. That was... lower than he expected, especially for Real Madrid. His market value was £59 million, which was roughly €69 million.
Why so low? he wondered. Real Madrid, the biggest club in the world, coming in with the lowest bid? It felt... odd. Almost disrespectful, considering his 'Current: 84' and his Premier League top assist title.
He quickly opened the second email.
[EMAIL 2: URGENT - TRANSFER OFFERS - ATLETICO MADRID]
From: Mr. Davies (Agent)
Subject: Official Offer: Atlético Madrid - Leon Fischer
Atlético Madrid has submitted an official offer for your transfer.
Their bid to Aston Villa is €80,000,000 (eighty million Euros).
Proposed Personal Terms:
Contract Length: 5 years
Weekly Wage: €180,000 per week
Signing Bonus: €7,000,000
Performance Bonuses: Strong bonuses for goals, assists, league titles, Champions League wins, and individual awards.
"This is a very strong and serious offer, reflecting Coach Simeone's personal desire to build his team around you. We need to discuss this urgently."
Leon whistled. Eighty million Euros! That was more like it. Atlético was clearly serious, and Simeone's passion for him was evident. The weekly wage was higher too. This was a very compelling offer. His 'Current: 84' felt a pull towards the intensity of Simeone's vision.
He opened the third and final email.
[EMAIL 3: URGENT - TRANSFER OFFERS - AC MILAN]
From: Mr. Davies (Agent)
Subject: Official Offer: AC Milan - Leon Fischer
AC Milan has submitted an official offer for your transfer.
Their bid to Aston Villa is €75,000,000 (seventy-five million Euros).
Proposed Personal Terms:
Contract Length: 5 years
Weekly Wage: €160,000 per week
Signing Bonus: €6,000,000
Performance Bonuses: Competitive bonuses for goals, assists, league titles, Champions League wins, and individual awards.
"AC Milan is very keen to bring you to Italy and views you as a key part of their future project. We need to discuss this urgently."
Seventy-five million Euros. Another strong offer. AC Milan, a club with incredible history, also wanted him as a cornerstone.
Leon leaned back against the headboard, his phone clutched in his hand. His mind was a whirlwind of numbers, clubs, and possibilities.
Atlético Madrid – €80M.
The Real Madrid offer still bothered him. Fifty million. It just seemed... low. For them.
For the club that wanted the absolute best, they were offering significantly less than their rivals.
Was it a test? Did they think he was desperate to join? Or did they truly undervalue him, despite his 'Current: 84'? He remembered the 'Help System' market, where a transfer to Real Madrid cost 14 points, and he only had 1 point left after getting the new feature. It was a lot to think about.
He thought about the Champions League final, just five days away. He thought about Byon (Current: 85) and Alex (Current: 81), who were probably still asleep in the next room, dreaming of the match. He needed to clear his head. He couldn't make a decision on the spot.
He quickly typed out a reply to Mr. Davies, sending it to all three clubs.
Subject: Re: Transfer Offers
Thank you for forwarding these offers. They are all significant, and I appreciate the interest from such prestigious clubs.
This is a monumental decision for my career, and I need time to consider all options carefully. I am currently focused on enjoying the Champions League final in Japan. I will discuss these offers with my family and will provide a reply as soon as possible, but please inform all clubs that I will need a few days to think.
He sent the emails, feeling a small sense of relief. He had bought himself some time. He got out of bed, the sun now fully up, casting a warm glow across his room.
He could hear faint sounds from the next room – Byon's usual morning grunts, Alex's quieter movements.
He walked into the living room. Byon and Alex were already up, dressed in their casual clothes, Byon wearing a bright, patterned Japanese-themed shirt he'd bought yesterday.
"Morning, Leo!" Byon (Current: 85) chirped, his 'Current' radiating pure excitement. "Ready for some breakfast? And then, the stadium tour! We're going to see where the magic happens!"
Alex (Current: 81) nodded, a shy smile on his face. "I can't wait to see the pitch!"
Leon looked at them, his best friends, their faces alight with the simple joy of being in Japan, of being around football.
He thought about the complex decisions swirling around him, the millions of Euros, the legendary clubs. And then he thought about this: the shared excitement, the camaraderie, the pure love for the game. This was what truly mattered.
He smiled, pushing the transfer offers to the back of his mind for now. "Absolutely, guys! Let's go! The final is just around the corner, and we need to soak up every moment!"
As they headed out, Leon felt a renewed sense of calm.
The decisions would come. But for now, he would enjoy Japan, enjoy the Champions League final, and enjoy the company of his friends and family. The world of football was calling, but for a few more days, he was just Leon, a kid living an incredible dream.