Chapter 217: A Player’s Pursuit

José was confident that Aragonés could see that Torres had a much brighter future than Novo and Klasnić. However, the key issue was that Aragonés was merely a head coach. His primary concern was the team's performance during his tenure, not the club's long-term future. At this stage, Klasnić's contributions on the pitch were at least on par with Torres's. Atlético Madrid's signings of experienced players like Moreno and Luis García were aimed at strengthening the squad with immediate effect. Other acquisitions, such as Sergi and Contra, were also players who could step onto the field and perform right away. All of this clearly demonstrated Aragonés's philosophy.

While it was true that Torres might surpass Klasnić and Novo by a large margin in the future, at this moment, his contributions to Atlético Madrid were no greater than those of the other two. From Jesús Gil's perspective, selling Torres would bring in much-needed financial relief for the club. For Aragonés, trading Torres for Novo and Klasnić would provide him with players who could immediately contribute more than Torres. With both Gil and Aragonés aligned on this, there was no real opposition to the move.

This meant that the only remaining obstacle was Torres himself.

There was no question about Torres's loyalty to Atlético Madrid. In the timeline José was familiar with, Torres only chose to leave when he had completely lost faith in the club. That moment came after Atlético suffered a humiliating 0-5 defeat against Barcelona, a match in which they deliberately underperformed just to hinder Real Madrid's title hopes. It was then that Torres realized this was no longer the Atlético Madrid of old—the team that once won both La Liga and the Copa del Rey. When a club prioritizes its hatred for another team over its own pursuit of glory, it loses its dignity and its future. Torres's departure at that time shook Atlético deeply, and from that moment on, they never again resorted to throwing matches against Barcelona just to spite Real Madrid.

José knew how difficult it would be to convince Torres to leave Atlético Madrid at a time when he still had hope for the club. Even when he lost all faith in them, Torres had refused to join another Spanish team, despite considerable interest from domestic clubs. Instead, he chose to move to Liverpool in the Premier League. While Benítez's influence and the presence of many Spanish players at Liverpool played a role, a major factor was that Torres didn't want to stay in Spain and compete against Atlético.

However, José also believed that convincing the current Torres would be far easier than convincing the future version of him. Right now, Torres was merely a promising young player. But in the future, he would become Atlético Madrid's youngest-ever captain, taking on the responsibility of leading the team at just 19 years old. He would carry the weight of immense expectations from fans and become the face of the club. That kind of responsibility and emotional burden would make it almost impossible for him to leave, let alone join another La Liga team.

But the current Torres was still just an 18-year-old prospect. He was seen as Atlético's future hope, but he had yet to fully shoulder the club's burdens. His loyalty to Atlético was unquestionable, but he wasn't weighed down by responsibility and destiny—at least not yet. If the club was willing to let him go, there was a good chance he would accept a move to Mallorca.

Just one day later, José received a response from Jesús Gil. Aragonés had approved the transfer, and Torres had been informed. Atlético Madrid would not force the sale—they left the final decision up to Torres.

That very afternoon, José visited Torres at his home in Madrid.

The young striker, who was often affectionately called "Torres Niña" by Chinese fans due to his delicate features, still had a boyish look about him. He had the same freckles on his face that would remain in later years, and his overall appearance hadn't changed much from what José remembered. However, his eyes, which would later carry an unyielding determination, now reflected more of a youthful hope and confidence in his own future.

"Fernando, congratulations on winning the U-19 European Championship," José said with a smile, extending his hand toward Torres.

Torres shook hands with the coach, who was only about ten years older than him. He had long heard of José's reputation. Over the past few seasons, José had achieved remarkable success, and his ability to develop young players was widely recognized. Torres was eager to hear what he had to say. If it were just an ordinary La Liga team approaching him, he might have rejected them outright. After all, he didn't see much difference between playing for Atlético and joining another mid-table Spanish club. As for Barcelona or Real Madrid, he wasn't sure if he would get enough playing time there.

But Mallorca was different. They had performed well, qualified for the Champions League, had strong financial backing, and, most importantly, they had a young coach known for developing talent. That combination made them an attractive option for a rising star like Torres.

It was similar to how young players were eager to join Arsenal under Arsène Wenger. In Spain, getting an offer from Mallorca meant that a player had real potential for a bright future.

Torres's agent, Antonio Martín, was also present. After they shook hands, Martín cleared his throat and spoke first.

"Mr. José, Fernando wants to understand how playing for Mallorca would be different from staying at Atlético."

José chuckled. That was a well-phrased question. In other words, unless there were clear advantages, Torres wasn't going to agree to the move.

"First of all," José said, looking directly at Torres, "you won't have to carry as much pressure in Mallorca. You won't be expected to single-handedly lead the team to glory. Mallorca has many excellent players—you'll be one of them, but not the only one. I will carefully manage your playing time to ensure you develop smoothly, without unnecessary burdens.

"You're only 18, Fernando. What you need right now are opportunities to grow, not overwhelming pressure. I have no doubt that you're mentally strong, but there's only so much weight a player can bear. If you take on too much too soon, it will catch up with you later in your career. In Mallorca, you might not be under the brightest spotlight, but if you have the ability, you'll still shine."

Martín was initially taken aback—José was admitting that Torres wouldn't be as heavily relied upon at Mallorca as he was at Atlético. But as José continued, Martín quickly realized the logic behind it.

It was extremely rare for young players to thrive under immense pressure. Those who did were exceptions rather than the rule. Many promising talents had collapsed under the weight of expectations. Barcelona's "Five Tigers," who were once seen as potential rivals to Real Madrid's "Eagles," were a prime example. Rushed into the first team too soon, none of them reached their full potential, including the highly anticipated De la Peña and Jordi Cruyff.

José's promise to nurture Torres without overburdening him was essentially a safeguard for his future.

"Secondly, we've already planned how to develop you. You're a very well-rounded forward—speed, power, technique—but being well-rounded isn't enough. If you're merely decent at everything, you'll end up mediocre. Your physical attributes are gifts, but we'll focus on improving your footwork, finishing, and link-up play. With your athleticism, if you refine these areas, I have full confidence that you'll become the best striker in Spain."

José spoke with absolute confidence. And he had every reason to. The way he had transformed players like Motta, Luque, and Eto'o was proof enough. Even Ronaldinho's growth under his guidance was evident.

"Lastly," José said, pausing for effect, "we're building a team to challenge for trophies. Last season, we came close to the league title. This year, we'll fight for the Champions League and La Liga again. Atlético has a great history, but they won't be competing for major honors anytime soon. If you join Mallorca, I guarantee you'll win a major trophy within two years. Think about it—how many Spanish players can say they won a major title before turning 20? And not as a benchwarmer, but as a key player!"

José then smiled. "Oh, and of course, we won't disappoint you when it comes to your contract either."

Martín exhaled deeply. He no longer needed to say anything—this coach had covered everything.

Environment, development, glory, and financial security.

What else could a player possibly pursue?