Chapter 14 Samuel Eto’o
"You're right. So-called negotiations are rarely ever equal. Right now, you are the stronger party," José said.
"Exactly, young man. If you want to impress me..."
Before Pirri could finish his sentence, José cut him off. "It's all about the benefits. Enough benefit will persuade the other side. And the best negotiations aren't those where one side wins, but where both sides benefit. That's when the negotiation holds real value."
"That's the point," Pirri nodded. "It wasn't until I was fifty that I truly understood this, and that's when I became the general manager and technical director of Real Madrid. You're only twenty-five, and even just understanding this is something to be proud of."
José accepted Pirri's praise modestly—now, the real negotiation was just beginning.
"Loaning Eto'o is beneficial to Mallorca because it gives us a more stable scoring option alongside Tristan. For Mallorca to avoid relegation, we need more victories, which means scoring more goals. Eto'o is crucial to us," José started by highlighting the benefits for Mallorca. He quickly changed his tone. "As for Real Madrid, on the surface, they gain the opportunity to develop Eto'o, but financially, there's not much to be gained. Mallorca doesn't have any transfer funds this winter. After our poor first half of the season, we've already lost a lot. Not making it to the Champions League group stage cost us nearly ten million dollars in broadcasting revenue. That's terrifying, and even Eto'o's salary, we can only cover half."
"I'm aware of that. I know the financial situation of all La Liga teams," Pirri nodded. "So, I can't see how this loan would benefit Real Madrid. Maybe in the second half of the season, Eto'o will get more chances, and although Real Madrid's finances aren't great, covering half of Eto'o's salary isn't a big deal."
"Schedules," José uttered the word.
"What?" Pirri didn't quite catch it.