Chapter 211: Finalizing the Defensive Midfielder

After returning from Madrid, José barely took a day off before flying to South America with his negotiation team. This period was going to be extremely busy for him—when it came to transfers, he had to handle things personally. There were simply too many details that couldn't be explained through intermediaries.

José had let Pirri sit out the negotiations with Madrid. Even though Pirri had already moved past his former role, watching others negotiate on behalf of Mallorca—using the position he once held—still felt awkward. José understood that, so he didn't force him to participate. As for this trip to South America, Pirri didn't come along either. He was getting on in years, and the long journey would have been too exhausting for him.

However, the targets they were after had been discussed extensively between José and Pirri before the trip. In fact, they had spent a great deal of time deliberating—because, in Spain, there simply weren't any good options for the right-back and defensive midfielder positions. Even the Spanish national team had limited choices at right-back, relying on Salgado and occasionally shifting Puyol from Barcelona to cover the position. The top domestic right-backs were tightly held by big clubs, like Curro Torres at Valencia, Manuel Pablo at Deportivo, and Velasco at Celta. Unfortunately, Manuel Pablo had suffered a severe leg fracture a few months ago, and no one knew if he could return to his previous level after recovery.

For Mallorca, signing an average player didn't make much sense. Campano was already a solid right-back in La Liga—if they were going to bring someone in, that player had to be at least as good as him, preferably with a different skill set. They needed a player like last season's Jorge, who could share playing time with Campano and provide tactical variety.

Mallorca had a strong scouting presence in South America. Players like Franco and Ibáñez had been discovered by the club's scouts, and under José's leadership, their scouting network had expanded further—especially in Brazil. The focus had shifted toward identifying lesser-known yet capable defenders and midfielders rather than attacking players. As José put it:

"Top clubs are like wolves hunting Brazilian attackers. There's no need for us to fight over them. But in defense and midfield, Brazil has many hard-working, uniquely skilled players. Those are the ones we should be targeting—especially if they have EU passports."

Among the scouting reports, José and Pirri sifted through names, debating for days—sometimes even arguing—until they finally settled on two targets: one right-back and one defensive midfielder.

Last season, Kaladze played as a left midfielder, but in reality, his role was primarily defensive. Apart from the occasional forward run, he was there to provide cover. When Capdevila pushed forward, Kaladze filled in behind him. When Motta organized play, Kaladze stayed close to protect him. Mallorca's left-side attack was almost entirely driven by Ronaldinho and Capdevila—Kaladze's offensive contributions were minimal.

Because of this, José and Pirri agreed—they needed a defensive midfielder who was solid in defense but also comfortable with the ball, someone who could quickly distribute passes and develop chemistry with the other midfielders. This player wouldn't be a pure destroyer; they needed good vision and passing ability. Such midfielders were rare but not impossible to find. Someone like Makélélé would be ideal—but, of course, there was no way Real Madrid would sell him to a rising competitor like Mallorca. Makélélé himself wouldn't leave Madrid for a mid-table team either, even if Mallorca's reputation was growing.

But José already had a perfect candidate in mind. When he reviewed the scouting reports, one name immediately caught his attention. After checking the player's stats, he confirmed—this was exactly the man he had been thinking of.

Pirri, however, was skeptical. On paper, the player's resume was unimpressive.

Born in 1976, he was already 26 years old. Before turning 24, he had been a complete nobody in Brazilian football, playing only in lower-tier leagues. At 24, he finally joined Corinthians, one of Brazil's bigger clubs—but after just one season, he was offloaded to Juventude, a much weaker team. Even there, his performances had been mediocre. He had the technical finesse typical of Brazilian players and plenty of experience as a defensive midfielder, but he didn't seem to match Mallorca's requirements in terms of overall ability.

José dismissed Pirri's concerns with a single sentence:

"We don't have any better options right now, so why not give him a shot? If he underperforms, we can always send him to the reserves or loan him out."

That made sense. Mallorca still had an open non-EU slot, and they had already discussed that after the World Cup, Gamarra was likely to leave. That would free up another non-EU spot, making future signings even more flexible.

José was certain—if they were looking for a defensive midfielder who was technically sound and could integrate well into the team's playstyle, there was no better choice than this guy.

The first stop in South America wasn't São Paulo but Caxias do Sul. Their destination: Juventude.

Before leaving, Mallorca had already sent an official letter to Juventude, notifying them that head coach José Alemany would be visiting. As soon as José's flight landed, Juventude's staff were already waiting.

There was no time wasted. José quickly sat down with Juventude's sporting director, Roberto Zeni. While the club's official president was Dal Júnior, he was mostly hands-off—Zeni was the real decision-maker.

At first, Zeni thought Mallorca was here for a major signing. But when the negotiations started, he realized they were only interested in the club's backup defensive midfielder—a 26-year-old named Marcos Antônio Senna da Silva.

That's right—Senna. The same name as the legendary Brazilian racing driver. The same Senna who would later gain Spanish citizenship and become the final piece of Spain's midfield puzzle, helping them win the European Championship.

Senna was the kind of player who rarely stood out on the field, but when used correctly, he could be an invaluable asset. In Brazil, he had never been highly regarded. Brazilian football prioritized either aggressive ball-winning midfielders like Kléberson and Gilberto Silva or all-rounders like Dunga and Emerson. A player like Senna, who was neither a pure destroyer nor an attacking force, was often overlooked.

But in Spain, things were different. Spain's midfield was overflowing with technical playmakers. What they lacked was a solid, disciplined defensive presence—someone who could shield the backline without disrupting the team's passing rhythm. That was why, when Senna eventually joined the national team, he played a crucial role in their transformation. He gave Spain the defensive backbone they needed, helping them break their international curse and paving the way for their future dominance.

For now, though, he was still stuck in Brazil. And José wasn't about to let that opportunity slip away.

Since Mallorca was only buying a backup, Zeni wasn't particularly interested. He knew that defensive players, especially those who hadn't made the national team, rarely fetched high transfer fees in Brazil. After a few rounds of negotiations, Mallorca secured Senna's transfer for just one million dollars. His contract? Four years, with an annual salary of $200,000—double what he had been earning at Juventude.

"Brazil really is a gold mine," José thought to himself. "Some of these overlooked talents have ridiculously low wages."

Even with his modest salary, Senna would only be in Mallorca's third wage tier. But for him, this was a significant upgrade. His early career had been filled with struggles—this was his big chance to prove himself in Europe.

After finalizing the deal, Senna immediately flew to Spain to prepare for the new season.

With Senna, Pablo García, and Marcos in midfield, Mallorca wouldn't have to worry about playing a double-pivot system. And with Motta as the primary starter, Senna and García could rotate alongside him, minimizing the impact of Kaladze's departure.

Now, José turned his attention to another position—attacking midfield. If they were going to strengthen that area, they wouldn't settle for just anyone. This time, they were aiming for a future superstar…

With Senna's transfer secured, José and his team set off for São Paulo—where their next targets awaited.