This profound question was destined to have no answer.
In the adult world, there is no absolute right or wrong, only gains and losses.
Your perspective depends on where you stand.
Ferguson didn't want to dwell further on the topic, instead asking a question out of apparent concern.
"Are you planning to return to Real Madrid?"
It was clear he genuinely "cared" about Gao Shen's future.
But he avoided discussing anything too deep.
"I won't think about that until everything is settled."
After speaking, Gao Shen glanced at Ferguson with a meaningful look. "To be honest, I originally planned to rotate the squad for the League Cup or FA Cup. But now, I've changed my mind."
"What do you mean?" Ferguson was momentarily stunned.
"It's the last season. I have to leave Manchester City with some unforgettable memories!" Gao Shen said, his tone firm and resolute.
Manchester City had treated him well, and Mansour had been nothing but sincere. Even if he did have to leave, he needed to leave something behind.
United had already been knocked out of the League Cup. Ferguson wasn't concerned about that. But the FA Cup…
"You're aiming for a quadruple?" Ferguson asked, a bit surprised.
He rarely saw Gao Shen speak so confidently. Over the past two or three years, the young manager had matured considerably.
But at that moment, it was like seeing the brilliant young man who once led Real Madrid.
Gao Shen didn't respond to Ferguson's comment. He was never one to boast in advance. Even if he wanted to shout slogans, it would be done inside the dressing room to fire up the players. What was the point of saying it in front of Ferguson? That would be too childish.
Ferguson didn't press further and shifted the topic to other matters.
Leeds United had been making waves in the Championship recently, though Pogba wasn't their standout performer.
Instead, several other more experienced players had shined—Adam Lallana, Benteke, Paulinho, and others.
These players had attracted the attention of many Premier League clubs, especially Lallana, a homegrown English talent.
The Premier League has always favored local players, and Lallana carried the prestige of having been backed by a major manager. He had already shown flashes of promise while playing for Manchester City in the Premier League. Now, in the Championship, he was the creative core of Leeds United's attack and was progressing even faster than during his time at City.
This further proved that young players need minutes and consistent training to truly grow.
But what was most interesting was that Ferguson wasn't focusing on those players.
He had his eyes on Bolasie.
This was quite unexpected.
"Why are you paying attention to him?" Gao Shen asked curiously.
Ferguson answered earnestly, "When I watched Leeds United's first match of the season, I was struck by his physical attributes. He's 1.85 meters tall, has good body mass, and excellent strength. He looks like a center forward, though he doesn't have the skill set of one."
Center forwards also need technical ability, regardless of their style.
Van Nistelrooy became the king of the six-yard box thanks to his exceptional first touch.
Even someone like Drogba, who was often dismissed as rough, had to be extremely effective in the crowded areas of the pitch.
A player like Bolasie, who lacked technical refinement and played on the wing, would struggle if he were placed in central areas.
But he had his own unique advantages.
"He's fast and agile. That allows him to beat defenders off the dribble regularly. He's the kind of player who thrives in the Premier League," Ferguson said, hitting the nail on the head.
Players like Bolasie tend to flourish in the Premier League, or leagues like the Eredivisie or Primeira Liga. But in more technically focused leagues like La Liga, Serie A, or the Bundesliga, they often struggle to fit in.
The Premier League has never been short on players with raw skills and blistering pace.
More importantly, Bolasie wasn't a central striker. He was a winger who could operate on either flank.
His height, pace, agility, and leaping ability made him a serious threat when making diagonal runs or arriving late in the box—one of Leeds United's key scoring tactics this season.
"I looked at his stats this season. He averages more than three successful dribbles per game," Ferguson said with clear interest. This was the type of player he lacked.
Many people might wonder—does Manchester United really lack wingers?
They had Valencia, Nani, Ashley Young, Park Ji-sung, and sometimes used Macheda or Welbeck in wide roles. On paper, they didn't seem short on options.
But the numbers told a different story.
Park Ji-sung averaged just 0.3 successful dribbles per game. That meant he might not dribble past a single defender across three matches.
Ashley Young looked decent, but in truth, he averaged only 0.8 successful dribbles per game—just four in five matches.
What's that? You think the stats are off?
Come on. Back when he was at Aston Villa, he averaged 0.5 dribbles per game.
What Young truly excelled at was delivering key passes—2.4 per game. But his overall pass completion was low at 71.6%, and just 62.5% in the final third.
Villa's squad quality dragged those numbers down, and they did improve at United. But still, his success rate hovered around 80%, and his key passes dropped to 1.7 per game.
Across the board, those stats were worse than both Nani and Valencia.
Valencia's pass accuracy had always been close to 90%, with a front-third success rate above 80%.
Surprised?
Valencia averaged 2.5 key passes and 1.3 dribbles per game.
Nani had a pass success rate around 80%, with 75% in the final third. He averaged 2.3 key passes and 1.8 dribbles per game.
The takeaway was clear.
As long as Nani and Valencia were fit and in form, they were indispensable—especially in an attacking setup.
Park Ji-sung was tireless and accurate in his passing, but he offered little attacking threat. His primary contribution was defensive work.
Ashley Young still needed to improve.
Bolasie's pass success rate and final-third accuracy were comparable to Ashley Young's, with 1.4 key passes per game. But he averaged more than three successful dribbles per game.
In isolation, these stats didn't mean much. Leeds United had a talent advantage in the Championship, and Sarri's system was built around wing play, giving Bolasie the perfect platform.
Leeds' tactical approach relied on flank attacks and finishing through the middle.
Even in that context, Bolasie's numbers were eye-catching. Whether he could adapt to another team was still uncertain.
But that's the risk inherent in all transfers.
"Are you interested in Bolasie?" Gao Shen asked, genuinely surprised.
Ferguson didn't answer directly. Instead, he smiled and asked, "How much are you asking for?"
"Anyone favored by you, Sir Ferguson, won't come cheap. Twenty million pounds, and he's yours," Gao Shen said matter-of-factly.
Ferguson laughed. "Why don't you just go rob a bank?"
"You paid what, £100,000 for him a few months ago? If I remember correctly?"
Gao Shen was immediately annoyed. "Sir, your way of thinking is outdated. This is the 21st century, the information age. You need to keep up."
"What do you mean?"
"Information costs money!"
Seeing that Ferguson didn't get it, Gao Shen explained further. "Think about those Brazilian agents who handle third-party ownership. They don't have to do much. They just find some promising players in Brazil, pay a few hundred thousand dollars, maybe even less, then recommend them to European clubs at several or even dozens of times the price."
"It's all about monetizing information."
"Sure, they might make ten or twenty times their investment. But you—£100,000 into £20 million in a few months? That's 200 times!" Ferguson nearly choked on his drink.
He didn't even need Bolasie that badly. He had just asked out of curiosity. If the price was low, he might've bought him to rotate or play as a backup.
But Gao Shen was greedy. His appetite was too big.
Twenty million for a backup?
Ferguson couldn't justify that.
"I'm telling you, don't think that's expensive. We're focusing on developing Bolasie right now. When he improves further, his price will only go up!" Gao Shen argued.
He didn't think Ferguson would actually pay £20 million for Bolasie. That would be madness.
The real reason for the high asking price was to keep Ferguson from poaching him.
That old fox wasn't above playing tricks. You had to stay alert with him.
But Bolasie? That was unexpected.
Ferguson's interest made Gao Shen realize that his thinking had been off.
Top teams in Europe placed great emphasis on technical ability, and that had become a trend. But the Premier League was different.
In the Premier League, players with raw technique, extreme speed, and great physicality were still highly sought after.
Teams like Arsenal were a bit of an exception. But mid-tier clubs like Spurs, Villa, and Everton loved players like that—explosive forwards and wingers.
In that light, Bolasie's potential value had been underestimated by Gao Shen and his staff.
Even the smartest people make mistakes.
With that in mind, Gao Shen picked up the conversation again with Ferguson.
After leaving the meeting room, Gao Shen found a quiet spot, called Su Qing, and told her about Bolasie.
"Tell Lucas to move Bolasie onto the priority development list. We really have to thank Ferguson for the reminder."
Su Qing immediately saw the problem too. She felt the team needed a more mature system for evaluating player value, something to prevent underselling talent or overpaying in the market. It would also provide better leverage during transfer negotiations.
Gao Shen agreed. Most major clubs had systems like that in place.
(To be continued.)
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