Chapter 216: Laying the Bait for the Golden Boy

"José mentioned in an interview that Mallorca is still looking to make new signings, and we have every reason to believe him. They've cashed in over 40 million dollars from selling Kaladze, Luque, and others, while spending less than 13 million to bring in three Brazilian players and Campo. That leaves them with plenty of funds. Now, the real question is: which striker will they sign next? The market isn't exactly flooded with options. Could they be going after Crespo from Lazio? That wouldn't be too surprising—Lazio is in a serious financial crisis and needs to sell players to balance the books. Another club in financial trouble is Leeds United in the Premier League. There are rumors that Mallorca is interested in Mark Viduka, but that seems unlikely. Viduka has no intention of leaving England, and he's got plenty of suitors there..."

After José publicly stated that Mallorca would be signing a new striker, he vanished from the media's sight. Along with him, the club's technical director, Piri, also disappeared. This only fueled speculation about Mallorca's next move, especially since the other Spanish giants were relatively quiet in the transfer market.

Real Madrid was secretly pursuing Ronaldo. Barcelona was in negotiations for Riquelme. Valencia, still struggling to recover the funds from Mendieta's transfer, had only signed French full-back Réveillère. Deportivo had already spent a lot on Luque and Portuguese defender Andrade, leaving them with little financial flexibility.

In contrast, Mallorca had become one of the most financially active clubs in the transfer market. Naturally, this attracted a lot of attention.

Yet, José and Piri kept their whereabouts a secret. Without anyone knowing, they quietly arrived in Madrid…

This time, they weren't heading to Real Madrid's offices. Instead, their destination was Atlético Madrid.

---

For Atlético Madrid, last season had been nothing short of a disaster. Two failed promotion attempts in a row had left the club in a precarious position. Their star striker, Kiko, had signed a long-term contract but was plagued by injuries. The squad's overall quality had declined. If they continued to languish in the Segunda División, Atlético—the second-most popular club in Madrid—risked becoming a forgotten lower-division team, unable to climb back for the next decade.

However, as the third most successful club in Spanish football history, Atlético still retained a level of prestige that smaller clubs could never match. Determined to turn things around, club president Jesús Gil made a bold decision—he hired the renowned coach Luis Aragonés and opened the club's wallet to bring in experienced players.

That was the advantage of being a historic club: even in decline, there were still players willing to take pride in restoring a fallen giant.

Atlético had signed left-back Sergi from Barcelona, brought in Luis García on loan, and secured both Contra and Moreno from AC Milan. They also acquired Argentine defender Coloccini on loan. Aragonés' reputation played a key role in convincing these players to join.

---

"José, it's great to see you again."

After more than a year apart, Jesús Gil looked noticeably older. The past season had been tough on him. Poor results had led to increasing discontent among Atlético's passionate fanbase, leaving the club president mentally and physically exhausted.

But when he saw José, Gil managed a smile.

Especially now, when Atlético had bolstered their attack and defense but was still missing a solid midfielder. The club was interested in signing Novo, who Mallorca had put on the transfer market. However, after spending on several new players and covering their wages, Atlético was already under financial strain. If Mallorca was willing to negotiate a more favorable deal, it would be a massive help.

"Mr. Gil, it's a pleasure to see you," José greeted him with a smile. "You see, I came to Madrid with Mr. Piri myself—because I know how busy you must be. I didn't want to make you travel unnecessarily."

José had always maintained strong relationships with both Madrid clubs. Mallorca had a long history of player transfers with Atlético, and they also had ongoing dealings with Real Madrid. Despite the intense rivalry between Atlético and Real, both clubs maintained good relations with Mallorca.

Even within José's squad, there were no conflicts between players from opposing Madrid backgrounds—such as Capdevila, who came from Atlético, and Eto'o, who had ties to Real. That was a testament to José's ability to manage relationships.

---

"About Novo's transfer…" Gil got straight to the point as they sat down.

"No problem at all," José replied smoothly. "Mallorca and Atlético have always had a good relationship. In fact, we're willing to offer even more—we can include some financial support, along with Novo, in exchange for one of your players."

Gil was momentarily stunned.

What player did Mallorca possibly want from Atlético?

Atlético's only valuable players were the ones they had just signed this summer, and newly transferred players couldn't be sold within half a season. Moreover, most of these acquisitions were backup players from top clubs.

That left only one possibility…

"You want Fernando Torres?" Gil's expression changed.

He wasn't stupid—he immediately recalled that José had tried to sign Torres a year and a half ago.

Last season, after recovering from injury, Torres had quickly become a regular starter for Atlético. With Kiko sidelined, he even became the team's focal point in attack. However, his performances had been underwhelming—he played 36 league matches and scored only six goals. While respectable for a 17-year-old, it wasn't enough to lead Atlético back to La Liga.

Although Torres had helped Spain's U-19 team win the European Championship that summer, he was still just a promising youngster, not a proven star.

Gil hesitated for a long time before shaking his head.

"Sorry, José. We can't let Torres go right now."

"I understand how important Torres is to Atlético," José replied calmly. "But your top priority is earning promotion—this season! Torres has potential, but right now, he isn't ready to lead the charge. Atlético needs players who can deliver immediately.

"Your squad already has Moreno and Luis García. Torres isn't indispensable. If you sell him to us, you'll gain an experienced playmaker in Novo to strengthen your midfield. Plus, you'll receive a substantial transfer fee to ease the club's financial burden.

"I know Atlético's transfer spending wasn't excessive this summer, but players like Contra, Moreno, Luis García, Sergi, and Coloccini don't come cheap in terms of wages. As a club owner myself, I understand the financial strain.

"Five million dollars, plus Novo—who is worth at least four million on the market. There aren't many young players in the world valued at this level.

"Yes, I won't deny it—I highly rate Torres. But right now, he's too young. Atlético's current situation isn't ideal for his development. The pressure to win promotion is immense. If mishandled, that pressure could harm both his talent and his physical growth.

"If he joins Mallorca, I'll ease him into the squad carefully. With Luque gone, I'm not looking to throw Torres straight into a leading role—I want to give him time to grow, in a less pressured environment. This will be better for him, better for Spanish football, and better for Atlético in the long run.

"Mr. Gil, if Atlético were already in La Liga, I wouldn't even make this offer. Promotion pressure is far harsher than relegation pressure. You know that better than anyone."

Gil nodded unconsciously. Two straight years of failed promotion attempts had left a deep impression on him.

"Novo, plus five million dollars… and if Atlético is worried about losing firepower, I'll even throw in another striker—Klasnić, who performed well for us last season.

"He's only four years older than Torres, still young, and has already proven himself in Germany and La Liga. He may not have Torres' ceiling, but right now, he's just as effective."

José made his final move.

Gil hesitated.

After a long deliberation, he finally gave a reluctant response.

"…Give me a day. I need to discuss this with Mr. Aragonés."

As Gil left, José and Piri exchanged smiles.

They knew it—Gil was wavering.

And Aragonés?

A coach of his caliber would surely understand: two immediate-impact players were far more valuable than an 18-year-old still finding his way…