What kind of football player is handsome?

Chapter 17: Finally Joining a Top-Tier Team, My First Professional Contract Arrives!

"Hey, Tomash, focus! You're on our side of defense, don't let the kid win."

Vidic shook his arm, clearly unhappy with the goal conceded.

The Serbian center-back has reason to be angry, as he was beaten three times by Morrison in a training match last time.

Vidic didn't go all out at first, thinking he should leave some confidence for his child.

The young man was really shameless, taking advantage of the situation and telling everyone he met, "Vidic was defeated by me three times in one round," making it known to everyone at Carrington base.

"Damn, these gloves are so slippery!!"

Kushchak frantically rubbed his gloves, looking exactly like Master Luo after being kicked off the table by Ip Man.

Liu Yi thought of a line from a song.

Just a little closer, and I'll let you hold my hand~

That shot was just a hair's breadth away from being saved.

Smalling stood silently in place.

In fact, he was the real culprit for conceding the goal. His rash rush to intercept played right into Liu Yi's hands, and he was completely outmaneuvered by a convincing feint.

Ferguson's assessment was spot on—to succeed Ferdinand, top-notch physical attributes alone are not enough; one also needs a wealth of match experience and a keen understanding of defensive positioning.

On the sidelines, the coaches were constantly observing the players' performance in the "scenario-based offensive and defensive drills".

"That kid's positioning is really inspired; no wonder he can play with Dimitra so well."

Mike Perrin nodded slightly.

Among the kids who have been training with the first team this season, Liu Yi and Pogba have the highest football IQ.

"His talent in this area is undeniable, but unfortunately, this is Manchester United, a team full of superstars, and even Wayne doesn't have the right to play a more relaxed style of football."

Another assistant coach, Michael Craig, who was in charge of physical conditioning and strength training, expressed a different opinion.

Surrounded by admirers, Ferguson chewed gum, seemingly lost in thought.

Does his team need a second Dimitar Berbatov?

Admittedly, he doesn't appreciate Berbatov's playing style and has been looking for a replacement for "Dazzling Guy" in the transfer market.

But the Bulgarian's efficiency this season is beyond doubt. His ability to top the Premier League's scoring charts amidst fierce competition is no fluke.

Moreover, "Handsome Guy" also has a high EQ. Every time the Duke talks to him and tells him to run more, he always gets a very sincere reply: "I'll definitely do it next time." Then he goes for a walk as usual.

As long as Berbatov keeps scoring, no one can challenge his position, even if he only covers a paltry six or seven kilometers per game.

"Forget it, let's put the other three kids down to the reserve team for now, let them play in the reserve league, and find an opportunity to loan them out in the winter transfer window or next summer to get them some experience. In the meantime, let them train with the team."

Sir Alex Ferguson still believes Morrison has the most potential and would give him an S rating.

However, Morrison has been plagued by off-field troubles, and a D would be too high for him in all other aspects besides football.

Pogba's potential is somewhere between S and A, but at this stage, he is still in a rough stage and needs to be polished.

Lingard only has a B grade, but he is diligent. If he trains hard and develops normally, he should have no problem making it into the first team.

As for Liu Yi...

Ferguson couldn't comment on him.

In his first training session, he immediately shook off Smalling and broke through Tomas Kuszczak's defenses, showing a performance comparable to Lavel Morrison.

He can't run, he can't carry a load properly, and he can't even bench press a single dog...

This might be the player with the biggest gap between his potential and his actual performance, showing the potential to enter the first team, but he will most likely end up at the bottom of the standings.

Just then, Mike Perrin suddenly chimed in.

"This kid has a high level of tactical awareness. When we discussed tactics in the locker room, I saw him learn the fastest, and he even explained it to his teammates. Maybe we can keep him and let him learn more. It's always good. If the boss is happy, the transfer budget this summer might increase. He might be willing to spend money on Van Persie, whom you've been longing for, after all, this kid's status is quite special..."

Special identity?

Ferguson will not forget.

Seven years ago, a black-eyed, yellow-skinned boy joined Manchester United. More than 20 media outlets came to the scene, and the hype swept across half of China, bringing huge exposure. He was given all sorts of titles, such as "the Red Devils' twin stars with Ronaldo", "China's Cantona", "King Dong" and "world-class below the neck".

Hmm, this seems to be very similar to Liu Yi's comments!

"Well, let's give him a chance then..."

Ferguson said nothing more.

In his view.

Liu Yi.

It's just a small piece of Robin van Persie's puzzle.

※※※

"Holy crap!"

Lingard was already able to express his shock in fluent Mandarin.

"Is Big Brother really going to join the first team and sign a professional contract?!"

That's amazing!

Pogba also cast an envious glance.

Mino told him that he would be the first player from this batch of Manchester United players to be promoted to the first team.

As a result, neither of the top two teams made it in.

The fat guy is always lying to people.

"Getting promoted to the first team means you'll sign a permanent contract, so you have to treat us today! I remember a really good Chinese dish, what's it called? Air-fried Chicken?!"

Lingard picked up his phone and started searching for restaurants near Carrington Base.

"The reserve team can also sign formal contracts, which is better than an apprentice contract that only covers nutrition expenses!"

Liu Yi comforted his underlings.

By sheer luck, he actually made it into the first team.

It all felt like a dream.

In my past life, as a "spectator football fan," I often shouted "Solskjaer," "Teng Hai," and "Solskjaer is still fighting! Solskjaer has fallen (crying)!"

In this second life, he finds himself fighting to defend the glory of the Red Devils logo on his chest.

"But, brother, have you hired an agent? A professional agent can help you with a lot of things."

Pogba seemed to have thought of something and suddenly asked a question.

"Uh, no, I have no experience in this area..."

Pogba gave a wicked smile.

"I have a good candidate for agent, you might want to consider him..."

※※※

Liu Yi has not considered Raiola for the time being.

Choosing an agent is a big decision that requires careful consideration and repeated deliberation.

Moreover, his first contract in life doesn't offer him much room for maneuver.

Similarly, the level of representatives sent by Manchester United was not high.

Richard Arnold, the Vice President of Business Development in charge of the signing, was overjoyed.

This isn't a player.

This is clearly a cash cow that has been brought in by a vast market with 1.3 billion people!

Liu Yi glanced at it quickly.

A weekly wage of five thousand pounds.

The contract is for two years.

Including a £500 bonus for each goal scored.

After deducting taxes, the total annual income is only £20.

However, Liu Yi already knew that two other young Manchester United strikers in similar situations—Italian Macheda and English star Welbeck—also had two-year contracts with weekly wages of less than £10,000.

Finally, I can escape the cafeteria and go out to eat something delicious!

But the "food desert" is too barren!

Aside from inauthentic modified Chinese dishes, it's all the same old fish and chips...

It's better to eat in the cafeteria.

Soon, under the direction of his business-savvy American boss, news of Liu Yi signing a formal contract with Manchester United spread like wildfire on Chinese sports portals.

Breaking News! Manchester United officially announces: 17-year-old Chinese prodigy Liu Yi has officially signed with the Red Devils' first team!

Scoring a goal in his first training session! The "Handsome Guy" frankly says: "He reminds me of my younger self!"

"Three months, from youth trainee to first team member—an incredible leap! Will Liu Yi be the next Dong Fangzhuo?!"

China's U-19 national team suffers a crushing defeat at the AFC U-19 Championship on home soil! Failing to qualify for the FIFA U-20 World Cup for the third consecutive time. Would the outcome have been different with Liu Yi's help?

The comments section quickly garnered over ten thousand messages, with various opinions circulating about Liu Yi's uncertain future.

[Gao Junmin was unbeatable among his peers in China, yet he barely got any playing time at Schalke in the Bundesliga. Liu Yi? To be honest, I'm not optimistic about him. He never even played in the Chinese Super League back then. It feels like Manchester United is just trying to capitalize on the popularity of the Chinese market before Ferguson retires!]

[Dude? Just because someone hasn't played in the Chinese Super League doesn't mean they don't understand it! The Chinese Super League is basically the same level as the English Championship. How could Yi Di, a star player who can make Manchester United's first team, not understand the English Championship?]

[Is the Chinese Premier League equivalent to the English Championship? The Championship champions could easily beat the Chinese Premier League champions!]

[I feel Evergrande still has a chance. Old Xu has invested a lot of money, and they're starting to dominate Huajia.]

[Waaaaah, who's going to cover my bets if every Manchester United youth team game goes over 2.5 goals from now on?! My money...]