Liverpool really did have good luck, it must be said.

Perhaps sometimes, the formation of a great team and the birth of a great dynasty require luck as an essential element. It could even be said that any great team or great dynasty has had good luck…

Atlético Madrid did not reject Liverpool, agreeing only to Manchester City.

Moreover, they did not immediately reject Liverpool's offer of eighteen million euros, but hesitated for a few days before turning it down.

Niang keenly grasped Atlético Madrid's hesitation.

He felt that he was not far from Atlético Madrid's final acceptable offer.

Although in public news, Atlético Madrid stated that James Rodríguez would not be sold for less than forty million euros, Liverpool would definitely not meet this demand.

Because Liverpool would definitely not spend forty million to buy a winger who might not even be a regular starter.

Not only Liverpool, but also teams like Manchester City would not spend forty million to buy James Rodríguez.

Liverpool offered twenty million euros, and stated that this was their final offer.

Then Niang called James Rodríguez's agent, hoping that James could stand up against the club himself to add weight to the transfer.

If the player himself does not rebel, then persuading the other club can only be done by throwing money at them. Only by letting the player himself express a strong desire to leave can Atlético Madrid feel that they cannot keep the player. A forced marriage never works out, and then, considering the economic benefits, Atlético Madrid will choose to let go.

In addition to having James Rodríguez's agent publicly state that Rodríguez intended to leave Atlético Madrid, Niang also used the media to create momentum, intentionally or unintentionally hinting to the media that Liverpool was currently the closest to James Rodríguez.

Regardless of whether this was true, as long as the momentum was created, more people would believe that Liverpool was indeed James Rodríguez's true destination.

At that time, perhaps some competitors would think that Rodríguez had already reached some kind of agreement with Liverpool and would have second thoughts, not intending to continue wasting time on Rodríguez.

Niang often used the media to create momentum, because several of his good friends in the past were influential figures in the media…

Of course, ordinary people did not know the relationship.

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James Rodríguez's agent claimed in the media that his player wanted to go to a bigger stage. Although Atlético Madrid had also qualified for the new season's Champions League, they still had to start from the qualifiers. So, the agent's so-called "bigger stage" was clearly those teams that could directly participate in the Champions League, and even had the ability to win the Champions League title.

After narrowing the scope, the target was easy to find. Those teams with the strength to win the title were all listed.

Liverpool was impressively among them.

Following closely was the news in the media that Liverpool and James Rodríguez were getting closer.

The media stated that Liverpool had some kind of contact with James Rodríguez. They didn't say it too explicitly, but everyone knew what was going on—Liverpool might have reached an agreement with James Rodríguez in advance. As long as Liverpool could handle Atlético Madrid, "007" would be Liverpool's man.

The reason they couldn't say it too explicitly was to avoid being used as leverage.

Anyway, everyone understood the meaning.

With this momentum.

Liverpool suddenly broke out from the competition for James Rodríguez among several major clubs, becoming the team most likely to sign the Colombian Cristiano Ronaldo.

Following closely, Liverpool submitted a new offer to Atlético Madrid—twenty million euros, plus a floating price of three million euros.

If James Rodríguez got thirty appearances in Liverpool's first team, they would pay Atlético Madrid another 1.5 million euros. If the number of appearances reached fifty, they would give another 1.5 million euros.

The total price of twenty-three million euros, of course, could not be compared with the original forty million that Atlético Madrid spent to buy Rodríguez.

But the problem was that the original forty million was inflated and unreasonable. Therefore, other European giants were unwilling to be suckers, but Atlético Madrid made a hot-headed decision to be one.

Even if Rodríguez had shown his value in the past two seasons and his worth had increased, it was an increase in actual value, not the inflated value.

So, the forty million could not be used as a reference. Many people felt that James Rodríguez's actual worth when he joined Atlético Madrid was at most eighteen million euros.

Now that Liverpool had offered twenty-three million euros, it was considered a reasonable price.

Atlético Madrid struggled for a long time this time.

They were thinking about a question—whether it was worthwhile to sell James Rodríguez at this price at this time.

They thought for a long time, and then they figured it out. It was impossible to sell James Rodríguez for more than forty million euros. There was no second sucker like them in the world.

But, James Rodríguez's value had to be calculated like this—twenty-three million euros was real money that everyone could see. At the same time, his outstanding performance last season helped Atlético Madrid reach the Champions League qualifiers. If Atlético Madrid could enter the Champions League group stage, the rewards they would receive would not be too much less.

So… selling James Rodríguez was not so unacceptable.

People, sometimes, pay attention to a "smooth thought." As long as they figure it out themselves, then there is no problem.

In the end, they agreed to Liverpool's offer, but they also agreed to Manchester City's offer.

Now, what played a decisive role was the player's own willingness.

To be honest, there were not many teams that could compare with Liverpool in terms of attracting players.

The only thing that Manchester City could be stronger than Liverpool in might be in terms of player salaries. But would they offer James Rodríguez a weekly salary of more than 150,000 pounds?

If they were willing to, they wouldn't have only spent a transfer fee similar to Liverpool's to buy Rodríguez.

Moreover, for Rodríguez, who was in the rising period of his career, was championship glory more important, or was money more important? With his rationality and judgment in using the transfer to Atlético Madrid to escape Porto and indirectly join a top club, the answer was obvious.

In the end, as he had said to Liverpool before, he agreed to the contract provided by Liverpool with a weekly salary of only 80,000 pounds, and rejected Manchester City's weekly salary contract of 100,000 pounds.

He lost 20,000 pounds every week, which was 1.04 million pounds a year. But at the cost of this, what he could get might be seven championship trophies, and… more championship glory in the future.

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After Liverpool successfully signed James Rodríguez, they turned around to compete with those giants for Sissoko.

The tension they faced was even greater than that of James Rodríguez. After all, there was no shortage of excellent wingers and attacking midfielders in today's football world. But excellent left backs were very scarce.

Sissoko was considered a rare commodity.

After Niang dealt with the transfer transaction with Atlético Madrid, things in Lyon, France, were already in full swing.

But Sissoko's price had not been hyped up. Because everyone remained rational, knowing that it was stupid to frantically raise the price for a player who was destined not to cost a penny. This behavior would not only not benefit oneself, but also anger other teams, which would create many troubles for oneself in the future.

European football was like this, and the circle of giants was even smaller. No one dared to say that they would definitely not have anxiety with other teams. Perhaps next season, they would take a fancy to a player from a certain giant team, but because of what happened today, they offended the other party, causing the other party to ask for a sky-high price, and they would either grit their teeth and be slaughtered, or grit their teeth and give up on the player they were optimistic about.

So, in this line of work, relationships are really important. This is also why there are many private transactions between teams. Everything, without exception, cannot escape the word "favor," whether in China or abroad.

Therefore, although everyone competed fiercely, they did not lack harmony. It was truly "friendship first, competition second."

Sissoko's price had never been able to break through the highest price of 28 million euros.

Lyon President Aulas became the most unhappy person.

He repeatedly roared publicly in the media: "Without 40 million euros, Sissoko will not be sold!"

But no one listened to him, because what he said now was useless.

As long as Sissoko wanted to leave the team, with Aulas's stingy style, he would definitely not allow Sissoko to eventually transfer for free. At that time, even if he could only earn 10 million euros, Aulas would not hesitate to sell Sissoko.

At this time, it depended on whether Sissoko himself was determined to leave Lyon.

Sissoko's attitude was very firm.

Because he went on strike!

He had not participated in the team's training for two consecutive days. His and Lyon's explanation to the outside world was that he had suffered a minor injury, and for the sake of caution, he had not participated in the team's training.

But what kind of people were everyone? Everyone was an insider. Who couldn't see through such a small trick?

It was just that Sissoko had gone on strike, and Lyon was unwilling to admit it due to both face and substance.

Sissoko didn't admit it, just to leave himself a little way out.

Everyone was not fuel-efficient lamps.

However, this incident conveyed a signal to everyone—Sissoko was determined to leave Lyon. If you have the ability, take me away this summer!

So, these giants were fearless and more boldly suppressed the price. They just wouldn't raise the price.

Lyon President Aulas felt so bitter in his heart…

How could it be that one by one was a giant, a big figure in European football who could make European football tremble with a stomp of his foot?

How could they all be so sneaky and stingy!

They weren't even willing to offer 30 million!

At this moment, Niang made his move.

Liverpool's first offer was 25 million.

Lyon refused.

Liverpool's second offer was 30 million, and they told the Lyon club that this was the final offer. If they didn't agree, then forget it.

When Aulas saw this offer, his eyes lit up!

Because this was the highest offer in the past month!

Thirty million! It was exactly his bottom line.

How could it be such a coincidence?