From Manchester to North America, and then from North America to Ireland.
Manchester City circled the globe, spending nearly a month on long-distance training. The sessions were intense and the matches frequent. So after returning to Manchester, Gao Shen gave the players a day off.
On the one hand, it was to help them recover from jet lag. On the other, it allowed them to rest and spend time with their families.
Next up, Manchester City would face Manchester United in the Community Shield.
This match served as the curtain-raiser for the new season.
…
As the saying goes: "The flowers are the same every year, but the people change each year."
Every year, the European transfer market plays out what appear to be new dramas, but in essence, they are all quite similar. Still, they keep the media and fans around the world on edge.
If last year Manchester City were the deep-pocketed club splashing the cash, then this year Paris Saint-Germain has picked up the mantle.
But unlike last year, this summer's European transfer market has been relatively quiet.
This is evident from the investment levels across the top leagues.
Particularly in the Premier League, after three straight years of heavy investment by Manchester City, this season finally saw a tightening of spending. As a result, Premier League transfer expenditure actually fell behind Serie A.
That was a surprising development.
Serie A emerged as the dark horse of this transfer window. After winning the Serie A title and reaching the Champions League semi-finals, Napoli offloaded several core players, generating over €200 million in transfer income. Naturally, they reinvested heavily in the market.
With Juventus undergoing a rebuild, and Lazio and Roma also increasing their investment, alongside continued spending from both Milan clubs, Serie A's total transfer spending reached €460 million—topping all of European football.
The Premier League came in just €10 million behind. This was largely due to Manchester City pulling back on spending. Other clubs, like Everton, also tightened their budgets, leading to a rather underwhelming overall performance.
La Liga ranked third with €350 million in spending, while Ligue 1 climbed to fourth thanks to Paris Saint-Germain's investments. The Bundesliga ranked fifth, with just €150 million in total transfer spending.
Notably, aside from PSG, La Liga's Malaga—dubbed the "Manchester City of Spain"—also drew attention with a net investment of €60 million, even more than Real Madrid and Barcelona.
After Roma's acquisition, the club underwent a major transformation, investing close to €80 million.
Then there's Anzhi from the Russian Premier League. They paid €23 million just for Eto'o. But more striking was Eto'o's €20 million annual salary—absolutely staggering.
By now, the future trend of European football is clear.
Following the global economic downturn, hot money began pouring into professional football—especially from the Middle East. Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain, Malaga... their spending knows no bounds.
This trend will make top-quality players more sought-after.
And the outcome? Rising player transfer fees and skyrocketing salaries.
…
The day after returning to Manchester, Lucas came to report on the latest developments.
This time, the club's sponsorship mission to China had gone quite well.
Initially, Gao Shen had reached out to Huawei,a leading domestic telecommunications giant through his contacts in Italy.
In recent years, Huawei had begun sponsoring sporting events. For example, this summer's Italian Super Cup held in China was backed by them. There were also rumors that they were eyeing sponsorship deals with clubs in La Liga and Serie A.
After initial contact, the two sides hit it off quickly.
But unexpectedly, another domestic solar energy giant, Intech, showed even more sincerity. Not only had they sponsored the World Cup, they also planned to support La Liga clubs and were highly interested in sports marketing.
After negotiations, both sides reached an agreement. Intech would sponsor Leeds United's shirt front for £3.5 million annually. If the team gained promotion to the Premier League, that would increase by another £1.5 million—totalling £5 million.
Huawei's consumer division hadn't taken off yet, and the ATE smartphone that Gao Shen had been obsessed with still hadn't hit the market. Naturally, they weren't ready to commit large sums for shirt sponsorship. But they still agreed to a £2 million sponsorship deal, securing rights to Leeds United's training kits and shirt sleeves.
With these two major sponsorships secured, Leeds United's finances suddenly looked much healthier.
That wasn't all. Su Qing and Fernando Lucas also paid a visit to Lianxiang, the world's largest computer manufacturer. The two parties struck a sponsorship agreement. Lianxiang would become the club's data center partner, providing a full suite of server equipment and system infrastructure, while also becoming an official sponsor.
Though the sponsorship was valued at £1 million, much of it would come in the form of goods and services.
After all, building such a large-scale data center and implementing an internal office system at Leeds United would incur major costs—and Lianxiang could handle all of it.
Both Huawei and Lianxiang were optimistic about Leeds United's fusion of technology and football.
In essence, they believed in the potential of the business model Gao Shen was building.
…
"Before we left China, a TV company, a home appliance manufacturer, and several other brands reached out to us. I could feel their eagerness to expand internationally."
At this point, Fernando Lucas turned to Gao Shen. "Gao, I think we should set up an office in China to promote our brand and maintain these partnerships."
Gao Shen had already considered that.
"If the goal is just to make money, there's not much point in opening an office. I've always believed in building sustainable, mutually beneficial partnerships, including serving our Chinese fans. That's the perspective we should take."
Lucas glanced at Gao Shen, then at Su Qing, and laughed. "You two say the exact same thing."
"Really?" Gao Shen was a little surprised.
In fact, Gao Shen and his team had already outlined a comprehensive marketing plan for Leeds United.
They planned to hire a professional documentary director to create a feature on Leeds United—covering the club's history, its heyday as the White Rose, its decline, and its current rebirth...
The club would tell this story in a way that resonates with younger audiences—through culture, passion, and narrative.
Leeds United would establish a presence across major platforms like Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook.
They also planned to work with Huawei to install WIFI throughout Elland Road, develop an official app to offer more fan services, and foster deeper fan interaction.
For example, sponsors could promote their brands during matches. Fans could view instant replays, multi-angle footage, player stats, and goal alerts on their phones, as well as share highlights in real time. The club would also create a permanent fan activity zone and organize a range of targeted events online and offline.
With stadium-wide WIFI, fans could order food or purchase merchandise from any corner of the stadium—making their experience more convenient and boosting match-day spending.
All of this would significantly enhance the match-day experience and elevate the club's stadium services.
Huawei placed great importance on this partnership. After signing the contract, they immediately dispatched personnel for an on-site inspection and quickly drew up plans. Preparations were now in full swing, and the system was expected to go live before September.
For Huawei, a company that prides itself on "wolf-like" tenacity, this partnership is a strategic move.
What they're aiming to knock on is the door of European football!
Leeds United's Elland Road would become the first stadium in European football to offer full WIFI coverage, setting an example for others to follow.
That's why Huawei placed such value on this collaboration.
In terms of marketing, Gao Shen, Su Qing, Lucas, and the club's team had already made comprehensive preparations. The next step was execution.
In the Chinese market, Gao Shen preferred a long-term strategy over short-term profit.
That's why the partnerships with Huawei, Intech, and Lianxiang were all focused on win-win outcomes.
…
Compared to the club's business side, Gao Shen didn't have much to worry about with the team.
When Sarri first took over as head coach, there were initial concerns about the squad's strength. But on the very first day of training, Sarri called Gao Shen—who was still in the US—and happily expressed his confidence in the team.
Why?
Because Leeds United's players were genuinely strong.
After a month of intensive training, the main starting lineup had basically taken shape.
Goalkeeper: Courtois.
Defenders: Kurzawa, Koulibaly, Woodgate, and Clyne.
Midfielders: Pogba, Schneiderlin, and Paulinho.
Forwards: Adam Lallana, Benteke, and Bolasie.
At left back, Kurzawa managed to outperform Bertrand, which came as a surprise to Gao Shen.
After all, Bertrand had played in the Champions League final this year.
In midfield, Kondogbia failing to earn a starting spot was another unexpected outcome.
Up front, Bolasie earned a place in the starting lineup, which also surprised Gao Shen.
But after discussing it with Sarri, he understood—Bolasie was lightning-fast and technically gifted. When isolated one-on-one, he posed a massive threat.
In midfield, the trio was not only strong but also covered a lot of ground.
Schneiderlin played as a holding midfielder. He was excellent at passing and defending, perfectly suited to the style Sarri and Gao Shen wanted to implement.
With Pogba and Paulinho in front, the midfield and defense were well shielded.
Both Sarri and Lucas were very satisfied with the squad.
If there was one concern, it would be central defense.
Koulibaly was physically dominant but still raw defensively. Woodgate was very steady but injury-prone. Maguire and Stones were both too young—especially Stones, who wasn't yet ready for regular action.
But that was fine. In more polished terms, those issues could be ironed out through training.
(To be continued.)