Chapter 215: More Moves to Come

Now that Kaka was interested, things became much easier.

Once the national team disbanded, Kaka had separate meetings with both José and Paris Saint-Germain's representatives. José didn't waste time on empty words—he sat down with Kaka for over an hour, explaining exactly how he planned to use him in Mallorca's system. He even outlined a detailed training regimen. This level of directness and professionalism reassured Kaka, who had originally been leaning toward PSG. It made him realize that joining Mallorca might actually be the best option.

After all, Mallorca was playing in the Champions League, had real ambition, and was led by a coach who not only valued him but also had job security. A team like that promised honors, guaranteed a good salary, and offered a clear career path. What more could he ask for?

Compared to José's well-prepared approach, PSG's pitch felt lackluster. Aside from reminiscing about past glories and making lofty promises about the future, they didn't offer much substance. Even though their financial package was enticing, it wasn't enough to sway Kaka.

In the end, Kaka politely declined PSG's offer and agreed to sign with Mallorca—four years, a base salary of one million dollars per season, with a 10% increase each year. This deal matched Ronaldinho's current contract. José knew what this meant—either he'd have to renegotiate and give Ronaldinho a raise, or he'd have to let him go.

Fortunately, Ronaldinho didn't seem to have any intention of leaving.

After meeting with José in Brazil, he acted completely normal and even took the initiative to express his desire for a contract extension. José was briefly surprised but then gladly agreed—he wasn't a stingy man. After the new deal, Ronaldinho's annual salary rose to 1.5 million dollars, with an extension that tied him to the club for four years, including a hefty 50-million-dollar release clause. Though his salary still wasn't on par with the biggest superstars, his release clause and reputation now placed him among football's elite.

Initially, José had pursued Kaka as insurance in case Ronaldinho left. But now that Ronaldinho was staying, he wasn't worried—he had already planned for this possibility. In his mind, Kaka and Ronaldinho could absolutely coexist. Their playing styles weren't identical, which made things even more interesting. This was where a coach's true skill would be tested.

With Kaka officially signed and Ronaldinho's renewal secured, José could finally breathe easy about his midfield. The defense and midfield were both strengthened—now, the only remaining piece was the attack.

According to Piri's latest intel, Luque and Deportivo La Coruña had been flirting with each other for a while. It was only a matter of time before Luque submitted a transfer request.

José wasn't too concerned. Even if Luque left, he could simply promote Drogba to a starting role alongside Eto'o, and Mallorca's attack wouldn't suffer. Besides, he and Piri had already devised a backup plan—if they could pull it off, Mallorca's frontline would be even more secure.

That being said, losing both Novo and Luque in one window was frustrating. Both were homegrown talents from Mallorca's youth system. Novo left due to a lack of playing time, while Luque sought a bigger stage and greater ambitions. Unlike Campano, who was fiercely loyal to the club, not everyone had that mindset. The only way to keep players was to make the club stronger.

"If we had won the league last season, maybe Luque wouldn't be looking to leave now."

José made a quiet promise to himself—this season, Mallorca would win something big.

After instructing Kaka and Ronaldinho to report to the club by August 1st, José and his staff flew back to Mallorca. The European transfer window was now open, and the market was heating up.

As soon as José returned, Mallorca officially announced several moves:

Kaladze to AC Milan

Gamarra to Inter Milan

Jorge to Bolton Wanderers

Incomings: Kaka and Belletti (both from Brazil's national team) for a combined 11 million dollars, Iván Campo for 500,000 dollars, and Marcos Senna from Juventude for 1 million dollars.

At first, fans were anxious about Kaladze's departure. But signing two recent World Cup-winning Brazilians quickly turned their worry into excitement. Iván Campo's return was also warmly welcomed.

Selling players was normal. The key was to reinvest properly so the squad remained strong.

But then, Deportivo La Coruña publicly declared their interest in Luque, causing another wave of unease among the Mallorca faithful. Ronaldinho's contract extension was a relief, but if one-third of the attacking trio left, it would still be a huge loss.

"Luque's gone off the grid. He went on vacation right after the World Cup," Piri reported with a wry smile.

"His mind is already elsewhere. What can we do?" José shrugged. "Alright, start negotiating with Deportivo. His agent has clearly been busy."

"Good thing we have a backup plan," Piri chuckled. "Drogba has improved a lot, and if we can land that guy, we'll be just fine. The real challenge will be making them click together."

"That's my job." José smirked.

In the following days, Luque remained absent while his agent shuttled back and forth between the two clubs, pushing for a deal. He wasn't being openly hostile—just demanding a massive salary increase. José had no time for this nonsense. Luque still had three years left on his contract—if Deportivo wanted him, they had to pay up.

"Tristán's transfer cost 19 million back in the day. Luque's numbers last season were just as good, and his release clause is set at 23 million. If you want him, bring the money."

José made it clear—no player swaps, no discounts. He wasn't interested in Pandiani or any other forwards Deportivo tried to offer. If they wanted Luque, they had to pay in full.

After several rounds of negotiations, Deportivo finally agreed to cough up 20 million dollars—a hefty sum, considering Luque's release clause wasn't that high. José had squeezed every penny out of them.

The move sent shockwaves through Spain. In one summer, Mallorca had sold Kaladze and Luque for nearly 40 million dollars—a staggering return on investment. They had acquired Kaladze for just 2 million, and Luque was a homegrown product. This level of financial wizardry left many clubs in awe.

By the time the transfer was finalized, Spanish media were already calling Mallorca the new Valencia—a club that knew how to make serious money in the market. A few years ago, Valencia had cashed in over 60 million dollars from selling their star midfielders. Now, Mallorca was following a similar path, selling expensive players while keeping the squad competitive.

José knew the fans needed reassurance. That's why he sat down for an exclusive interview with Cameron, a journalist from Mallorca Daily Sports.

"Some players have left, but we've brought in top-quality replacements," José said. "We signed two Brazilian internationals—Kaka and Belletti—both of whom will be key players. Iván Campo's return adds experience to our defense. Every summer, players leave, but our team keeps getting stronger. We will fight for the league and Champions League—this ambition hasn't changed since the day I arrived."

Cameron nodded but pressed on. "With Luque gone, Mallorca only has three strikers left. Won't that weaken the attack? I also noticed that even after renewing Ronaldinho's contract, you still signed Kaka. Does this mean Ronaldinho will play a more attacking role?"

"Kaka's arrival isn't about replacing Ronaldinho," José clarified. "The more talented players we have, the better. Luque's departure will have an impact, but we have solutions—Drogba is growing, and Krasić performed well in limited minutes last season. But we're not done yet. I can confirm that Mallorca will sign another forward."

Cameron's eyes lit up. "Can you reveal who?"

José grinned. "Not yet. But when it's finalized, you'll be the first to know."

With that, he shook Cameron's hand and left the room. Mallorca's transfer business wasn't over yet.