Chapter 13: The Negotiation Table

"Kai, nice to meet you. I'm Ivan Gazidis, CEO and sporting director of Arsenal."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Kai."

Kai shook his hand briefly before taking a seat.

Ivan Gazidis.

Seeing him again after so long felt strange.

He was the one who had valued Kai the most but had also been ruthless in cutting him off when his skills declined due to injury.

Still, Kai didn't resent him.

It was better to leave than to become a burden on the team.

But today, he might have to steel himself.

Kai silently wished Gazidis well.

Gazidis tried to lighten the stiff atmosphere by starting the conversation.

"I've heard your business is doing well. Our staff have even requested to have your food as part of their regular diet."

"Haha! That's a bit embarrassing. I just brought it in earlier than others and started selling it."

Gazidis, with a bright expression, attempted to gradually close the distance through casual conversation.

But Tetsu Arata wasn't easy to crack.

Whenever Gazidis tried to get closer, Tetsu cut him off coldly.

The initial probing battle was intense.

Tetsu, holding the upper hand, leisurely toyed with Gazidis.

"London is great, but the weather is quite unpleasant. It can be sunny one moment and suddenly start raining."

"Haha! That's true for all of England, isn't it?"

"But in other countries, you don't have to stress about the weather."

"Wherever you live, there's always some kind of stress. If you leave London, won't you just find something else to worry about?"

Gazidis didn't waver.

He held his ground well.

Kai, observing the tense exchange, turned his gaze to Arsène Wenger, who was silently eating his meal.

Wenger had only exchanged greetings so far and hadn't said a word.

Was this also part of the negotiation strategy?

Sensing Kai's probing stare, Wenger smiled faintly and set his teacup down.

"Kai, today's main players are you two. A coach and a player should respect their respective roles."

"I see."

"Our job is just to review the final terms and sign."

"Aren't you worried, Coach? I might leave the club."

"Of course, you could leave, but everyone here knows which option benefits you the most."

Kai scratched his head.

In truth, this meeting was just a formality.

Before the negotiation table was even set, Tetsu had already contacted Gazidis and stated his terms.

All of Kai's conditions were included:

Participate in the 2011-12 preseason

Promotion to the first team

Minimum 20 first-team appearances

Play in his preferred position (attacking midfielder)

Weekly wage of £20,000

15% annual wage increase

In the previous contract, due to the sudden first-team call-up and debut, he had to sign on the club's terms.

But this time, things were different.

The number of choices had multiplied.

With other clubs offering attractive deals, Arsenal couldn't afford to lowball him.

Gazidis had no choice but to accept Kai's demands.

However, the reason for the intense probing battle between Tetsu and Gazidis came down to two things.

"The contract duration and the buyout clause."

Tetsu wanted a four-year contract with no buyout clause.

Gazidis insisted on a five-year contract with a £45 million buyout clause.

The contract duration wasn't a major sticking point, but their opinions on the buyout clause differed greatly.

In reality, Kai didn't care whether there was a buyout clause or not.

As long as he was treated well, he had no intention of leaving the club.

Tetsu knew this.

But he had no intention of signing without a fight.

"Father always said that if I want to be the best player, I need to be treated like one."

It was true.

Why do Messi and Ronaldo receive better contracts and treatment than others?

Because they are special.

And Kai knew he was no less special than them.

The Japnese Zidane, the Evil Genius, the Championship Talisman.

His prime was short, but his performances had been dazzling and impactful.

He had already walked this path once before.

He had all the qualities of a star player.

As the intense probing battle ended, the real negotiation began.

Gazidis was the first to speak.

"I accept all the conditions you proposed."

"That's great news."

"Kai is one of the club's most promising players. Of course, we should accept his terms!"

Since the key conditions had already been agreed upon over the phone, everything went smoothly up to this point.

This was the expected part of the negotiation.

Now, only the major hurdle remained.

Tetsu was the first to bring it up.

"I'll agree to a five-year contract, but the buyout clause should be set at £15 million. I also promise not to negotiate with other clubs for at least two years."

Gazidis frowned.

"The buyout is a minimum safeguard. It's a measure to prevent sudden player departures. That amount is too low."

"That's the club's perspective. We won't sign unless the buyout is set at a maximum of €20 million."

Tetsu pushed aggressively.

If you have the upper hand, why lower your head?

You push hard first, then retreat slightly to make it seem like you're making a concession.

"Sigh. Alright. Let's discuss other terms first."

"Sure! Let's align our cards. Shall we start with the wage increase?"

"That could disrupt our wage structure."

"As far as I know, your wage structure is already broken."

Gazidis wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Tetsu was no pushover.

He had come to England, started a business, and built it up to this level.

He knew the value of both tangible and intangible assets.

"Mr. Gazidis, is there a single player of my son's age group who is better than him?"

"Well, if you search—"

Tetsu cut him off with a confident voice.

"Of course not! Arsenal has nurtured and cherished him as a special talent. Everyone praises him and believes he'll succeed!"

"That's true."

"We appreciate what the club has done for us, so we're offering lower terms than other clubs."

"Ah, yes."

Gazidis briefly showed a look of disbelief but quickly corrected his expression.

The seasoned negotiator was nowhere to be found.

His mentality was already crumbling under Tetsu's pressure.

"I understand that you want a high buyout clause in case other clubs come knocking."

"Thank you for understanding."

"Then let's rethink this. What conditions must be met for a reasonable buyout clause?"

Gazidis was about to propose his final line.

"As for the wage increase—"

"That was already part of my original proposal. It's a prerequisite."

"…"

Gazidis glanced at Wenger for help.

But Wenger didn't intervene.

As if it was none of his business, he was deep in tactical discussions with Kai.

With the key figures focused on football, the negotiation remained deadlocked.

Tetsu delivered his final ultimatum.

"Other clubs are offering higher wages and lower buyouts. Why should we insist on Arsenal? Five-year contract, buyout at £35 million. In return, a 20% annual wage increase and upgraded bonus structure to match rotation players. Otherwise, we won't sign."

"Sigh… That's a bit—"

As Gazidis hesitated, Tetsu pointed at his watch.

"I'll give you 10 minutes."

"Ten minutes is too short!"

"Then five minutes?"

"Ha… Fine. We accept."

"Coach?"

Wenger, having found inspiration from their discussion, nodded with a satisfied smile.

"I'm ready."

At some point, a fountain pen had appeared in his hand.

Gazidis looked exhausted but handed over the contract.

"Kai, here's the contract."

"I'll check it first… Hmm, everything is in order. Kai, want to read it over?"

"Yes."

Scanning the document, Kai felt a sense of accomplishment.

It was a much better deal than last time.

This fresh start wasn't bad at all.

Kai signed the contract immediately.

Gazidis shook his hand before calling a staff member to take photos.

"Look here. One, two—click!"

They captured the moment of Kai signing with a bright smile.

As Gazidis looked utterly drained, Kai offered a word of consolation.

"You worked hard."

Gazidis sighed.

"Kai, have you considered changing agents?"

"Haha! I'll think about it."

"I mean it. You'll have sponsors and endorsements soon, plus your business. It'll be tough to manage everything."

Tetsu smirked and stepped between them.

"That's our concern, not yours."

With a bitter smile, Gazidis stepped back.

"Kai, don't overburden yourself. Focus on adapting this season."

"I will."

"The contract will be announced in two days."

"Oh, then—"

Wenger smiled kindly.

"I'd like to say you should start training tomorrow, but you probably have things to settle. Report to first-team training in two days."

"Thank you."

"No need for thanks. I'm just following the contract."

Wenger extended his hand.

Kai firmly grasped the wrinkled hand.

The contract signing was complete.