The final decision was made after watching the Leeds United game last night. And let me tell you, it wasn't exactly a lightbulb moment, more like a slow realization that had been brewing for a while. But once it clicked, it clicked.
Wengar, ever the calculated planner, had received news from his assistant coach, Primorac, in the morning. Apparently, Leeds United had accepted an offer from a "certain club." At first, Wengar was like, "Oh, really? Another offer for Adebayor?" This wasn't the first time he had heard rumors about the young striker potentially moving, and he knew that, for the most part, these things were just swirling gossip.
Wengar immediately turned to his staff, barking out orders like a man on a mission. "Get on the phone. Confirm this." It was a simple request, but it felt like one of those tasks that could potentially change the course of his season. Of course, he had already made up his mind about Adebayor. To Wengar, the young striker was basically already part of the Arsenal family, even if the ink wasn't technically dry on the contract yet.
Wengar had been quietly watching the situation unfold. Sure, the whole Adebayor-to-Arsenal thing was a bit of a rollercoaster, but in his mind, he had been thinking about this for months. It was clear that Adebayor had talent, and though he had initially felt hesitant about paying 29 million euros for someone who had just started to make a name for himself, it was beginning to seem more and more worth it. Sure, it was a hefty price tag, but Arsenal wasn't exactly scraping the bottom of the barrel. They had money, but Wengar was always a little wary of big, flashy signings.
The main issue, of course, was that Wengar didn't need Adebayor to be a superstar right away. Not even close. His thinking was simple: Henry wasn't getting any younger, and although he was still one of the most lethal strikers in the league, his body was beginning to feel the wear and tear of years of top-level football. If Arsenal could bring in Adebayor, they wouldn't necessarily need him to be "the guy" right off the bat. He could slot in as a backup, a rotation player when Henry's body needed a breather. That was the plan, and it seemed like a pretty safe bet to him.
But, of course, things had a funny way of complicating themselves. Henry's injury had completely thrown a wrench into Wengar's original plan. The moment he heard about Henry's latest setback—his hamstring injury that would keep him out for the rest of the season—he knew that his approach to the Adebayor situation needed to change. Instead of waiting until after the season, as he had originally planned, Wengar now had to act fast. He couldn't afford to wait for the summer window.
Wengar wasn't one for impulse decisions, but this one felt necessary. With the transfer window approaching and Henry's future uncertain, he knew that if he didn't move quickly, someone else might swoop in and snatch up Adebayor. Plus, if Arsenal really wanted to stay competitive in the Premier League, bringing in a fresh face like Adebayor could be just what they needed to stay ahead.
As the day wore on, Wengar's conviction only grew stronger. He had seen how Adebayor performed in Leeds United's match the night before, and it sealed the deal. The way he carried himself on the pitch, his composure, his awareness—he was convinced that this was the kind of player Arsenal needed. Adebayor wasn't just another flashy forward; he was the real deal. The kind of talent that could help propel Arsenal back to the top.
"Okay, that's it," Wengar muttered to himself as he watched the match highlights again, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "We're doing this." He picked up the phone and called Primorac. "Have you confirmed the offer from Leeds?" he asked, his voice steady but urgent.
Primorac, always the calm one, assured him that they were working on it. But Wengar already knew the answer. He didn't need confirmation anymore; he had already made up his mind.
By the time the staff had finished their checks, Wengar was practically chomping at the bit. He didn't want to waste any more time. The market was getting more competitive, and with each passing day, the possibility of losing out on Adebayor became more real. He wasn't about to let that happen.
"I want to trigger the release clause," Wengar said decisively to his team. "Send the email. Let's get this done tonight."
The clock was ticking, and there was no time to waste. Wengar knew that the sooner they acted, the sooner they could focus on securing the team for the future. This wasn't just about buying a player; it was about making sure Arsenal's ambitions remained intact.
It was a weird mix of excitement and pragmatism. Sure, 29 million euros was a lot of money for someone who had only just begun to find his stride in the Championship, but Wengar wasn't thinking about the price tag in the traditional sense. He was thinking about the potential. Adebayor had the tools to become a top-tier striker in the Premier League, and Wengar had a hunch that Arsenal could get the best out of him. After all, what was 29 million when you were building for the future?
And so, the decision was made. Arsenal was officially going to make a move for Adebayor. That night, after watching the Leeds United game, Wengar felt like he had no choice but to pull the trigger. He wasn't about to sit around waiting for other clubs to make a move. He knew what he wanted, and now it was time to act on it.
When the email went through to Leeds United, it felt almost anticlimactic. The decision had been made, the offer was sent, and now all that was left was to wait. But Wengar knew he had done the right thing. With Adebayor in the mix, Arsenal's chances of competing for the title next season were looking better and better.
As the clock ticked past midnight, Wengar leaned back in his chair, letting out a long sigh. He had made his move. Now, all he could do was wait for the response. And maybe—just maybe—take a moment to savor the fact that Arsenal was about to get even stronger.
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Arthur's sleepiness vanished instantly when he heard about Arsenal's offer. No more grogginess, no more lazy morning thoughts—he was wide awake, his brain on high alert, all thanks to the financial windfall coming his way. After a quick wash-up, he dashed out of his house like a man with a purpose. Forget breakfast. Forget coffee. He was too focused to care about anything else.
When other managers heard that a team had made an offer for one of their star players, their first instinct was usually to scoff, brush it off, or call for a press conference declaring that the player was not for sale. But Arthur? Well, Arthur wasn't like other managers. The minute he heard Arsenal had made an offer for Adebayor, he was practically rubbing his hands together in excitement, imagining the banknotes raining down from the sky.
He couldn't get to the club fast enough, ordering his car to speed down the road like a delivery of good news. By the time Arthur arrived at the club, he was practically buzzing with energy. "Let's get this over with," he thought to himself as he burst through the doors. The first order of business was simple: reply to Arsenal immediately. No messing around. It had to be done today, and Arthur wasn't about to let any potential delays ruin this opportunity.
By 4 p.m., everything was in motion. Arsenal had sent over the intention contract—basically a formality, but still something Arthur needed to sign to make everything official. As he looked over the contract, he let out a sigh of relief. This was the first step to what would hopefully be a very profitable next few months.
But Arthur wasn't blind to the situation. The deal with Howard had been a bit of an emergency sale earlier in the season. Leeds United had been teetering on the edge of financial disaster, and selling Howard had been a way to stay afloat. It had worked—barely. And now, with Adebayor's sale, Arthur was feeling a little like a businessman running a very successful flipping operation. He'd bought Howard to make a quick buck, and now he was doing the same with Adebayor, except this time, the stakes were a little higher, and the profit a little larger.
"After all, it's about setting up a good business," Arthur said to himself as he sat down at his desk, looking over the contracts again. "You can't sell just anyone. You've got to make sure you're giving people something that's worth the money. Otherwise, no one's going to trust your brand, right?"
Arthur grinned to himself. Yes, that was his secret. His "brand" wasn't just about football. It was about selling high-quality products. Adebayor, Milner, and even Sneijder—these were all top-tier players. He wasn't just selling them to make a quick buck; he was selling them to establish a reputation for Leeds United as a place where top talent could thrive. If he played his cards right, teams would be lining up to buy from him in the future. He'd be known as the guy who always had the best players.
With that thought in mind, Arthur opened his inbox, eager to see what other offers had come through. Allen had called earlier, saying that a few more offers had arrived, and Arthur was ready to see just how much money he could wrangle out of these clubs.
There were seven emails waiting for him. As Arthur clicked through them, his mind quickly went into analysis mode.
The first two emails were from Liverpool and Sevilla, both offering to buy Milner. Liverpool's offer was 12 million euros, and Sevilla's was slightly better at 13.5 million euros. Arthur frowned as he read the emails. Milner was a great player, but he wasn't a steal at these prices. When Arthur had renewed Milner's contract, he'd set the release clause at 25 million euros. But even Arthur knew that was a bit of a stretch—Milner was talented, but he wasn't exactly a household name just yet. The system valued Milner at 20 million euros, which, honestly, was closer to where he was at the moment.
"Too low," Arthur muttered under his breath, dismissing both offers with a single click. He knew that Milner had potential to be more than just a rotation player. The kid was versatile—he could play anywhere, really. Arthur knew that in a few years, Milner would be worth much more, but for now, his price range was somewhere between 18 million and 22 million euros. These offers weren't even close.
Moving on, Arthur clicked open the next three offers. These were for Sneijder, and that's when things started to get interesting. The first offer was from Real Madrid, who—surprise, surprise—had once again set their sights on the Dutch midfielder. Real Madrid had offered 28 million euros for Sneijder, which was pretty close to his release clause of 29 million. Arthur was almost impressed. If he didn't know any better, he'd say Real Madrid had been watching the same match Arthur had been watching.
Then came the offers from Inter Milan and Barcelona. Inter's offer was 20 million euros, and Barcelona's was about the same. Arthur wasn't even going to waste his time with those. Barcelona and Inter could try all they wanted, but Real Madrid had set the bar, and Arthur wasn't about to accept anything lower than that.
A quick thought crossed his mind: "Why not try negotiating with Real Madrid? They have money, they're big players, and I could use them as a stepping stone for future deals." Arthur picked up his phone and drafted a quick message to his staff to reach out to Real Madrid for a chat. If they wouldn't budge on the price, fine, he'd sell. But at least he'd get a good relationship out of it.
Now, for the real surprises. The next two offers were for Tevez—one from Manchester United and the other from West Bromwich Albion. Manchester United's offer was pretty standard: 25 million euros, which was close enough to Tevez's 28 million euros release clause. But then there was Bates, the old man who ran West Bromwich Albion, with his measly 16 million euro offer. Arthur chuckled as he read the offer.
"16 million? Really, Bates? You're pulling my leg."
Arthur knew Bates wasn't exactly rolling in cash after the Howard fiasco, but he hadn't expected such a lowball offer. "What's he playing at?" Arthur wondered aloud. "Trying to poach players from Leeds? It doesn't make sense. He spent all that money on Howard, and now he wants to buy Tevez?"
He wasn't sure what Bates was up to, but he had a suspicion. "Maybe Bates is in trouble," Arthur muttered. "I should look into it."
Arthur immediately picked up the phone and called Allen. "Get someone on this. I want to know if West Bromwich Albion is looking to sell players. Something's fishy."
As he hung up, Arthur leaned back in his chair, a grin spreading across his face. Everything was falling into place. Deals were coming in, and he was going to make sure he played them all to his advantage.
It was a good day to be Arthur.