Manchester United activate release clause and meet with Ferguson privately.
The fans were chanting "please," which actually carried a sense of request.
Ye Chen naturally understood their feelings.
But at this moment, he couldn't make a statement.
Since he had entrusted the contract negotiations to Mendes, he had to abide by their agreement.
Mendes had previously emphasized that under no circumstances should he express his intentions in front of the media or the public!
For this reason, he had never said the words, "I will stay at Dortmund."
According to Mendes' analysis, Dortmund was financially strong at the moment.
As the reigning league champion, they had received over 60 million euros from TV broadcasting rights alone, in addition to the championship prize money and various new sponsorship deals.
So, Ye Chen could stay, but the renewal contract had to be lucrative.
After all, scoring 17 goals in five games was not something an ordinary player could achieve.
Faced with such a talented player, Dortmund could not remain indifferent.
Moreover, Manchester United had already submitted a 50 million euro transfer offer.
As the match ended, the fans gradually left the stadium.
Ye Chen sent a message to Lina, telling her to leave on her own, while he got into Mendes' car.
"Ye, are you sure you don't want to go to Manchester United?" Mendes asked curiously.
"Of course, I've decided to stay at Dortmund. I love the football atmosphere here," Ye Chen said seriously.
"But the atmosphere in the Premier League is the most intense and passionate. That's where the best football in the world is!"
"I will go to the Premier League, but not now," Ye Chen replied calmly.
Mendes glanced at Ye Chen. This 17-year-old boy displayed a level of composure and maturity far beyond his years.
Perhaps it had something to do with his experiences.
Of course, Mendes was grateful that he had come to Dortmund—otherwise, he would have missed out on such a top-tier player.
After all, Ye Chen's talent was simply terrifying.
Most importantly, he was only 17 years old.
To put it in perspective, when Mendes was 17, he was still struggling in reserve team matches. It was only after he accepted his own limited football talent that he transitioned into being an agent.
The Maybach pulled up in front of the Hilton, the most luxurious hotel in Dortmund.
Seeing the Hilton's grandeur, Ye Chen was somewhat surprised.
Of course, he didn't show it.
After all, if he wanted to, he could afford to stay in such a hotel.
"When you meet Sir Ferguson and Director Gill later, just act naturally. They are actually quite easy to get along with in private!"
"Alright, I understand," Ye Chen nodded.
In both his past and present lives, Ye Chen had always liked Manchester United and Ferguson.
The Premier League was simply exciting—the fast pace, the intense physicality.
And the media coverage was extensive.
When it came to watching the Premier League, Manchester United was unavoidable. After all, they had been the dominant force in England at the time.
He still remembered how, in his past life, he would always grab some beer and crayfish before watching the Manchester United vs. Liverpool match. The derby atmosphere was simply electrifying.
In this life, Ye Chen had also experienced the Manchester United vs. Liverpool rivalry, albeit at the U18 level. Even so, the intensity of the atmosphere and the defensive toughness of the opponents reminded him of the real thing.
However, after Ferguson retired, Manchester United declined.
From the infamous Moyes to Van Gaal, then Mourinho and Solskjær...
Oh, and there was also Rangnick, who knew he was leaving even before his first season ended.
With such managerial instability, success was naturally out of reach.
The dressing room alone lacked authority…
Aside from Mourinho's defensive counterattacking tactics, Manchester United often lacked a clear game plan.
Fans even jokingly referred to their tactics as "XJBT" (meaning chaotic and disorganized).
What made things worse was that, while United was in decline, their noisy neighbors, Manchester City, had brought in Guardiola.
After winning a few Bundesliga titles with Bayern, Guardiola introduced his tiki-taka philosophy to England.
Many had doubted whether his style would work in the Premier League, but he silenced them with results.
However, after reaching the Champions League final, Guardiola made a tactical adjustment that backfired, leading to a defeat and widespread criticism.
That's just how the media works.
When you win, they praise you to the skies; when you lose, they tear you apart.
That's why Ye Chen rarely read the newspapers…
It was mostly just fluff.
Aside from Manchester City, Liverpool also played exciting football under Klopp, with aggressive tactics often leading to high-scoring games.
Ye Chen wasn't a fan of any particular team, but he watched a lot of matches.
Especially during Ronaldo's years at Real Madrid—he rarely missed a Clásico or Madrid derby.
Those games were simply thrilling!
So, in Ye Chen's home, you could find jerseys from Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United, Manchester City, and even AC Milan…
Led by a waiter, they arrived at a large private room.
David Gill and Ferguson had already arrived in advance.
After Ye Chen scored his third goal, they had left the stadium early, knowing they needed to act fast—once Dortmund renewed his contract, the price would exceed 50 million euros!
Ferguson had shown great sincerity this time.
After all, Manchester United had a League Cup match against Crystal Palace tonight, kicking off at the same time as Dortmund's German Cup match.
Dortmund won 6-0 against Dresden, while Manchester United lost 1-2 at home!
Assistant coach Mike Phelan had failed to lead the team to victory, and the media was making a huge deal out of it.
Meanwhile, Ferguson's presence at Signal Iduna Park had dominated the sports headlines.
Ye Chen and Manchester United were now closely linked.
At the same time, reports of Manchester United's 50 million euro bid for Ye Chen were spreading like wildfire.
Even Ronaldo posted a video sharing his thoughts:
"Mendes showed me Ye's video—he's an incredible player. If he joins Old Trafford, he will be a leader for Manchester United and bring great success to the club!"
This video was clearly orchestrated by Mendes…
After all, Ronaldo's influence in football was immense!
This was all about building momentum—both sides were doing it!
Mendes' goal was to boost Ye Chen's fame, even if he didn't end up joining Manchester United.
As for Manchester United, their goal was clear—they were a commercial club, and every penny had to be well spent.
They wanted to show the world that they were investing 50 million euros in a 17-year-old talent, who had once been part of their academy.
Of course, the most important audience was the Chinese fans.
"Ye, it's great to see you again!" As the doors opened, Ferguson greeted him with a bright smile, extending his hand.
"Sir Ferguson, hello!" Ye Chen quickly responded.
David Gill also reached out for a handshake. "Ye, it's a pleasure to meet you. I didn't expect to see you again so soon!"
"Mr. Gill, nice to meet you," Ye Chen replied with a smile.
Talent truly was a wonderful thing.
Otherwise, why would Manchester United's CEO be personally greeting a 17-year-old kid?