Chapter 4:- Internal Evaluation

After training ended, the reserve team coaching staff gathered in the meeting room.

In a lively atmosphere, they discussed the day's training and their future plans.

"The training intensity seems fine, right?"

"The club has approved it."

"Good. Has Wenger given any special instructions?"

"He said he'll visit the academy personally once he returns from his vacation."

Reserve team manager Neil Banfield nodded before addressing his coaching staff.

"Alright, we'll ask him then. How did the players look today?"

The coaches shared their thoughts without hesitation.

"The players' physical conditions aren't fully back yet. They need to focus on regaining their sharpness."

"Some players have clearly bulked up over the break, but they've increased their muscle mass too quickly, throwing off their balance and preventing them from performing at their best."

"The fitness coaches need to address this issue."

"If not handled properly, it could lead to injuries, so we need to be extra careful."

Banfield nodded in agreement.

Lately, many young prospects had been hiring personal trainers to rapidly build muscle.

Despite the club's strict policies, it was a growing concern.

He understood their eagerness to break into the first team, but rushing the process could be dangerous.

Improper training could shorten a player's career.

"I'll bring this up with the club. Now, how did today's intra-squad match go?"

"Sam has good off-the-ball movement, but his fundamentals are lacking. He's a wing-back, yet his kicks are weak, so his crosses were poor, and his passes kept getting intercepted."

"Robert's hold-up play was decent, but his vision is too narrow, so he wasn't able to make use of his teammates."

The coaches shared their evaluations of the regular players.

Since most of them had similar opinions, there weren't many disagreements.

With the evaluations of the existing players done, two names remained—Emmanuel Frimpong, one of the club's promising prospects, and Kai Arata , the football prodigy who had been fast-tracked to the reserve team.

They exchanged knowing smiles.

Banfield chose to start with Frimpong before discussing Kai Arata.

"What do you think of Emmanuel Frimpong?"

Lead coach Smith spoke up immediately, as if he had been waiting for this question.

"He was absolutely terrible. He kept missing the chances his teammates created, which hurt the team's morale."

"The entire strategy was built around him, but that was the first mistake. He's the type of player who performs better when supporting others, not leading the attack. We all know that."

Banfield nodded as he reviewed Frimpong's data.

"That's true."

"Even though he worked well with Kai in defensive situations, he was awful in every other aspect."

"His off-the-ball movement is okay, but under high-pressure situations, he couldn't escape and kept passing backward."

As the criticism continued, Banfield massaged his temples.

"It can't be helped. He only recently recovered from a long-term injury. Once he regains his rhythm, he should return to his old self."

"We can only hope."

"That's enough about Frimpong. Now, let's talk about today's real star."

The moment Banfield finished speaking, the coaches' eyes lit up, and they eagerly gave their opinions.

"Arata is an outstanding talent!"

"His ball control is insane!"

"His dribbling is excellent, he progresses the ball well, and his vision is incredible!"

"His ball retention is also top-notch!"

"When he dribbled past two defenders, I was completely shocked! It was like watching Wilshere!"

"He might be even better!"

There was nothing but praise.

And rightfully so.

He had dominated despite playing against older players, proving his exceptional ability.

The final score was 2-0, but his second-half performance had exceeded all expectations.

At least for today, he had performed slightly better than Wilshere, who was currently making a name for himself.

The rumors of him being a football prodigy weren't exaggerated.

Seeing him play firsthand, it was clear he was on another level.

They had heard about his strengths before, but even his defensive ability, often a weakness in young players, seemed solid.

As the coaches excitedly continued their discussion, Smith calmly made an important remark.

"Now we understand why the club values Kai Arata so highly."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

A 15-year-old homegrown talent.

A special player who could follow in Wilshere's footsteps.

They couldn't wait to see what he would do next.

Smith unwrapped a candy and turned to Banfield.

"Coach, did you realize that Kai didn't lose the ball even once today?"

"I noticed. His ball retention is outstanding. His ability to escape pressure is truly impressive."

"At first, he seemed too cautious, playing too safely, and I was a little disappointed. But as he got more comfortable, he started making more ambitious passes."

"He gradually became the focal point of the team. The way he controlled the game… If you weren't paying close attention, you might not even realize it."

"That's what makes him so incredible."

Banfield replayed Kai Arata's performance in his mind.

Unlike most young players, his focus wasn't solely on the ball.

His eyes were constantly scanning his teammates.

Receive and move. Pass and move.

He maintained a smooth rhythm of play.

Frimpong was able to make aggressive forward runs.

Robert received less pressure from defenders.

Sam could keep overlapping tirelessly.

All because Kai Arata was stabilizing the team.

Maybe his steady play in the first half wasn't due to nerves—perhaps he had been carefully analyzing his teammates instead.

A chill ran down Banfield's spine.

"Is he really just 16?"

"He's about to turn 16 soon."

"This is crazy. Absolutely crazy."

It wasn't unheard of for players to debut at a young age.

Fabregas debuted at 16. Wilshere at 17.

Many clubs had young debutants.

Pele and Maradona had started young.

And Lionel Messi, football's next god, debuted early and won his first Ballon d'Or at 22.

Kai Arata might be on the same path.

However, there were almost no cases of young Asians making an impact in European leagues.

'There's that one guy in Germany, I think.'

As far as he knew, the few Asians who thrived in Europe were usually those who had already dominated their domestic leagues or impressed on the national team stage.

Among them, the only Asian who had been immersed in Arsenal's culture since the age of seven was Kai Arata.

Benfield quickly skimmed through Kai Arata's profile.

Rustle. Rustle. Rustle.

He had read it multiple times before, but the more he read, the more amazed he became.

'These stats are absurd.'

He had heard the rumors.

That Arsenal's academy had discovered an Asian football prodigy who could surpass Wilshere.

Benfield had dismissed it as exaggeration.

Even at that very moment, prodigies were constantly appearing and disappearing.

They might seem like geniuses at a young age, but once they moved up the ranks, most failed to make an impact.

So, he had thought Kai was just another promising youngster among many.

"But this kid is on a different level. We might be witnessing history in the making."

Hearing Benfield's muttering, Smith, chewing on a piece of candy, nodded in agreement.

"That's right! His playstyle even reminds me of Zinedine Zidane! What's even more interesting is that in every match Kai has played, there hasn't been a single draw, let alone a loss. His competitive spirit is extraordinary. Coach, do you see his only weakness here?"

"Are you talking about how his excessive competitiveness can make him overly aggressive towards teammates during matches?"

"Yes. Normally, he's quiet and well-mannered, but as soon as he steps onto the field, he turns into a beast."

Contrary to that assessment, Kai's foul count was relatively low.

But then Benfield saw the record showing that he had been sent off once every five matches.

He swallowed a groan.

What exactly had he done to warrant so many red cards?

Had he been making reckless sliding tackles?

Had he physically assaulted an opponent?

Had he cursed at a referee?

"The fact that he's never lost a game despite this is even more shocking."

"It really is a mystery."

A highly talented but hot-tempered prospect.

As someone who had coached young players for a long time, Benfield knew just how difficult it was to correct personality issues.

"Does he have a weak mentality?"

"Coaches say that's not exactly the case, but we can't be sure. We'll have to spend more time with him to find out."

"I suppose so. We need to address this before his debut."

Benfield had a feeling this was going to be a tough challenge.

---

"Hoo… Stay calm. I have to stay calm."

He had to control his fiery temperament on the field.

He couldn't repeat the mistakes of his past life—getting sent off in crucial matches and letting his team down.

After taking a quick shower and stepping out of the training ground, a young man spotted him and waved enthusiastically.

"Arata!"

His pronunciation was a little clumsy.

Kai smiled softly at the familiar yet distant face.

A well-built man with the typical features of a British male.

His name was Harry Parker, an Arsenal staff member and Kai's personal manager.

At this point in time, they hadn't known each other for long, but Parker had already become a reliable supporter.

When Kai suffered a devastating injury and went through a painful rehabilitation, Parker helped him stay patient and cheered him on.

Even when Kai faced countless moments of despair, Parker never left his side.

'He was heartbroken when I left Arsenal.'

Despite his cheerful demeanor, Parker had a kind and gentle heart.

He regularly volunteered and even spent his own money to sponsor underprivileged kids who couldn't afford to play football.

Kai had been inspired by his generosity and had started donating regularly himself.

When the media got wind of this, it became a widely known heartwarming story.

Kai still felt embarrassed when he remembered receiving an award for it.

'He was a mentor in my life.'

To Kai, Parker was a steadfast supporter, colleague, and friend.

Even after retirement, Parker had helped him settle down, and they had kept in touch even after Kai returned to Japan.

But just two days after Kai had arrived in Japan, Parker had died in a car accident.

The news had devastated him, making it impossible to focus on anything for a long time.

Now, seeing Parker's young and healthy face in front of him, he finally realized—he had truly returned to the past.

"Kai! Training's over, right? I'll drive you home."

"Sounds good!"

"Oh! You sound unusually energetic today. Something good happen?"

"Well, after all the delays, I finally got promoted to the reserve team."

"Excited because your first-team debut might come sooner?"

"Something like that."

Parker chuckled and gently ruffled Kai's hair.

"Kai, there's no need to rush. You're the most talented player I've ever seen! You'll make your Premier League debut in no time!"

"Hmmm… I don't know if I can trust a newbie who only joined the club this year."

"What? You little brat—"

Before Parker could grab him by the neck, Kai quickly added,

"But for some reason, I want to believe in your words."

"Heh heh heh. Right? Don't underestimate the eyes of a football fan who's been watching the game since he was three. I've been a football fan for 24 years! You're destined for success!"

"Well, considering how the club treats me, I guess I am."

"Tsk, where did you learn to talk like that?"

"Hmm… from you?"

Parker scratched his blond hair sheepishly.

"I never taught you that… Anyway, put your bags in the trunk."

"Yes, sir."

"And wear your seatbelt."

"Do I look like a kid to you?"

Parker gave him a deadpan look.

"You are a kid. Are you an adult?"

"You really like to use age as a weapon, huh?"

"Where did you even pick up all these weird expressions? Did you learn them at school? Do all kids talk like this these days?"

"No idea."

"Kai, kids should act like kids. Got it?"

"So, Parker should act like an adult? Oh, I was just kidding! Don't mess up my hair! Ugh, fine, I admit it! I was wrong!"

Kai grumbled, but a smile lingered on his lips.