The Rise of Millwal

Chapter 62: Seizing the Moment

Before Aldrich set off for Spain, he finalized a transfer deal in London. The offer was for Danny Mills, a young player from last season's relegated Premier League team Norwich, at a price of ￡300,000 after some haggling.

Danny Mills, now 19, could play as both a central defender and right-back. Aldrich needed to ensure a strong bench by having two or three players for the same position. Young talents like Lucas Neill and Zambrotta, who were only 18, couldn't be expected to maintain perfect attendance throughout the season. It wasn't that they couldn't; rather, pushing them too hard would wear them out and negatively impact their future development. Healthy competition will also help ensure that they don't become overconfident or complacent just because they have become starters at a young age.

In the sunny, breezy Spain, Aldrich and Andrew parted ways upon arrival, with Aldrich heading alone to the small town of Tuiya in the city of Gureio.

Dressed in a suit and sporting sunglasses, Aldrich attracted attention as he followed the address on a piece of paper. As he moved closer to his destination, the architectural landscape around him began to resemble a slum. This was a stark contrast to the clean and beautiful neighborhoods elsewhere; even if the residents here weren't the poorest in society, they certainly didn't live in wealth.

As Aldrich arrived at a small bungalow, he took off his sunglasses and carefully surveyed the cramped house. He sighed softly, reflecting that many future football stars, despite their vast earnings later, had struggled in their family lives before achieving fame.

It was precisely this kind of opportunity that Aldrich capitalized on. Sometimes he questioned whether his actions were unscrupulous, yet he could never persuade himself to walk away.

When there was a chance to seize a golden opportunity, who would care about others' opinions?

Besides, he wasn't a ruthless businessman; he could justify this to himself.

After adjusting his outfit, Aldrich knocked on the door.

"Who is it?"

The door opened to reveal a middle-aged man, unkempt yet not scruffy, with a visible air of despondency.

Aldrich handed over his business card with a smile in Spanish. "Hello, sir, I'm Aldrich Hall from London, the owner and head coach of a football club. I'm very interested in your son and hope he can join my team."

The middle-aged man was taken aback, his hand trembling slightly as he held the card. "David? But David is only 14. How much will you offer him in a contract?"

In many parts of the world—Africa, South America, even Europe—playing football was a way for families in the lower strata of society to change their destinies. Becoming a professional player could lift an entire family from poverty. For talented youngsters with no financial means, there was no room for negotiation before the spotlight shone on them; they went where the money was.

Aldrich stepped inside the cramped house and settled into a creaky armchair.

At that moment, a mother and son appeared in the living room. The fourteen-year-old boy stood in front of his mother, who wrapped her arms around his neck, as if fearing that someone might take him away.

Aldrich smiled as he sized up the boy, assured he had the right person. He turned to the middle-aged man and said, "His name is David Villa Sánchez, right?"

The man nodded and beckoned his son over to greet Aldrich, visibly nervous as a miner. He instructed Villa to say hello.

Villa opened his mouth, seemingly unsure of how to address Aldrich, ultimately managing only a soft hello.

Aldrich gestured for Villa to sit down and chat. Villa looked back at his father, who nodded in encouragement, prompting him to take a seat next to his dad.

Aldrich pulled a stack of documents from his briefcase and handed them to the Villa family. "My club is called Millwall. You might not have heard of it before. This is a brief introduction to the team. Just so you know, next season, my team will be competing in the top tier of English football."

Villa and his father leafed through the documents, which mostly featured illustrated club facilities, including The Den stadium, the training grounds, internal equipment, and some statistics from last season's matches.

Villa read with great interest, his eyes filled with longing, while his father appeared somewhat uninterested. He said sternly, "Sir, even if what you say is true, we can't just hand over our child to you to take him to unfamiliar London."

Aldrich nodded, responding candidly, "I also don't believe David should be separated from his family at this age. Therefore, the club can provide your family with free accommodation. Additionally, if you don't mind, our community can offer job positions."

The gift Barnett had given Aldrich half a year ago was now useful. Aldrich could offer free housing, and the community's supermarkets and pubs could also provide job opportunities for families relocating to England. Considering East London was the area with the highest number of immigrants, there were no concerns about adaptation or feeling out of place.

Villa's father was a miner, earning a low income with a risky job. Hearing Aldrich's enticing offer had him feeling somewhat tempted.

"David has unparalleled football talent. I hope he can join Millwall's youth academy, where he will receive the best training and care, ensuring his healthy development. Eventually, he can become an important part of Millwall."

"An apprentice?"

"I understand your family has some difficulties, which is fine. If David agrees to come to Millwall, I can offer him a contract of ￡2,000 a week, and once he joins the senior team, I believe his salary will increase significantly."

"￡2,000?!"

The trio's eyes widened in disbelief. Even after taxes, they would clear over ￡4,000 a month, while the standard welfare benefits in the UK at that time were less than ￡500 a month. This money could enable them to live better in London, especially with free accommodation included.

Villa's father didn't agree immediately; instead, he said, "Let us think it over."

This sudden windfall was overwhelming.

Aldrich wasn't in a hurry. He pulled out an envelope from his briefcase and placed it on the table. Before leaving, he added, "If you decide, feel free to call me, or you can come to London for a visit first."

After Aldrich left, Villa opened the envelope on the table to find ￡1,000 and three round-trip tickets from Spain to London.

On the road away from the small town, Aldrich's phone rang. It was Andrew on the other end.

"Both players are secured. Elguerra's uncle is in the same line of work as me, so I discussed the terms with him and settled it. Capdevila was the same."

"Okay, great. Next stop, Italy."

Ivan Elguerra, aged 18, and 17-year-old Joan Capdevila had not signed formal contracts with any clubs, allowing Aldrich to acquire both players without spending a penny on transfer fees.

The former would later become an absolute key player for the famed Galacticos, versatile in playing as a center-back and defensive midfielder. The latter was the only player not from Barcelona or Real Madrid to win the World Cup with Spain in 2010, playing as a left-back.

Two days later, in the Italian capital, Rome.

In a café, a man in his thirties was reading the "Corriere dello Sport," occasionally sipping coffee and appearing quite leisurely.

Aldrich and Andrew walked into the café. After scanning the room, Aldrich spotted a man in a t-shirt and approached him, greeting him in Italian. The man closed his newspaper and gestured for Aldrich and Andrew to have a seat across from him.

"Alberto De Rossi. Mr. Aldrich Hall, Mr. Andrew Hall, welcome."

The man leaned forward, shaking hands with both guests, then waved to a young boy at the end of the café who was flipping through a football magazine, beckoning him over softly, "Daniele."

The boy, who resembled his father, set aside the magazine and came over to sit beside him.

Aldrich observed the thirteen-year-old De Rossi before turning his attention back to Alberto De Rossi. He spoke solemnly, "Mr. De Rossi, I know you have a special connection to this city and to Roma. I also understand that you would go above and beyond to nurture your son into a member of AS Roma. Before I extend my invitation, I will not deny two points: First, Daniele's talent; second, the contribution he could offer to Roma if he stays here."

Alberto De Rossi was already at an age nearing retirement but still played for AS Roma. He was certain that young De Rossi's future lay with the club.

The elder De Rossi nodded earnestly and replied, "Exactly. Therefore, I don't anticipate this meeting will yield a satisfactory outcome for both parties. I hold reservations about English football; sending my son to Millwall might ruin him."

The elder De Rossi spoke bluntly, his words implied a disdain for the football environment outside Italy without mentioning Italian football.

After a moment of silence, Aldrich replied, "In my team, there are currently four young Italian players."

The elder De Rossi raised the "Corriere dello Sport" mockingly and said, "Everyone in Italy is aware of that. You even recommended those players for the Italian youth team, haha."

He then flipped the paper, and the headline "Where is Millwall, anyway?" caught Aldrich's eye.