Chapter 144 The transfer operation of the newly promoted team [Four thousand words in one chapter]
After the experience and baptism of the World Cup, Ling Feng became the star of Leicester City without hesitation.
Therefore, after the club officially announced the contract extension with Ling Feng, a large number of Leicester City fans flocked to the club’s official website,
“Yeah!”< br>
“Well done!”
"As long as Ling Feng doesn't leave, it will be a perfect transfer window!"
The happy Blue Fox fans were about to bring out firecrackers to celebrate
And other Premier League football teams Fans of the team beat their feet and chests, and also went to Ling Feng’s social media account to post various comments:
“Young people are confused!”
“Go to Manchester City. And Chelsea won the Premier League championship, isn’t it great?”
"What kind of ecstasy soup did Leicester City pour into you?!"
"A real man should join the army!"
Of course, Ling Feng doesn't care what the fans of other clubs think.
He directly posted a photo of himself with the Blue Fox emblem on social media, and wrote:
"I love this club! I will do my best, Help my club gain a foothold in the Premier League! ”
"Go forward, Blue Fox!"
After completing the contract extension with the team's star, Leicester City has also successively signed contracts with Vardy, "Drinker" Drinkwater, Morgan, Shu Mechel and other main players completed their contract renewals.
Some players who are willing to rotate have also renewed their contracts.
Of course, each player's salary increase will be different depending on the team's status and ability.
It’s fair to get a certain weekly salary according to your strength!
After roughly retaining Leicester City's main framework, Leicester City's transfer team can finally focus all its attention on the transfer market!
In fact, as early as when he took over the Blue Fox, Vichai once shouted a slogan, claiming that once the team was promoted to the Premier League, 10 billion baht would be spent to help the team with its transfer operations. .
Of course, it’s just a slogan, just shouting.
It really needs to be put into practice, and it would be good to have an average.
You know, 10 billion baht is nearly 200 million pounds!
Even Manchester City and Paris, who are backed by oil dads, dare not say that they can spend so much money on transfer operations in one transfer window.
After the team was promoted to the Premier League and qualified for the Europa League group stage through the FA Cup, the team owner Vichai couldn't smile from ear to ear.
The exposure of the Premier League and European competition will definitely greatly increase the popularity and influence of the tourism group behind it.
Although it is not like shouting slogans, it will spend 200 million pounds at once.
However, he still approved a transfer budget of 20 million pounds!
This amount is already a very large investment for a newly promoted Premier League team.
The team director and head coach are very satisfied with this.
After all, they are a small team, and their business philosophy is completely different from those of wealthy clubs.
Leicester City’s primary goal after being promoted to the Premier League is to avoid relegation and stay in the Premier League!
As long as they continue to stay in the Premier League, they will be able to continue to receive tens of millions of pounds in broadcast fees, more exposure and attention, higher attendance and commercial income.
Only by maintaining revenue exceeding expenditure and the club's operating conditions are in good and healthy condition can the team owner gradually increase investment.
Twenty million pounds is not a lot, but a lot less.
You may not even be able to buy a famous star, but with careful budgeting, you can buy a few powerful players.
In fact, Leicester City’s transfer operations have already started since the end of the season at the end of May!
Player transfer is not like a wet market, where you just slap your head and see which player's name is more pleasing to your eyes, or which giant club wants to sign a certain player, and then spend money to buy it.
First of all, scouts need time to examine the player to see his abilities in all aspects, whether he can adapt to the team's tactics, as well as his competitive status, age, injury history, etc.
Sometimes, clubs will even continue to scout a player for more than a year!
A major transfer often requires a lot of work behind the scenes.
Secondly, the transfer must be subject to the willingness of both parties before it can enter the next round of negotiations.
Finally, through negotiations with the club and players, the transfer can be finalized and implemented.
Since they don't have much money on hand, Leicester City's transfer team focuses on being prudent.
While looking for suitable players in the transfer market, Walsh, the assistant coach and chief scout known as the "Hawkeye", first set his sights on free agents whose contracts have expired.
After reaching an agreement with the player on a personal agreement, Leicester City first exempted former England international and former West Ham United captain, 35-year-old central defender Matthew Upson.
The former star of hope, left midfielder Mark Albrighton, who has now lost his main position in Aston Villa, has been exempted from the visa.
It can be said that the joining of the two will greatly increase the team's experience in the Premier League.
After all, except for former international players Konchesky and Dean Hammond, no other players in this Leicester City team have experience in the Premier League.
Even Ling Feng and Vardy, who have already participated in the World Cup, are playing in the Premier League for the first time.
Upson and Albrighton can impart their Premier League experience to others on and off the court, allowing these players to adapt to the Premier League as soon as possible.
In addition to the visa exemption, they also rented young midfielder Nick Powell from Manchester United to increase the thickness of the midfield lineup.
Leicester City’s first real transfer fee transaction was the introduction of Argentinian center Ulloa from Brighton “Seagull” for 7 million euros!
There is no doubt that Leicester City will still adopt the 4231 tactics that they used in the British Championship last season in the new season.
And the "Blue Fox Three Musketeers" combination of tacit cooperation in the frontcourt will definitely not be broken up.
Therefore, Vardy, who has become an England international, is undoubtedly the first choice for Leicester City's starting forward in the new season.
However, a mature team does not have only one set of tactics, nor is it static.
When the team's tactics need to change, a big center with outstanding confrontation ability who can serve as a fulcrum in the frontcourt can take the ball with his back in the penalty area when Vardy comes off the court or pulls wide. , making plays for teammates.
Although the team already has a New Zealand teenager Chris Wood who is over 1.9 meters tall.
However, he is still too young and cannot resist others even in the English Championship. How can he gain a foothold in the fierce Premier League?
In last season's match against Brighton, Ulloa, who could withstand tall defenders in the penalty area and repeatedly threatened the goal, left a deep impression on Pearson and Walsh. .
Facing the olive branch offered by Leicester City, Ulloa did not hesitate to seize this precious opportunity to participate in the Premier League and European competition!
And this Argentinian will become Leicester City's "battering ram" in the Premier League in the new season!
Of course, what goes in comes out.
Some players who lacked ability or did not adapt to the team's tactics also left the team:
Thirty-two-year-old left winger Lloyd Dale suffered a serious decline in physical and competitive condition. Sold to the English Championship team Watford for one million euros;
The team’s midfielder Dean Hammond, who was exempt from signing a visa last season, was dissatisfied with his playing time and was not satisfied with his playing time. Willing to come off the bench.
As a result, it was also sold to Sheffield Wednesday, another English Championship team, for a transfer fee of two million euros.
Substitute forward Martin Waghorn was directly sold at a low price in exchange for half a million euros.
It is worth mentioning that the team's main center last season and the first half of last season, David Nugent also left the team!
In fact, Nugent's performance in the league was not outstanding, scoring a total of 22 goals. However, his position in the team is a bit awkward.
If he plays a single arrow in the 4231 formation, he is not fast enough to form a good understanding with Ling Feng's through ball.
If he is pulled to the left to play as a winger, speed, crossing, and dribbling are not his strengths.
And he himself doesn’t want to rotate.
Fortunately, his performance in the FA Cup attracted the attention of the Premier League team Hull City, and they inquired about the price.
And he himself hopes to play center, and Hull City also promised to give him the main position.
So, after replacing Ulloa, Leicester City did not retain him and directly sold Nugent to Hull City for 7.5 million euros.
It is almost equivalent to replacing Ulloa with Nugent!
However, both the Leicester City coach and Walsh expressed satisfaction with the deal.
They firmly believe that Ulloa will be even better than Nugent!
. . .
On July 23, Leicester City’s first team players returned to Belvoir Base to begin preparations for the new season.
However, due to participating in the World Cup, Ling Feng and Vardy's vacation was extended and they have not yet returned to the team.
Immediately afterwards, the team took a plane and flew to Thailand for pre-season tour training.
On July 28, Leicester City played a pre-season warm-up match with the Premier League team "Toffees" Everton in Bangkok.
It is worth mentioning that in the announced Premier League schedule, Everton will also be their opponent in the first game of the Premier League!
Perhaps because the two core players Ling Feng and Vardy did not start, coupled with the addition of new players, Everton finally defeated Leicester City 1-0.
Although the opponent did not send all the main force.
However, it is completely acceptable to lose only one goal against a Premier League powerhouse like Everton.
While training in Thailand, the team's recruitment is still going on.
You know, in the upcoming new season, Leicester City will not only compete in the Premier League, but also participate in the Europa League.
In addition, there are two domestic cups, the FA Cup and the League Cup.
This means that throughout the season, Leicester City's starting players at each position will play nearly fifty games!
Therefore, considering the team's injuries and rotation, it is very necessary to strengthen the depth of the lineup in order to avoid collapse at both ends.
Among Leicester City's lineup, the one with the weakest lineup depth is the winger position!
At the left winger position, after Dell left, Albrighton was added, which is equivalent to the same number of players.
For the right winger position, Mahrez will start and Conoket will rotate.
And the most important midfielder position in the formation only has Ling Feng!
If you include the occasional guest appearances by Vardy, Ling Feng, and Nick Powell, there are only six players who can play as an attacking midfielder and left and right wingers!
Three places, six people, not enough!
Although in unimportant cup matches, when Ling Feng rotates, he can also let Mahrez make a temporary guest appearance, or directly use Manchester United youngster Nick Powell.
However, if they can add another frontcourt player who can play both left and right wingers, their rotation will be more balanced.
In Walsh's view, Manchester United's Jesse Lingard is such a talent!
As a member of Manchester United's "New Class of 92", Lingard is relatively thin despite his short stature.
However, he is fast, flexible, and has certain skills in passing, stopping, and shooting.
What is most attractive to Walsh is his excellent endurance and off-the-ball movement!
He is always running in the frontcourt, constantly running into open spaces to meet his teammates, and can create space for Vardy, Ling Feng and others in the frontcourt.
Lingard was briefly loaned to Leicester City at the end of 2012.
Although that rental trip was not a pleasant one.
However, after the first time, the second time will be easier to negotiate.
So, Walsh contacted his acquaintance at Manchester United and current technical director Mick Court, and proposed to loan Lingard for a season.
Manchester United did not think about this for too long and directly agreed to the request.
However, whether to go to Leicester City or not depends on the player's personal wishes.
After receiving a loan invitation from Leicester City through the club, Lingard, who had just returned to Manchester United on loan from Brighton, was in a tangle.
As a youth trainee of Manchester United, he certainly hopes to gain a foothold in the "Red Devils" step by step through his own efforts and become a starting player.
And after Van Gaal took over Manchester United, he will definitely give the players a chance to perform.
But the agent persuaded him to accept the loan.
The reason is very simple and very realistic:
Lingard has no main position in this Manchester United that is waiting for success!
Among the players in Manchester United who can play in the center of the midfield or on the wing, which one is not more powerful and famous than him?
Herrera, Nani, Shinji Kagawa, Ashley Young, Mata and others, as well as Real Madrid winger "Angel" Di Maria who is close to a transfer.
You must know that at his age, sufficient and stable playing time is the key to increasing his goals!
Going to Leicester City can not only compete for the main position, but also participate in the Europa League.
You know, Manchester United ranked only seventh in the Premier League last season, with no Champions League or Europa League.
After analysis by his agent, Lingard couldn't help but think of the good memories he had at the King Power Stadium last season.
In that game, it was his goal that ended Leicester City's winning streak in the British Championship.
After the game, he also exchanged jerseys with Leicester City's midfielder Ling Feng.
At that time, they also agreed to meet in the Premier League.
Lingard never expected that the black-haired boy who could do anything in the English Championship would actually become a football player in just a few months. The core of the Three Lions midfield!
He was curious as to why Ling Feng could progress so quickly.
Maybe by playing football with him, we can get the answer? !
Finally, after having a personal phone call with Walsh, Lingard was quickly convinced by the old man’s words:
"We are a young team and we very much need a young man like you who is full of energy and keeps running on the court!"
"You will be an important member of us!"
< br>"Moreover, as long as you perform well in Leicester City, you will be able to return to Old Trafford with a more mature and powerful attitude next season and compete with others for the main position!"
First Let’s take a chapter.
The second chapter is being written and should be out before twelve o'clock.
(End of this chapter)