Soccer: I’m Building a Giant in the Premier League

Chapter 37 – The Four Horsemen of Darkness

When it came to the 2004 English summer transfer market, nothing drew more attention than the battle for Wayne Rooney.

After Chelsea's massive spending spree in 2003 failed to topple Arsenal's Invincibles, Claudio Ranieri got the sack.

José Mourinho, fresh off a Champions League win with Porto, took over—and everyone knew he was about to unleash another storm in the market.

At the same time, the expected exits of players like Verón, Desailly, Hasselbaink, and Crespo added even more volatility.

That was the Premier League—the realm of giants.

In the Championship, the real suspense revolved around the three relegated teams, especially Leeds United.

Yes, parachute payments helped, but all three would suffer brutal financial hits.

Still, not all relegations were created equal.

Wolves and Leicester City had just come up from the First Division (now the Championship) in 2002–03.

But once promoted, neither club spent big.

From the outset, they weren't aiming to stay up—they just wanted the cash.

So it was no surprise they went right back down—Wolves finished last, Leicester 18th. Two one-season wonders.

Leeds United landed between them—but they were an established top-flight club.

Unlike Wolves and Leicester, Leeds had assets—and plenty of baggage.

They'd been selling off stars year after year, gradually unraveling.

According to media reports, they had two bank loans totaling £15 million—and that was just the traceable debt.

Who knew what else was buried?

Not long ago, in a desperate move, Leeds sold Elland Road for £8 million, then leased it back for £1.4 million per year.

Who came up with that brilliant idea?

Leeds had always been known for producing top academy talent—and for their loyalty.

But even loyalty had its limits.

Take Michael Carrick, for instance. He stuck with West Ham for a full season after relegation.

But when promotion hopes faded, he joined Tottenham this summer.

Leeds had plenty of hot names on the market:

Alan SmithJames MilnerMark VidukaPaul RobinsonScott Carson

All wanted out. All were in high demand.

Selling them was inevitable—but that wouldn't solve the financial crisis.

Without immediate promotion, Leeds were on a slow path to death.

So manager Kevin Blackwell set his sights on Jermaine Pennant from Arsenal.

The reasoning was solid.

Pennant had already spent a season on loan at Leeds. He knew the squad, fit the system.

As long as he stayed out of trouble, he was a Premier League-caliber right winger.

Most importantly—he was failing to break through at Arsenal.

Leeds knew they couldn't lure star names anymore.

But Pennant was attainable.

His contract only had one year left, so the transfer fee wouldn't be high.

Just then, the press reported that Arsenal had tried to loan Pennant to Championship side Bayswater Chinese FC, but the player flat-out rejected the offer.

The signal was clear:

Pennant was on the market.

Everton and Birmingham—two Premier League clubs—immediately pounced.

The Toffees bid £1.5 million, but Arsenal turned it down.

Leeds had to move fast.

And right then, former Leeds academy coach Gary Worthington delivered an offer.

Since they couldn't get Pennant, Bayswater Chinese FC now wanted 17-year-old right winger Aaron Lennon—for £1 million.

…

"Leeds agreed?"

When Yang Cheng heard the news, he was ecstatic.

This was Aaron Lennon!

One of England's best right wingers in the coming years.

And just £1 million?

Meanwhile, across from him, both Brian Kidd and Gary Worthington looked puzzled.

"A million pounds for a 17-year-old? Is that cheap?" they asked.

Sure, Lennon was fast. Talented.

But he'd never really proven himself.

Last season, he'd made just over 200 minutes in the Premier League—mostly as a sub.

His lone assist came in a 1–4 loss to Arsenal. Otherwise, he'd done little.

But it wasn't really his fault.

Leeds were a mess. Youngsters had no chance to shine.

"They're desperate to raise cash for Pennant," Worthington added.

"They'll sell to anyone who can pay up front. No loans."

Yang Cheng didn't hesitate.

"Pay them. Now!"

Kidd and Worthington burst out laughing.

Yang Cheng wanted Lennon badly.

"Contact his agent. I'll go to Leeds myself."

They didn't know why he was so eager—but Worthington reached out right away.

…

The next day, Yang Cheng headed north to Leeds, accompanied by Kidd and Worthington.

That afternoon, in Chapeltown, a suburb northeast of Leeds, they sat down with Aaron Lennon, his parents, and his agent.

In this kind of setting, Brian Kidd had more sway than Yang Cheng.

Kidd laid it out plainly:

"We've been watching Aaron for some time.

We love his profile, his talent, and we believe in his future."

"And most importantly—he'll get real playing time."

"You've heard the rumors—Leeds are chasing Pennant.

Plus they've already got Danny Cadamarteri and veteran Craig Signor on the right."

"How much opportunity will Aaron really get if he stays?"

This was a script Yang Cheng had prepped with Kidd on the drive up.

It hit the mark.

Lennon's camp had already been worried about this.

Yes, Leeds were still a big name, even in decline.

But if Pennant joined, would Aaron Lennon have any chance?

Last season, Pennant had played nearly every match on loan.

Lennon and others barely saw minutes.

Bayswater Chinese FC promised a starting role—in the Championship—at 17.

Not a bad deal.

Once that clicked, Lennon and his team stopped hesitating.

After leaving Aaron Lennon's house, Yang Cheng and his team had to immediately head back south to London.

But Gary Worthington was ordered to stay behind in Leeds.

"Get the transfer paperwork and contract signed ASAP—don't give them time to change their minds."

Gary was a bit confused. He hadn't yet adapted to Yang Cheng's way of doing things and felt like he couldn't keep up with the younger man's pace.

But Brian Kidd understood completely.

After all, it had been Yang Cheng's plan all along to leak the Pennant story to the media.

From the very start, he never intended to sign Jermaine Pennant.

That was just bait—designed to mess with Leeds United.

Leeds had been trying to renew Pennant's loan since the end of last season, but Arsenal refused.

Why?

Because there was only one year left on his contract.

A renewed loan would basically be giving him away for free.

Yang Cheng had read Leeds perfectly.

If not for that, they never would've let Aaron Lennon go.

In Yang Cheng's previous life, Lennon had a brilliant season in the Championship, catching the eyes of multiple Premier League clubs.

Leeds failed to win promotion, and in the January transfer window, interest spiked.

Tottenham Hotspur swooped in early, sealing the deal for £1.2 million in April.

The price was low because Lennon's contract ran until 2006, and he refused to renew.

Leeds had no choice but to sell cheap.

If not for that, he would've cost much more.

Now?

Lennon hadn't yet proven himself in the Championship.Leeds were laser-focused on Jermaine Pennant, a more polished, recognizable option.

That left the door wide open for Bayswater Chinese FC.

"Transfer windows are all about psychology," Brian Kidd said as he drove.

"Let your guard down for one second and someone outmaneuvers you."

…

Bayswater Chinese FC closed the deal in just three days.

The two clubs submitted all the documents to the FA, completing the transfer.

But the club wasn't done yet.

This summer, Yang Cheng's transfer strategy was even more cautious than last year—simultaneous ins and outs, always keeping the books balanced.

Because, truth be told, Bayswater's finances were fragile.

After signing Aaron Lennon, the club sold four players:

Luke ChambersAlex BaptisteAndy HoldsworthLee Williamson

All four went to League One teams. The fees weren't high, but in total, they brought in £1.5 million.

The players had youth on their side:

Chambers: 19Baptiste: 18Holdsworth: 20Williamson: 22 and the most experienced

Considering Bayswater's strong season, £1.5 million for four young players wasn't a bad haul.

The players themselves were a bit reluctant to leave—after all, the club was on the rise.

But staying would have meant limited playing time. What good was rotting on the bench?

Meanwhile, Watford, who narrowly avoided relegation last season, were interested in Martin Devaney, the winger who had caught fire alongside Ribéry.

With Stead, Lambert, and later Dave Kitson all thriving up front, Devaney was part of a lethal attacking unit.

Notably, after his move to Blackburn, Stead scored 6 goals in 13 Premier League matches—an impressive record for a young striker.

This gave Bayswater's academy products a strong reputation.

But however good Bayswater looked, they were still a newly promoted side.

Watford had their own stadium and were offering higher wages.

In the end, Devaney was convinced to leave.

Yang Cheng's official response?

"Robbery. Absolute robbery."

He immediately rejected Watford's initial £1 million offer.

But after several rounds of negotiation, Bayswater reluctantly accepted a deal:

£500,000 in cashPlus 19-year-old winger Ashley Young

Ah yes, Ashley Young—a legend in the making.

Nicknamed:

"One of the Four Dark Lords""Friend of All Birds""The English Cristiano Ronaldo""Manchester's Aaron Kwok""The Diver King"

Yang Cheng was… conflicted.

Young had played just 5 matches last season in League One, totaling 154 minutes.

But somehow, the kid managed to score 3 goals.

His only start came in the final match of the season against Reading—he scored the winner.

If not for those 3 goals, Yang Cheng would've squeezed Watford for the full million.

But now?

Eh. Let it go. Losing a little might just be a blessing.

After sealing the Young deal, Yang Cheng also signed Leon Andreasen from Danish club Aarhus.

The transfer fee?

€1 million—about £700,000.

Last summer, Yang Cheng had tried to sign Andreasen but pulled out after landing Huddlestone.

Now, in the Championship, he wanted a double pivot—two quality options.

With Andreasen on board, Yang Cheng caught a flight to Poland.

Because on May 1st, 2004, the European Union expanded.

New members included:

PolandCzech RepublicHungarySlovakiaSlovenia

That meant players from these countries no longer counted as non-EU.

Let the next phase of squad building begin.

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