England's Greatest

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"Hey, If your calling me right after the game, it must be serious whats up?"

Tristan's remark made Mendes smile on the other end of the line.

"Haha, I brought you some good news again!"

"Oh? Which brand wants me to be its spokesperson this time? Or did Nike come up with a new offer?"

"It's not a brand, it's a club."

Tristan froze at the mention of a club. A club?

It wasn't a shock that his stellar performance in the World Cup had caught the attention of other teams.

For players, the World Cup is the grand stage to show off their talents, a moment where abilities are displayed in front of the world. For European clubs, it's the ideal time to scout players.

Many players have had their careers propelled by great World Cup performances, earning moves to top clubs.

But he and Mendes already discussed this during the winter transfer window?

As Tristan processed his thoughts, Mendes' next words snapped him back into focus:

"I know we already talked about it but it's not a normal club, Real Madrid wants you."

Tristan's mind raced at the mention of the famous club. He understood immediately why Mendes had to call him.

The thought was surreal. Real Madrid, consistently ranked among the top three football powerhouses globally—

This was the club every player dreamed of joining alongside Barca, even if it wasn't a childhood dream of his.

Tristan quickly reeled himself back to reality.

After all, he had been one of the standout performers of the World Cup. His stats—two goals and four assists in four games—spoke for themselves.

It wasn't an exaggeration to say he had almost single-handedly driven England to the quarterfinals.

It made perfect sense that Real Madrid would take an interest in him.

But as his thoughts shifted, another question crept into his mind:

If he remembered correctly, it was after this very World Cup that James Rodríguez transferred to Real Madrid for an astronomical fee, fueled by his Golden Boot win.

So now that Real Madrid wants him, did that mean they were no longer interested in James?

Or had they already been eyeing James, but after his performance—leading England to defeat Colombia—Real Madrid's focus shifted?

Just as Tristan's mind wandered, Mendes' voice cut through his thoughts.

"Hello? Tristan? Are you still there?"

Snapping back to the present, Tristan quickly replied, "I'm here."

"So, what do you think? They made an offer to the club?"

"Not yet. Mr. Perez mentioned you to me, but I thought I'd check in with you first."

Almost immediately, he responded with certainty, "Real Madrid is a great club. But... now's not the right time."

Mendes couldn't help but smile at Tristan's response. He wasn't surprised at all.

In Mendes' eyes, Tristan possessed a maturity far beyond his years. He was a player who knew how to balance the big picture, weighing his options carefully and offering insightful judgment.

The temptation of Real Madrid was overwhelming for any player, but it only took Tristan a few seconds to turn it down.

It was clear that Tristan already knew the direction he wanted to take.

Making this decision wasn't difficult for him.

Before the World Cup, he had already anticipated that top clubs would be watching his performance. He didn't expect Real Madrid, but the signs were there.

Tristan knew that his career was just beginning.

Tristan knew what he needed: playing time and the space to express his abilities. His spectacular performance in the World Cup had sent his fame and market value soaring. But despite his rise, there was a harsh reality—he was still a Championship player with no Premier League experience. If he were fortunate enough to join Real Madrid, the chances of securing consistent game time at the Bernabeu were slim.

Real Madrid's attacking front was already dominated by the BBC trio—Benzema, Bale, and Cristiano—positions that didn't overlap with Tristan's. Their midfield was also stacked with established stars: Modric, Xabi Alonso, Di Maria, Isco, Khedira, and Illarramendi. Aside from Illarramendi, all these players had more fame, experience, and seniority than Tristan, making it nearly impossible to break into the starting lineup right away.

Of course, Tristan believed that, given his current abilities, he could make an impact at Real Madrid and secure a spot as even a starting player. But joining a top club wasn't as simple as it seemed. Even with exceptional talent, one might struggle to adapt to the coach's tactics or find it difficult to gel with the star-studded locker room. The pressure was immense, with every move scrutinized by the media, and any poor performance could see him dropped without a second thought.

Now that he had a second chance at life—and the power of the system to help him—he had no intention of being anyone's sidekick. He wanted to be the hero, the protagonist, not just a cog in someone else's machine. As the saying goes, it's better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of an ox.

At Leicester, he had the love and trust of the coach, the fans, and the club; he had the playing time he craved, and the tactical freedom to flourish. Real Madrid, for all its glitz and glory, could never offer him that.

Mendes responded confidently, "A wise decision! I'll inform Real Madrid, don't worry."

After a pause, Mendes added, "By the way, after your incredible performance in the quarter-finals, Nike, Adidas, and Puma all contacted me with new offers."

"Nike is offering 1.2 million pounds per year with a signing bonus of 500,000 pounds for a five-year deal. Adidas is offering the same annual salary, but a 400,000-pound signing bonus. Puma is offering 1.5 million pounds per year."

Clearly, Tristan's status had skyrocketed after leading England to defeat Colombia, and the brands were eager to sign him.

"Is this the best offer?" Tristan asked.

"That's about right. I don't think they'll add much more."

"So, what do you think?"

"I think Nike is the best choice. They're offering the best terms and were the first to approach me. Adidas and Umbro want long contracts, six or seven years, but with Nike, after negotiations, we could settle for a three-year deal."

"Why three years?"

"Because five years is too long, and two years is too short. Three years is just right. By then, your value will have increased, and we'll be able to sign a bigger deal."

Tristan could sense Mendes' confidence in him. The agent firmly believed that, within three years, Tristan would become a household name, with his value soaring.

After discussing the terms, Tristan agreed to accept Nike's offer, aligning with England's sponsorship and avoiding any potential conflicts with his national team gear.

Mendes then added, "Besides Real Madrid, many other European clubs have inquired about your transfer. I'll respond to them one by one. However, after the World Cup, we'll need to arrange a contract extension with Leicester."

Tristan raised an eyebrow. "Didn't I just renew my contract with Leicester? You want me to extend again?"

Mendes quickly clarified, "No, no, no. That's not what I mean. Fifteen thousand a week is great for a Championship player who hasn't played in the Premier League, but that was before the World Cup."

He paused, then continued, "After your World Cup performance, that salary no longer reflects your worth. Even if we don't ask for a raise, Leicester will likely approach you for a new contract. Your release clause is only £30 million, and they'll want to raise that."

Tristan understood now. He hesitated, expressing his concerns.

"But my salary is already the highest in the team, and I just renewed half a year ago. Won't the fans think I'm being too greedy if I ask for more now?"

Mendes reassured him, "Don't worry, even if your salary triples, it would only bring you in line with the average Premier League salary, which is £43,717 per week. And that's not unreasonable. Even Sterling, who performed well at Liverpool, earns £40,000 a week."

[Had to fact check this incase the chinese author was pulling bs outta his ass.] 

"It's not fair," Mendes continued. "The club will recoup your salary through jersey sales, image rights, ticket sales, and so on. After Leicester is promoted to the Premier League, player salaries will increase. To keep key players like you, the club will have to pay accordingly. You've rejected top clubs and stayed loyal to Leicester—that's something of value."

"Hmm, okay, I understand." Tristan responded understanding where Mendes was coming off.

"By the way, Tristan," Mendes said casually, "I've had a few car brands reach out. They're interested in signing you for endorsement deals. Figured I'd ask—do you have a favorite?"

Tristan thought for a moment before replying. "BMWs are nice. But if I'm honest, the Audi R8 has always been my dream car."

Mendes chuckled. "Good taste. An Audi R8 definitely suits you. I'll see if Audi's interested."

Tristan raised an eyebrow, his tone turning playful. "What's this? You planning on buying me a car, Mendes?"

Mendes laughed. "If it helps you score more goals, maybe I should."

Tristan joined in the laughter. "Thanks, but I've got it covered. I'll buy one myself when the time's right. Still, wouldn't hurt to get a deal with them, right?"

"Exactly," Mendes agreed. "I'll see what I can make happen.But before you get too excited about the car talk, I should clarify—it's the British car brands that are interested in signing you."

"Hey, I'm not complaining,doesn't matter which car brand it is, more money for us" Tristan replied with a grin. 

Mendes chuckled. "That's the spirit."

After exchanging a few more words, the call ended with Tristan heading back to his parents to spend the rest of his free time with them.

.....

Thank you to to everyone for all the reviews and we are at 1 million views, my people, thank you. Truly, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Also someone just drop one review please, we are at 49 and it's fucking brothering me like I need that 50, than it be perfect.

I truly don't mind what star you give whether that's a one star or five star as long as it's valid, and apologizes to that dude, I might have crashed out a bit too much but you still a bitch.

And chapter 4 has been rewritten as well. I can see why people were hating on them early chapters, lol.