What kind of football player is handsome?

Chapter 30: Winning the boss's trust and getting a six-month loan extension, his transfer marke

The Leicester City players spent the last day of 2010 at the Belvoir training ground.

After all, the Premier League is not like the Bundesliga, which has a long winter break to give you a proper vacation and rest, unlike the crazy Christmas holidays.

Sometimes Liu Yi would complain that the Championship matches were a bit too inhumane.

Even 996 isn't this bad.

In China, we get an eight-day holiday for Chinese New Year, but here, they have to play three games in six days during Christmas. They really don't treat their players like human beings.

But on second thought, it's also a helpless situation.

There are too many teams in the Championship, a total of 24 teams, with 46 rounds of league matches, from the beginning of August to the beginning of May, which is a full nine months. Time also needs to be allocated for the promotion play-offs, plus the FA Cup interspersed in between, so it is not surprising that there are two matches every week.

With the entire team at the training ground, Leicester City's new owners, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, decided to host a New Year's Eve dinner.

This is the first major gathering hosted by the Thai businessman since he acquired Fox City for £3900 million this summer.

Before the banquet, Vichai greeted everyone in turn.

(Vichai's grandfather was Chinese, so he has half-Chinese ancestry.)

When it was Liu Yi's turn, Vichai was exceptionally enthusiastic and greeted him in fluent Chinese.

"It's so great to see a fellow countryman like myself on the team. Hello, Liu Yi, my name is Vichai Srivastavaprapa, you can call me Vichai, or you can call me Mr. Xu according to Chinese custom."

Liu Yi blinked.

Isn't the boss Thai?

How come your Chinese is even better than Knight's?

I didn't catch what the long string of words after "Siri" was.

Never mind, let's just call him Mr. Xu.

Just like you can't call Emperor Renzong of Yuan "Ayurbarwada" every day.

"Then I'll address you respectfully as Mr. Xu; it'll sound more friendly."

Vichai laughed heartily: "Don't stand on ceremony with me. There are a few Chinese business owners who can achieve my scale, but a Chinese player like you standing on the Championship pitch—you're truly one of a kind!"

"Oh, boss, you flatter me."

That's certainly true at the moment, but five years ago, there were quite a few Chinese players who could establish themselves in the Championship, such as a certain sweeping midfielder who liked to blow his bangs, a certain general who won the league's Golden Boot as a defender, and the Chinese Sun.

Vichai said some words of encouragement, and then sat down in the head seat.

"This is my first season since I took over the team."

Vichai spoke very sincerely, without much of the airs of a boss.

"Based on my performance and results in the first half of the race, I think I deserve a very high score!"

10 win, 5 draws, 9 losses.

With 35 points from 24 games, they are currently ranked 10th.

Then, Vichai thanked the veteran coach Eriksson.

He was praised for gradually building up the team's culture.

The Thai owner then thanked the club staff.

Finally, Vichai raised his glass.

"Of course, there's also Vassell, Steve, Andy, and every one of you, as well as Liu Yi, who only joined us in November but has already become a key player for the team. You've all made Leicester City a better place!"

Liu Yi also raised his glass in response, downing the sugar-free beverage in one gulp. Then he reached for the plate of steak in front of him—in the blink of an eye, the steak on the plate had vanished like a whirlwind.

"Hey, my dear brother, let me try your piece. Is it the same variety?"

After finishing his own piece, Liu Yi reached out and took a piece from Lin Jiade beside him.

"Hey, you're shameless!"

As he spoke, Lingard swiped another small cake from Liu Yi.

The atmosphere of clinking glasses and peaceful conversation continued until nightfall.

Back in the players' dormitory, Liu Yi and Lingard waited for midnight, not to anticipate the moment the New Year's Eve clock struck.

Instead, they wait for their transfer market value to be updated.

Because the transfer window opens every winter, and the transfer fee is updated on the Transfermarkt website.

Lingard's current market value is €30, and he wants to see if it has increased.

"Yay! Four hundred thousand euros! It's gone up!"

Lingard, who was frantically refreshing the screen, threw the mouse aside and stretched.

"I remember last time it was also 300,000 euros..."

Liu Yi seemed to be deep in thought.

"Then I'll surpass you."

"Super my ass! Doesn't my net worth get updated?"

"Wait... let me see."

Lingard moved the mouse a few times, then suddenly gasped.

"Liu, look!"

Liu Yi leaned closer and saw that the screen had a long string of zeros, just like the number in Chengdu.

Ones, tens, hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands...

One million! One million!

It's worth noting that the two strongest Chinese players at present, Gao Junmin and Shao Jiayi, who play in Europe, are valued at 100 million euros each!

A perfect logical chain formed in Liu Yi's mind.

A known:

Liu Yi cannot play in the Chinese Super League; Liu Yi's market value is equal to that of Gao Junmin/Shao Jiayi; Gao Junmin and Shao Jiayi are Chinese national team players.

The conclusion is that Chinese national team players cannot play in the Chinese Super League.

What kind of phenomenal player is that playing in the Chinese Super League?! (#`O′)

※※※

The next day, which was New Year's Day, Liu Yi and Lin Jiade got up early.

They have found a three-bedroom apartment not far from the training base. It is warmly decorated, has friendly neighbors, and the lease term is six months.

"We might be being a bit too aggressive. Hasn't the lease already expired? What if we get recalled? We'll have rented the place for nothing."

Liu Yi's doubts were met with Lin Jiade's indifference.

"How could that be? Our performance at Leicester City has been remarkable; they'll definitely loan us out for another six months. Besides, this is fantastic—no more of Carrington's annoying rules and regulations!"

Lingard had virtually no competitions and only trained regularly. Suddenly, he found himself with more free time, and with COD7 just released, he became completely addicted to shooting games.

"During the improvement period, training should be the priority. You can play games during the off-season."

Liu Yi didn't know how to describe his second brother. He was always on time for training, completing all the exercises with high quality and quantity, and often stayed behind to practice with him, never complaining of being tired. But the moment he turned around and picked up a game controller, his fanaticism seemed to transform him into a completely different person.

Compared to Liu Yi, who was reborn as a second person, one can only say that he was an extremely pure child.

On the second day of the new year, God poured cold water on this innocent child.

"What? Manchester United recalled me? I'm going back to Carrington, oh my god!"

Lingard was on the verge of tears.

He just rented the apartment! He hasn't even had enough fun yet, and now he's going to be shackled again and go back to the miserable life of a high school student, right?

While it's said that Manchester United is recalling him, everyone knows that with the first team having no shortage of players, it's mostly because the loaning party feels that keeping him is useless and is just finding a respectable excuse to send him home.

JESSE OUT!

Another piece of news has come from Manchester United.

Leicester City extended Liu Yi's lease for another six months, at a cost of £20.

Manchester United will continue to cover Liu Yi's salary.

"I just rented this place! Liu, how about we split the cost, and you give me my money back?"

Lingard was in great pain.

His salary wasn't as high as Liu Yi's, so renting a place was a huge financial burden for him.

Liu Yi thought about it and realized that he couldn't live in such a big house, but since he had already signed the contract, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and continue living there.

Anyway, with a weekly wage of five thousand pounds, the taxes aren't too high right now, so I won't starve.

"Alright, take your share back. Pretty generous of you, bro?"

"That's great, that's great! You truly deserve to be called the eldest brother, so generous!"

Lingard was all smiles, but when he suddenly realized that the two of them were about to part, a faint sadness appeared in his eyes.

Seeing this, Liu Yi patted him on the shoulder.

"Paul's in the reserves too, so you can have fun playing with your third brother!"

Lingard nodded: "Yeah, big brother, you have to be careful while you're in Leicester City. Don't you dare sneak off to see any pretty girls behind our backs!"

Liu Yi was speechless.

Okay, I'm not like you. I have two matches every week, so I don't have the energy for a "triple match".

"Oh, there's new news again. What day is it today?"

Lingard opened his phone and read out the third news headline.

Manchester United reserve midfielder Paul Pogba has joined Leicester City on loan for six months.

Liu Yi: ...

Lingard: ...