The jeers intensified, furious and unrelenting, but Izan just laughed. He raised both hands now, motioning upward.
Louder.
By the time his teammates reached him, he was grinning, shoulders loose, as if this was nothing new to him.
Saka grabbed him first, shaking his head with a chuckle.
"You're a menace," he said, half-laughing.
Izan just shrugged. "They asked for it."
The rest of the team piled in, ruffling his hair, and clapping him on the back. The United fans were still screaming, but Izan didn't spare them another glance.
He'd already said everything he needed to.
....
The final whistle blew, signaling the end of Arsenal's pre-season clash against Manchester United.
The scoreline didn't matter much—this was just a warm-up for the real battles ahead—but Izan had left his mark.
His free-kick and his presence had turned the match into something more than just a friendly.
