Soccer System: All the Skills, One Player!

Lucas Tanaka looked out of the window of the small apartment that had become his home over the last few months. Outside, a light breeze made the leaves of the campus trees sway gently.

For any other young man his age, the idea of moving to another city, country or even continent might be exciting. But for Lucas, who had practically just passed, it seemed too soon.

"Jimmy, I understand what you're saying. I really do. But... transfer? Now? I don't know if it's the right time."

On the other end of the line, Jimmy McAllister laughed. "Lucas, Lucas... kid, you're 17, you're absurdly talented and the entire world is noticing. If you wait too long, you know what happens? Opportunities slip through your fingers. I've seen it happen so many times I could write a book."

Lucas scratched the back of his head, an automatic gesture whenever he was thinking. He knew Jimmy had a valid point. Soccer was a fast and merciless world. One day, you were the center of attention; the next, an injury or a poor season could throw it all away. But at the same time, he felt safe with the Champion System.

"Listen, Jimmy. I don't play soccer just for contracts or transfers. I'm not saying those things don't matter, but... I like it here in Brighton. I like the team, the city, the institute. We're starting a job here that could be very good."

"We're not talking about friendship here, kid. We're talking about your career. Your life. Brighton is a great place to start, but not to stay. Think of what you can achieve at bigger clubs. Imagine playing in a packed stadium at the Camp Nou or the Bernabéu. Isn't that what you want?"

Of course, the idea of playing for the big clubs in Europe was tempting. He grew up watching these teams play, dreaming of being in the shoes of the players he admired. But those dreams didn't have to happen all at once, and he knew it.

"Jimmy, I think you're underestimating me."

"What do you mean?"

"I want to go far, yes. I want to play in the best stadiums, face the best players and win a Champions League. But I don't want to skip stages. I still feel I have a lot of growing to do here in Brighton. I will not let my ego make me make the wrong decisions."

Jimmy let out a long sigh. "You have the heart of a romantic, Lucas. That's good... up to a point. But what if Brighton isn't as loyal as you are? Have you ever seen a club that doesn't think about money first? Because I haven't."

"Maybe you're right. But Brighton was the first club to take a chance on me. They gave me a chance when nobody else knew who I was. It wouldn't be fair for me to just walk away now."

Jimmy was silent for a moment, which was rare. Finally, he answered, his voice calmer. "Okay, kid. I understand your position. But I'm still going to fight for better terms on this contract. I'll be there in an hour."

"An hour?"

"Yes, I've arranged a meeting to present the counter-proposal for renewal."

After the call ended, Lucas completed all the procedures for an official wake-up. He needed a shower and a nutritious breakfast before dealing with Jimmy McAllister in person.

-:-

An hour later...

Lucas Tanaka adjusted his hair in the elevator's reflection. Next to him, Jimmy McAllister was mentally reviewing the strategies for the meeting.

The agent was impeccably dressed. Lucas, on the other hand, wore a simple polo shirt and jeans - casual but presentable.

"You don't have to worry so much," said Lucas, trying to break the silence in the elevator.

"It's not worry, kid. It's preparation. Remember: you're not just going to negotiate a contract. You're going to define the next steps in your career."

When they arrived at Brighton's administrative office, the receptionist, who led them into a large but unostentatious meeting room, greeted them. William McGonagall, the sporting director, was already there. A burly, gray-haired man, McGonagall was known as much for his ability to manage players as for his almost uncomfortable frankness. Next to him was Jimenez, the U-20 coach.

"Mr. Tanaka, McAllister," said McGonagall, shaking both their hands. "Thank you for coming."

"Thank you for having us," replied Jimmy with a professional smile.

Jimenez said nothing, but greeted Lucas with a brief nod.

After the initial greetings, McGonagall got straight to the point. "I see you have an agent now, Tanaka. How nice... Mr. McAllister, we've been impressed with Lucas' performance so far. His progress has been remarkable, and we believe he can be a key player for the future of the club. That's why we want to discuss the terms of his renewal."

Jimmy smiled. "I'm glad to hear that, Mr. McGonagall. But, as you know, Lucas has been getting a lot of attention lately. Bigger clubs are already showing interest, and it's only natural that we consider all options."

Jimenez narrowed his eyes and leaned forward. "With all due respect, McAllister, Lucas still has a lot to prove. He's talented, but we're talking about potential, not an established player."

Lucas felt the comment like a punch, but remained silent. He knew that in his role, there was more of a listener than a protagonist.

"Coach, I understand my client has a lot to develop. He's just a child. But, with all due respect, clubs like Olympique, Benfica and even Ajax wouldn't be interested in someone who 'still has a lot to prove'. They don't even want him just for the youth team. They want him for the senior squad. I understand they come from weaker leagues than the Premier League, but they see what Lucas can become. That's why we're here: to make sure Brighton sees it too."

McGonagall held up her hand to prevent Jimenez from answering. "Nobody is questioning Lucas's talent. What we want to know is: what would it take for you to consider a renewal?"

Jimmy opened a folder he was carrying and placed some papers on the table. "First, we need to adjust the salary. We know that he's one of the lowest paid of the U-20 players, even though he's one standout. Secondly, we want a fair release clause if an offer comes in from bigger clubs. We don't want Lucas to be stuck here if an opportunity comes along that he can't refuse."

McGonagall snorted, crossing her arms. "So basically, you want more money and less commitment."

"That's not it. We want balance. Lucas is loyal to Brighton, but he also needs security. You expect him to play and grow here, but the market is volatile. Brighton needs to show that they value his talent."

As McGonagall went through the papers, Jimenez looked directly at Lucas. "What about you, kid? What do you make of all this?" Explore more stories at My Virtual Library Empire

Lucas felt the weight of the coach's gaze, but didn't look away. "I enjoy being at Brighton. I think I can grow here, help the team and achieve my goals. But I want to feel sure that we're all on the same page."

McGonagall smiled, but there was something enigmatic in her expression. "Lucas, you understand Brighton needs commitment too, right? We can't invest in a player who might leave us at the first opportunity."

"I understand, Mr. McGonagall. But if you believe me, I think we can find a compromise that works for everyone."

The room fell silent for a few moments. McGonagall exchanged glances with Jimenez, who shrugged. Finally, the sports director spoke up.

"Here's what we'll do: we'll adjust Lucas's salary to a level more in line with his performance. 10,000 euros a month. As for the release clause, we need to discuss specific figures, but 50 million euros is what I have in mind. We don't want to lose you easily, Lucas, but we will not ignore the market either."

Jimmy nodded, pleased with the progress. "That sounds reasonable. We can work on the details and complete the contract next week."

When the meeting was over, Lucas and Jimmy left the office and walked down the corridor. Jimmy looked relieved, but also excited.

"You did well, kid," he said, tapping Lucas on the shoulder.

"Thanks, Jimmy. You've taken a load off my shoulders."

"That's what you hired me for." He slapped me twice and walked towards the door. "It's your day off, kid. Do what I told you and go enjoy it with some girls."

Lucas just waved his right-hand goodbye. It was still morning, and he didn't have many plans for the rest of the day. The best thing would be to train, but the day before, in the dressing room after the win against Sevilla, Jimenez had made all the players promise they would rest and that meant not touching a ball.

Just like that, the idea of going to the movies came back to him. He took his cell phone out of his pocket, went to Raphael's contact, and called him.

Imagine his surprise when, after a few seconds of waiting to be picked up, a female voice answered on the other end. He was about to ask who it was when he pulled the phone away from his ear and looked at the name of the contact he had called.

'Kader Akdemir? Eddie's daughter? Shit, I've got to go,' he thought.

"Hello? Tanaka? Why did you call me?"

At that moment, Lucas thought that Jimmy's idea wasn't so bad. He was curious about what it was like for Eddie to be an assistant coach again, and the person who could best tell him about it was Kader.