97 – One Year Later (1)
097
Jo Jaeshin shivered as he watched the trend of public opinion that had changed over the past year.
Has public opinion changed dramatically? Has it turned into a rollercoaster?
Not at all. He knew from the beginning that public opinion was like that.
What really surprised Jo Jaeshin was,
“See? Just as I said, right?”
“….”
The trend of public opinion over the past year had unfolded exactly as Joo Ji-tae had predicted.
Jo Jaeshin once again reviewed the trend of public opinion over the past year.
May 20, when the Bundesliga season ended unexpectedly with TSV 1860 Munich’s victory, and two days later on May 22, precisely when Joo Ji-tae and Jo Jaeshin’s first transfer rumor broke out.
[Has Man Utd Woken Up!?]
Ahㅋㅋ Finally, after Park Ji-sung, a Korean player is seen at Old Traffordㅋㅋ
— Ju Ji-tae, Man Utd’s trend has turned upside downㅋㅋ
— Well, Ju Ji-tae isn’t bad as a Man Utd 3-option, it seems appropriate
ㄴHmm, he’s talking crap with his mouthㅋㅋ Ju Ji-tae as a 3-option? Dude, get a gripㅋㅋ When was he ever mentioned as Man Utd?
In reality, the transfer rumors of Ju Ji-tae and Cho Jae-shin had been circulating even before the season ended.
To the extent that links were formed with clubs that could potentially acquire them.
In other words, any club with a bit of name value had rumors swirling around it.
[But why is there such a fuss? Their transfer rumors are not a rare occurrence, and it’s damn ridiculous]
So, the unusually sensitive public reaction to this transfer rumor, even though such rumors usually elicited a nonchalant response, was because,
[Damn, isn’t that just a rumor? And this one, the agent was really spotted there]
Ju Ji-tae and Cho Jae-shin’s agent, Jung Seon-woo, was actually spotted in Manchester.
Moreover, when reputable foreign media outlets announced the news of negotiations with Man Utd, the online public, who was tired of the constant rumors, began to stir once again.
However, events unfolded just three days later that would solidify this reaction.
[Haha, Romano’s official: Ju Ji-tae and Cho Jae-shin in negotiations with Man City!ㅋㅋㅋ]
Ju Ji-tae and Cho Jae-shin negotiating at the same timeㅋㅋㅋ
— As expected, it’s Man City. Look at the class of simultaneous acquisitionsㅋㅋ Their financial power must be huge, right?
— Damn, those bastards were giving me a heart attack thinking about their antics, but thankfully not
—Kya~ This is it~ Classy negotiations simultaneously~
The excitement about the Manchester rivals battling it out for two players in the transfer market subsided temporarily. Three days later,
[Breaking News! Ju Ji-tae’s agent spotted in London!]
[He’s reportedly negotiating with Chelseaㅇㅇ It’s already in the articles]
[Hwang Clan, Chelsea is in the mix!?]
Ju Ji-tae and Cho Jae-shin are a perfect fit for the blue uniform
—Let’s head to the heart of London!
—Those Manchester guys making a scene were annoying, but it seems they’ll quiet down a bit
—Meanwhile, what’s up with the chicken shopㅋㅋㅋㅋ We need to know the context to tease properlyㅋㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴDamn, are they talking about Tottenham just because of the chicken shop?
ㄴIsn’t it a rice team?
Even London-based teams joined the transfer saga, making it a truly sensational scene with EPL clubs from all over chasing after these two players.
However, even in this transfer market frenzy, Ju Ji-tae and Jo Jae-shin were still in the spotlight.
The uproar surrounding the transfer rumors reached its peak on June 8th, just days before the opening of the transfer market, marking the pinnacle at Hwaryongjeong.
[What’s going on? Why a flight to Spain?]
[They must have some serious power; haha, there’s an official flight from London to Madrid. LOL]
[This is insane! Real Madrid fan forum is on fire!]
As the EPL fans were losing their minds~
—Did the true aristocrats emerge?
—Real Madrid is going all out, even chasing after Ju Ji-tae. This is crazy.
—Jo Jae-shin is connecting with AT, LOL. The legendary duo is in the making.
Finally, with the participation of the three heavenly generals known as ‘Levamun,’ the transfer rumors reached their climax.
Of course, there had been links with ‘Levamun’ before.
However, Ju Ji-tae, treated as a legend at 1860 Munich after just a year with Bayern Munich, and Jo Jae-shin, having no other choice but to move to a rival team, ended the speculation. Meanwhile, Barcelona, despite its precarious finances, lost out on the bidding for David Martinez of AT Madrid, putting them in a risky position and leading to their elimination.
Naturally, the connections with Bayern Munich or Barcelona ended up as mere plot devices. The atmosphere was solidifying towards an EPL move, but the link with Real Madrid, emerging like a shooting star, exploded within the community.
No matter how much they talked about the EPL, Real Madrid was still Real Madrid.
Linked with ‘Levamun,’ but in reality, a team with a higher status than Barcelona and Bayern Munich, essentially the pinnacle of the football world.
[Damn! Is it true that the real aristocrats, Real Madrid, are in?]
[It’s crazy. Even if they can’t beat Real, they might conquer the EPL… Is this the rising star from Korea? My heart swells with pride.]
[LOL, meanwhile, Juventus is left out in the cold.]
[What’s this about an agent’s flight to Turin? LOL, seems like they’re planning a world tour.]
Despite the countless transfer rumors, people expected the official announcement to come soon.
[What the heck? Why suddenly bring up contract renewal?]
—What the hell is going on?
ㄴIt’s probably about the renewal. F**k.
ㄴDamn, it’s about the renewal.
ㄴYeah, it’s about the renewal.
ㄴSo, what’s happening?
—What’s this about a contract renewal bomb? Seriously!
A week passed, a fortnight passed, and even after a month, there was no sign of the end to the Ju Ji-tae and Jo Jae-shin transfer saga.
[Oh, damn! So where are they going?]
[Why the hell did they set the forum on fire for a month with these transfer rumors?]
[Now, I’m getting tired. Just go anywhere, please.]
[Haha, a global tour with transfer rumors, lol.]
Finally, around the end of June.
[Official: Ju Ji-tae, Jo Jae-shin’s contract renewal confirmed]
[?? What’s this? Is this for real?]
—No way, crazy lol. Renewing after all this fuss? Lol.
—Seriously, damn. Did I support the forum for this? What a betrayal.
—Huh? You always supported it.
—Haha, got caught.
—;;
The shocking official announcement of the contract renewal.
[(Official) Ju Ji-tae Renews Contract with Jo Jae-shin’s Team! “Want to uphold loyalty to the team and fans”!]
—Ah… guys, this is too much, even for us.
—Loyalty, my ass. Isn’t this insane, lol?
—Who’s the agent boasting about doing a good job? Seriously, I’d do better than this.
—Seems like the kids are too young, blinded by loyalty.
—Haha, this is it, the romance of it all.
—Sigh… it looks like we’ll regret rotting like this for 2-3 years.
Seeing Jo Jae-shin’s concerned expression amid the explosive public opinion, Ju Ji-tae sneered.
“Are we idols? Or did we really do something wrong?”
“Wrong is wrong. You built up fans’ expectations and stayed. It’s like psychological torture.”
“Psychological torture, really? I’ll give them hope. Watch.”
From Noble mtl dot com
What Ju Ji-tae handed over was the contract with TSV 1860 Munich.
And it included an original copy with a confidential treaty that could never be disclosed externally.
Except for minor details, the core points were five.
1. Invest 40 million euros in transfer funds for this transfer window.
2. Renew the contract until the original date of 2037 (4 years).
3. Appoint Ju Ji-tae as the defensive leader, ensuring freedom in the backline playmaking, and reorganize the attacking lineup centered around Jo Jae-shin.
4. Modify the buyout option.
—Disable the buyout until the summer transfer window of 2034.
—Starting from the 2034 summer transfer market at €100 million and decreasing by 50% every year.
—Disabled buyout clause for the 33/34 season, €100 million buyout for the 34/35 season, €50 million buyout for the 35/36 season.
5. 25% of the transfer fee paid to the player.
In simple terms, it was entirely favorable to Ju Ji-tae and Jo Jae-shin duo.
Considering the annual decreasing buyout centered around these two players, from the club’s perspective, they had to transfer them within 1-2 years at the latest.
“Isn’t this too much of a bargain…?”
“Well, it’s a win-win.”
From the club’s perspective, they could overcome the crisis that might disappear in just a year and a half.
It wasn’t that much money, and it wasn’t that the squad was thick. What made Munich shine was primarily thanks to Ju Ji-tae and Jo Jae-shin’s incredible performances.
However, if you asked whether they could hold enough transfer funds to acquire a quality player to fill their positions when they transfer the two, that was not the case either. The buyout was set at a relatively low amount.
Instead of that, it was more profitable to be led by these two players for 2-3 more years, competing in European competitions for consecutive years, aiming for the Champions League, and, as a second option, entering the Europa League with substantial prize money to strengthen the squad. On top of that, they could even aim for a big transfer fee.
Ju Ji-tae and Jo Jae-shin also gained an image of loyalty to the club and the comfort of playing in a familiar club that had been restructured around them. It was a win-win situation.
“More than anything, there’s the World Cup. Playing in the league and European competitions for two years and then performing in the World Cup? When else can we inflate our value as much as this season?”
“The World Cup…”
Even Jo Jae-shin, who had won the U-20 World Cup and was the top scorer, got lost in thought at the mention of the World Cup.
The World Cup meant a lot to soccer players.
“Isn’t public opinion bad right now? It’s okay. Once the season starts and we perform, it’ll change quickly. Especially if we shine in the Champions League. But loyalty, dedication, romance… it’ll be hard to preserve such an image if we don’t do it now.”
At the time, I nodded my head, thinking it sounded reasonable, but the situation really unfolded as Ju Ji-tae had said.
For a few days after the decision to stay was made, the majority of fans who had lost their expectations were in an uproar. However, as time passed, people began to praise the ‘romantic’ aspect of the two players.
In any case, it was already a decided matter, and importantly, the argument that the two were only 18 years old, soon to be 19, and had a long way to go in their careers, gained leniency. As time went by, emotions subsided, rationality grew, and the argument that staying was not a bad choice gained strength.
Munich, in a manner not characteristic of them, actively spent money to strengthen the squad, raising expectations.
In this transfer market, Munich invested a whopping €42 million, nearly 60 billion won, to strengthen the squad.
Of course, compared to the big clubs, it was a modest amount, and the quality was modest too.
However, until then, the mainstream opinion was still that ‘1-2 years are a time to gain experience.’
Even after 1-2 years had passed, the two were only 20 and 21 years old. People thought that Ju Ji-tae and Jo Jae-shin were taking a brief knee-bending period for their future leap.
『Ju Ji-tae and Jo Jae-shin spitting fire from the opening match!!』
With the start of the season, people realized that the two had already gained enough momentum.
