Super Wingstorm

In Almere, no one could refuse the allure of an offer from Eindhoven.

John Reep looked at Yang Yang’s silent expression and understood everything.

Around noon today, he had received three successive phone calls from Ajax: from scout Fred Arroyo, chief scout Tony Bruins Slotts, and first-team chief assistant coach Luther Carroll.

The reason all three had called him was surprisingly the same: Yang Yang.

Before seeing the stack of business cards in Yang Yang’s hand, John Reep had been skeptical. ’Why would Ajax be so anxious about Yang Yang?’ Even his outstanding performance in the amateur league couldn’t fully explain it.

But after looking at the stack of cards, especially the one from Pete De Vries, he finally understood.

To have Eindhoven’s chief scout come watch a match in person—it went without saying that Yang Yang was already on Eindhoven’s priority watchlist, and perhaps even on the list for immediate recruitment.

Almere was a satellite club of Ajax. From any perspective, Ajax had no reason to let such a player go to Eindhoven. That was why they wanted to make a preemptive move, to at least make Yang Yang understand that it wasn’t just Eindhoven interested in him, but Ajax as well.

And that was why all three of them had coincidentally called John Reep.

So what about Eindhoven?

Pete De Vries was known for his "golden eyes"; his judgment of players was always incredibly sharp. He was the one who had assisted Anersen in signing Ronaldo from Brazil all those years ago. As a result, "The Phenomenon" had caused Eindhoven’s strength to skyrocket.

Anyone who had watched Yang Yang play could easily see his many flaws. For example, his crosses were unreliable, his ball control was poor, and his passing was inconsistent. In short, his fundamentals were a mess.

But they also certainly wouldn’t deny Yang Yang’s most dazzling attribute: his Pendulum Move.

So sharp, so astonishing!

As a former European-level right winger, John Reep considered himself a good judge of talent. But Yang Yang made him completely doubt his own eyes. The boy’s progress was so rapid that in just two or three months, he had completely overturned Reep’s understanding.

He was only sixteen, yet his momentum was this fierce. ’Who could possibly imagine what he would become in the future?’

A player who could win the approval of someone like Pete De Vries must surely have something extraordinary about him.

’And what about Yang Yang? What’s going through his mind?’

Ajax and Eindhoven. How would he choose?

"This afternoon, I received three calls in a row, all asking about you."

"Huh?" Yang Yang was startled out of his silence, looking at his head coach in surprise.

"Ajax’s chief scout, Tony Bruins Slotts; first-team assistant coach, Luther Carroll; and Fred Arroyo, the scout responsible for tracking the amateur league. They’re all very interested in you."

"Really?" Yang Yang felt another wave of delighted surprise.

Eindhoven’s interest had already been a huge shock. He never expected that Ajax would be interested in him too.

"It’s a long-standing tradition at Ajax for the first-team head coach to also oversee the youth academy. Assistant coach Luther Carroll is not only Ronald Koeman’s right-hand man but also a youth academy assistant. Theoretically, with the new technical director not yet in place, Luther Carroll and Tony Bruins Slotts could make the final decision on whether to sign you."

John Reep explained Ajax’s signing process to Yang Yang. He clearly wanted him to understand that Ajax valued him just as much as Eindhoven did. The reason they hadn’t contacted Yang Yang directly was because Almere was Ajax’s satellite club.

A so-called satellite club meant that, under equal conditions, Ajax had the first right to sign any player from Almere, and that naturally included youth players.

After hearing John Reep’s words, Yang Yang suddenly felt conflicted.

’Ajax and Eindhoven are both interested in me. How am I supposed to choose?’

"Mr. Reep, what do you think of these two teams?" Yang Yang asked, concerned.

John Reep was pleased that Yang Yang had taken the initiative to ask for his opinion, but he didn’t intend to favor either side. After all, this was about Yang Yang’s future. As his head coach, he could offer advice, but he shouldn’t mislead him.

"Ajax and Eindhoven are the two strongest powerhouse teams in the Netherlands, and both are renowned giants in Europe. We don’t even need to talk about Ajax; they’ve always prioritized youth development. But their results have fluctuated a bit in recent years, with quite a few ups and downs. Although they can consistently stay in the top three of the Eredivisie, they still fall short compared to Eindhoven."

"Eindhoven, on the other hand, has had very good results these past few years. After Hiddink led the team to the title this season, he’s going to renew his contract. I believe Eindhoven will remain the most competitive team in the Netherlands for the next few years. Plus, they’re financially strong. In terms of player salaries and club operations, they’re better off than Ajax."

Yang Yang nodded repeatedly. John Reep’s analysis was very close to his own impressions.

"But that doesn’t mean Ajax doesn’t have its advantages. Eindhoven’s youth academy isn’t as good as Ajax’s, and Hiddink prefers to use established players. It’s undoubtedly harder for a young player to make a breakthrough at Eindhoven. More importantly, Eindhoven’s current first team is packed with talent. On the left wing, you have Robben, and on the right, Park Ji-sung. Both are Hiddink’s favorites."

"Even a player with universally acknowledged, exceptional talent like Afellay hasn’t been able to break into the first team yet. You can imagine just how fierce the competition is in Eindhoven’s first team. It’s incredibly difficult for a young player to stand out."

Seeing Yang Yang nod continuously, John Reep smiled faintly before continuing his analysis.

"Ajax has always been famous for its youth development. They excel at bringing in players of the right age, then polishing and nurturing them into stars. They also have a history of boldly using young players, prioritizing internal scouting and development. Relatively speaking, there are more opportunities there."

"I’ve received reliable information that right winger Van der Meede is about to transfer to Inter Milan. A spot will open up on the first team’s right wing, and young players will definitely get more opportunities for match experience. Both Babel and Amrabat have already been included in the first-team plans."

Yang Yang was starting to understand now.

Both teams were Dutch powerhouses, but their situations were completely different.

Ajax was currently one of Europe’s renowned Young Guards. Ronald Koeman had always aimed to build a brand new team that could rival Van Gaal’s youth army of the mid-nineties. Young players would get more chances and trust in a team like that.

But Eindhoven, relatively speaking, leaned more towards mature, established players. Even a 19-year-old wonderkid like Robben only managed to secure a foothold in Eindhoven’s first team after playing two full Eredivisie seasons with Groningen.

It could be said that it wasn’t a matter of which team was better or worse, but simply a matter of Yang Yang’s personal choice.

John Reep was also clearly aware of the difficult choice Yang Yang was facing. Whether it was Ajax or Eindhoven, there were pros and cons. No one could guarantee how many chances a sixteen-year-old would get at either team, nor could anyone promise what he would become in the future.

Therefore, taking this step undoubtedly required careful consideration and deep thought.

"I think you don’t need to worry too much about this for now," John Reep suggested. "It’s only the beginning of July, so there’s still plenty of time. You can focus on playing well in the amateur league first. It’s not too late to think about this later."

Yang Yang understood. This was probably the best option for now.

"Also, in the next match against Ajax, you have to perform well. There will probably be a lot of people there to watch you play. A good performance will give you an advantage in any future contact and negotiations."

"I understand. Thank you for the reminder, Mr. Reep," Yang Yang said with sincere gratitude.

"Finally, I suggest you find yourself an agent as soon as possible. That way, you can free yourself from these troublesome trivialities and focus on the game," John Reep suggested with a smile.

Watching his head coach leave, Yang Yang felt quite helpless.

He couldn’t count how many times John Reep had advised him to get an agent, yet he was completely clueless about the whole thing.

He had read plenty of news stories about the misdeeds of agents. The manager of the Premier League’s Manchester United, Ferguson, had even previously denounced agents as vampires. This naturally gave him a bad impression of them.

But recently, he had to admit that having a competent agent to help plan these things would indeed allow him to be more focused. ’But how do I find one?’

Henk Demyer actually had his own agent, supposedly from a small but well-known agency in Amsterdam. He had asked Henk Demyer to inquire with Yang Yang before, but Yang Yang had been completely focused on training and hadn’t given it any thought.

Besides, he was wary of agents. ’Who knows if he’d pull some sneaky moves behind my back?’

When Yang Yang walked back to the courtyard, pulled Henk Demyer aside to ask about agents, and revealed his worries, the Almere Youth Team captain slapped his own forehead forcefully.

"Come on! You sign a contract with him, you pay his salary. You’re his boss, he works for you. As long as the contract is signed properly, you can fire him anytime you don’t like him, without even paying a termination fee. Why would you be afraid he won’t work diligently for you?" Henk Demyer said with complete confidence.

"Is that how it is?" Yang Yang was a bit surprised. ’How is that different from what I’ve heard?’

"Bro, the ones you’re talking about are the top-tier agents in Europe. Players need them for transfers, to leverage their resources. Naturally, they’ll be at their mercy. But right now, you’re just looking for someone who knows the business and can help you negotiate contract terms with clubs. What are you worried about?"

Henk Demyer, Nick, and the others couldn’t help but laugh when they saw the look of sudden realization on Yang Yang’s face.

The guy’s understanding of professional football was just like his performance on the pitch a few months ago—a total mess.

"If you’re worried, you can show the contract to Mr. Reep and a lawyer when the time comes," Henk Demyer suggested.

Yang Yang nodded. He felt relieved now.

No matter what, it was best to find an agent to handle these trivial matters first.