Woodward squinted at him. "Fine. Then prove it. If you're such a genius, estimate the price of our next transfer target. If you get it right, I'll admit you're a business mastermind."
Tiger King chuckled inwardly. With his knowledge of future football, he could recall most major transfer fees without breaking a sweat. Among fans in his past life, they used to call him the Football Encyclopedia.
Tiger King glanced at the two player sheets in his hand detailing the player stats and history, and pondered for a moment. "I'm not too sure about the first one. His club has been heavily invested in his development, so I doubt they'll let him go easily. But the second player…" He paused, then confidently continued, "His transfer fee should be somewhere between 5 million and 6 million euros—at most, 6 million."
"Okay, let's make a bet and see if you got it right this time," Woodward challenged with a smirk.
"This is a rational judgment, not a guess," Tiger King responded confidently.
Woodward scoffed. "You lie to the ghost."
Gintag and Woodward rushed directly from Le Havre to Lyon, heading straight for the Ligue 1 giants.
Woodward had a good relationship with Lyon's club chairman, Jean-Michel Aulas, as the two had collaborated on several commercial deals in the past.
When Tiger King presented his list of transfer targets, Aulas raised an eyebrow and snapped, "You want to buy Nabil Fekir and Anthony Martial?"
Tiger King nodded. Aulas hesitated for a moment before responding, "Fekir is a key part of Lyon's future. We are building our squad around him. My friend Ed, I'm sorry, but Fekir is not for sale. As for Martial, 6 million euros—final price."
"What? Are you sure?" Woodward blurted out, looking absolutely stunned. Then he turned to Tiger King, his expression as if he had just seen a ghost.
Sensing the situation, Tiger King quickly stepped in, addressing Aulas with a polite smile. "Ed was just disappointed about Fekir. Please don't take it the wrong way."
Woodward, still in shock, remained speechless. Lyon's English translator quickly relayed Tiger King's words to Aulas, who sighed and shook his head. "Ed, my old friend, we have big plans for Fekir next season. He will be the heart of our midfield. Even if you offer a fortune, I simply cannot sell him. My apologies."
Seeing Woodward still looking dazed, Tiger King quickly agreed to Aulas' 6 million euro offer for Martial.
Aulas, misinterpreting Woodward's blank expression as disappointment over Fekir, tried to smooth things over. "My dear friend, to make it up to you, let me tell you something—just yesterday, Monaco made an offer for Martial, but I turned them down. Instead, I've decided to sell him to Manchester United. That should make you feel a little better."
Tiger King then met with Martial to discuss his future. The young forward, cautious about his next step, asked seriously, "Mr. Tiger, you're not bringing me to England just to throw me into the youth team, right? Yesterday, Monaco promised me I'd be part of the first team, playing as a substitute in Ligue 1."
Tiger King smiled inwardly. This kid has some confidence, and that's a good thing. A true talent should care about their future and demand a clear plan.
Tiger King solemnly promised, "In the new Premier League season, you will be part of our forward rotation. With league and cup competitions, you'll have plenty of opportunities to play. I see great potential in you for the future."
Hearing this, Martial finally smiled and, with satisfaction, signed the contract. Tiger King had now signed ten players, and among them, the 6 million euro transfer of Anthony Martial was the most expensive so far.
He knew that in the original timeline, Martial was supposed to move to Monaco before breaking out as a star in Ligue 1. Two years later, Manchester United would buy him for a staggering 58 million pounds under Van Gaal. In his first season, he would carry United on his back, scoring crucial goals and quickly becoming a fan favorite.
However, after Mourinho took over, Martial's career stalled. His playing time dwindled, his confidence wavered, and he struggled to replicate his first-season brilliance. But Tiger King had always believed that the problem wasn't with Martial—it was with Mourinho's tactical system.
Martial was never the type of player to track back and defend consistently. He was more of a Henry-esque forward—blistering pace, smooth dribbling, and a natural eye for goal. But under Mourinho, he was forced into a rigid structure that suffocated his attacking instincts. Over time, his body language on the pitch became indifferent, and his form suffered. Eventually, Mourinho grew frustrated and sidelined him, leaving Martial stuck in limbo.
Tiger King, however, saw things differently. He believed that with the right system and freedom, Martial could flourish and become the next Henry. And as for defensive work? That's what N'Golo Kanté was there for.
As the train sped away from Lyon, the evening sun cast a warm glow through the window, bathing the two men in golden light. Woodward, still reeling from the day's events, leaned back in his seat with a deep sigh.
He studied Tiger King for a long moment, then shook his head with an incredulous smile, "Tiger, if you ever decide to step away from coaching, would you consider working with me as a business executive?"
Tiger King chuckled, arms crossed as he gazed out at the passing countryside. "I think I'll stick to coaching. Besides, my skill is just guessing player values, right?"
Woodward let out a dramatic groan, rubbing his temples. "My God, what kind of monster head coach did this club sign..."
Tiger King didn't reply, only giving a knowing smile. The rhythmic clatter of the train filled the silence between them.
Outside, the landscape shifted from cityscapes to rolling fields. A few children played soccer on a dusty patch of land near the tracks, their laughter carrying in the wind. Tiger King watched them for a moment, his smile softening.
"You know," he said, more to himself than to Woodward, "football is the same everywhere. A ball, a dream, and someone who believes in you. That's all it takes."
Woodward, for once, didn't have a snarky response. He simply nodded, watching as the fading sun dipped below the horizon.
Summer Transaction Status
1. Marcos Alonso (Age = 23) - LB - Free Transfer - Five Year Contract
2. Dele Alli (Age = 16) - Midfielder - Free Transfer - Joined the Youth Team
3. Leroy Sane (Age = 17)- The Next No. 7 - 800,000 Euros
4. Joshua Kimmich (Age = 18) - Young German Defender - 1,000,000 Euros
5. Virgil van Dijk (Age = 22) - CB - 5,000,000 Euros
6. Marco Asensio (Age = 17) - Nimble Attacking Midfielder - 1,000,000 Euros
7. Eric Bailley (Age = 19) - CB - 2,500,000 Euros
8. N'Golo Kanté (Age = 22) - Defensive Midfielder - CDM - Free Transfer
9. Riyad Mahrez (Age = 22) - Replacing Ryan Giggs - LW - 500,000 Euros
10. Anthony Martial (Age = 18) - Forward - 6,000,000 Euros
Pending Transfer Budget: 33.2 Million Euros
Current Squad Status
Goalkeepers - David De Gea, Anders Lindegaard, Ben Amos, Sam Johnstone
Defenders - Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidić, Jonny Evans, Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, Patrice Evra, Rafael da Silva, Fábio da Silva, Alexander Büttner
Midfielders - Michael Carrick, Paul Scholes (Retired), Ryan Giggs, Anderson, Darren Fletcher, Shinji Kagawa, Antonio Valencia, Nani, Ashley Young, Tom Cleverley
Forwards - Robin van Persie, Wayne Rooney, Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez, Danny Welbeck, Wilfried Zaha