Chapter 257: Persistent Voices
The morning call came at 6:30 AM, jolting Amani from a peaceful sleep. He had specifically chosen not to change his Dutch phone number to avoid exactly this kind of interruption, but somehow the agents kept finding ways to reach him.
"Mr. Hamadi, this is Philippe Lamboley from Stellar Group. I’m calling from Paris, and I believe we have a proposition that could change your life..."
Amani hung up without listening to the rest. It was the fourth call since arriving in Kenya three days earlier, and his patience was wearing thin. He had come home to escape the constant pressure and attention, not to deal with more business propositions.
His mother appeared in the doorway with a cup of tea and a knowing smile. "More agents?" she asked, settling into the chair beside his bed.
"They never stop," Amani sighed, accepting the tea gratefully. "Yesterday it was someone claiming to represent Barcelona. The day before, it was Manchester United. Today it’s some group from Paris I’ve never heard of."
"What do they want?"
"The same thing they all want - to represent me, to take a percentage of my earnings, to ’maximize my potential’ and ’take my career to the next level.’ They all use the same phrases, make the same promises."
His mother studied him thoughtfully. "And what do you want?"
It was a question that cut to the heart of his current situation. What did he want? The obvious answer was to continue playing football at the highest level, to keep improving, to help Utrecht succeed in the Europa League. But beyond that, his goals were less clear.
"I want to keep doing what I’m doing," he said finally. "Playing for Utrecht, supporting the projects here in Kenya, building something sustainable. I don’t need agents promising me moves to bigger clubs or more money. I’m happy where I am."
"For now," his mother added gently. "But you’re seventeen, Amani. Your perspective might change as you get older, as new opportunities arise."
She was right, of course. The football world was unpredictable, and circumstances could change quickly. But for now, he was content with his current situation and saw no reason to complicate it with additional representation.