The template of Madoka Kaname: I rose from adversity to the summit.

Inside the coffee shop, Yuan Meng had already checked detailed information on eight teams.

The excitement of renting it out vanished completely, leaving only a feeling of dizziness.

"Waiter, another cappuccino and a bacon and egg stir-fry, please."

"Don't worry," Wilt said with a smile. "We're progressing very quickly; we've already ruled out six clubs."

"Southampton is pretty good, but they don't give me a starting position. I'd really like to work with Van Dijk," Yuan Meng said weakly, slumped on the table.

Wilt patiently explained: "The competition among mid-table teams in the Premier League is also very fierce. The winter transfer window is basically just for patching things up, and it's impossible to directly promise the status of important players."

"Sigh, then I guess I'll just have to go to a relegation-threatened team." Yuan Meng said, a fork dangling from her mouth, looking unhappy. "Why did Ligue 1 withdraw their loan application?"

"They wanted to buy you outright, but Dortmund refused."

Snapped!

Yuan Meng collapsed onto the table.

"I can't take it anymore, Mr. Wilt, you choose for me."

"Ring ring—!"

"Wait a minute, I need to take this call." Wilt picked up his vibrating phone and glanced at the caller ID.

"Hello."

"No need to be so polite, how about tomorrow?"

Wilt checked the time; tomorrow was December 28th.

"Okay, I'm free. Let's talk when we meet." Wilt happily hung up the phone.

"Yuan, an opportunity has come." Wilt quickly patted Yuan Meng on the shoulder.

"Huh? Which one?" Yuan Meng perked up.

"It's Mr. Ranieri, he's coaching at Leicester City."

"Leicester City? The Foxes!"

Yuan dreamed of Leicester City winning the Premier League title in the 15-16 season with odds of 1:5000.

This feat, known as the "Blue Fox Miracle," is one of the greatest myths in sports history.

Yuan Meng quickly asked, "Is Ranieri willing to commit to a core position?"

Wilt looked through the previous records.

"Sort of. Ranieri has agreed to make you one of the core players and guarantee you ample playing time."

"Is there really such a good thing?" Yuan Meng was invigorated. Her backache and leg pain were gone, and she was already eager to get on the field and play football!

Wilt suddenly became serious: "Don't get too excited yet."

Why?

"Leicester City are in a very bad situation this season; look at where they are in the standings."

With her questions in mind, Yuan Meng checked the real-time Premier League standings on her phone.

The Premier League standings as of Round 18 are as follows.

1. Chelsea 46

2. Liverpool 40

3. Manchester City 39

4. Arsenal 37

5. Tottenham Hotspur 36

6. Manchester United 33

……

15. Leicester City 17

16. Middlesbrough 17

17. Crystal Palace 16

18. Swansea 15

19. Hull City 13

20. Sunderland 12

Yuan Meng was stunned. Last season's champions, Leicester City, are now in 15th place, just 2 points away from the relegation zone!

"So that's why the head coach came to see me in person. It turns out he was just grasping at straws in desperation." Yuan Meng realized that's what was going on.

Wilt continued his report: "Leicester City's summer signing, Slimani, was highly anticipated, but he has only scored three goals in half a season. Musa, on the other hand, has struggled to adapt; despite his speed, his performance has been worrying, and he can only be used as a rotation player."

"What's even more devastating is that several players were poached in the summer, such as the well-known Kante."

"Mendy was brought in to fill Kante's void, but he is frequently plagued by injuries, making it difficult for him to help the team."

"These problems were fatal for Leicester City, causing them to plummet."

"By renting you out at this point, I think Ranieri is likely to give you a lot of opportunities to try and fail, because they have no way out."

Yuan Meng pondered for a while, still having some concerns.

"Then I'll go. What if the team plunges into the relegation zone?"

"Will this affect my future career?"

"Yes." Wilt didn't hesitate for a moment. "Leicester City, as last season's champions, has a lot of attention."

"Going to Leicester City is a gamble. Either you help the team get back to the upper half of the table and become a big name as a surprise weapon, or you fall into the relegation zone with the team and become a flop in the eyes of the fans, a player who can't adapt to the intensity of the Premier League."

"I think the bottom line is to help Leicester City avoid relegation and maintain their current ranking, so that your reputation won't be affected at all."

"There are both risks and rewards; it's up to you whether you want to go or not."

Yuan Meng was still hesitant: "No rush, let's talk about it after we meet Ranieri tomorrow."

……

As a professional player, Yuan Meng has met many head coaches.

Some are typical academics, with an air of complete confidence; others are passionate, skilled at boosting morale and delivering speeches.

The old gentleman in front of me is difficult to categorize using any particular school of thought.

He was dressed in a quiet, understated black suit, his shirt was neatly ironed, and his silver-gray hair was combed cleanly, making him look somewhat like an old university professor.

But when he smiles, he has the feel of a kind old man next door, making people feel that he is amiable and approachable.

Yuan Meng never expected that Ranieri, the coach who created the Blue Fox miracle, would be the silver-haired old man in front of her.

Ranieri's demeanor was distinctly different from the image in the photos Yuan Meng had examined.

"Yuan, it's a pleasure to meet you." Ranieri was very approachable, smiling and extending his hand.

Yuan Meng instinctively reached out and shook hands, her eyes involuntarily scanning the old coach in front of her.

"Oh, my memory is failing me. Forgive my rudeness just now." Ranieri seemed to remember something. "I've heard that Chinese culture is somewhat different. Would you prefer me to call you by your full name?"

Yuan Meng smiled and shook her head: "My name is Yuan Meng, but you can just call me Yuan."

He didn't want to make things difficult for the old coach in front of him, after all, learning the pronunciation of a new language was a bit challenging for the 66-year-old.

"Young man?" Ranieri tried to pronounce it. "That's an interesting name."

Yuan Meng was amused.

Okay, he is indeed a young man.

"Mr. Ranieri, there's no need to make things difficult for you." Yuan Meng gestured for Ranieri to take a seat.

Ranieri sat down, tilting his head to the side, muttering, "Young? Yu-ang? I bet you can learn it in a week!"

"Okay." Yuan Meng sat down opposite Wilt. "We should get down to business."

Wilt spoke first: "First of all, thank you for the invitation. Yuan Meng is very excited about it."

"Since we are exploring the possibility of cooperation, we need to treat each other with sincerity."

"We still have some concerns about this loan. If I may be frank, in your most frequently used 4-1-2-1-2 formation, Vardy and Mahrez have already secured their starting positions as the two center forwards."

"Yuan Meng has no experience playing in midfield, nor has he trained in a diamond midfield formation. How will you ensure he can be a key player for the team and play in most matches?"

Ranieri smiled slightly, his tone sincere yet formal.

"Mr. Yuan, Mr. Wilt, thank you very much for your frankness." Ranieri nodded slightly, politely and gentlemanly.

"Yes, Jamie (Vardy) and Riyad (Mahrez) bear the core responsibility in attack, but let me tell you something honestly!"

"The formation is for the players, not for the players to adapt to the formation."

"I have promised Yuan that he will be an absolute key player for the team, which means that the system will be adjusted to accommodate him, rather than having him play in a position he is not familiar with."

Yuan Meng and Wilt exchanged a glance, both seeing the surprise in each other's eyes.

Ranieri continued to speak eloquently, outlining his blueprint.

"I wouldn't let a natural right winger learn the role of a full-back in a diamond midfield. That would be a waste of his strengths. Yuan needs to be closer to the goal and needs more space to sprint."

"There is only one way to protect him, and that is to change the structure."

Ranieri pulled out his notebook with some difficulty; inside was a PowerPoint presentation he had created.

「回归4-4-2或4-2-3-1！」

"Let Yuan Meng return to his natural right wing position to maintain width and depth. Mahrez can play as a free agent (attacking midfielder) or as a second striker."

"Vardy will continue his mission of attacking the defense; this is my ideal new trident for the Blue Foxes. What do you think?"

Wilt looked at Yuan Meng, waiting for his final answer.

Yuan Meng closed her eyes and thought for a moment before asking her last question.

"Mr. Ranieri, what are your ambitions for this season?"

Ranieri was taken aback at first, then sighed.

"It's foolish to talk about defending the title. We won the Premier League last season, it was a miracle, a fairy tale. And the Premier League won't allow a fairy tale to happen two years in a row."

"But we are now almost falling into the relegation zone. We need stability, we need to be pragmatic and climb up."

"I love Leicester City, and I don't want to see it decline like this. I want to stay in the Premier League with my players."

"So, I need your help."

Looking at Ranieri's sincere face, Yuan Meng slowly extended her right hand: "As long as you keep your word, I am willing to lend you a hand."

Ranieri was taken aback for a moment, seemingly not expecting a reply so quickly, considering that many clubs were pursuing Yuan Meng.

He looked at Yuan Meng's face, which also showed sincerity.

His lips slowly turned up, and the wrinkles on his cheeks unfolded like the surface of a lake being blown open by the wind. Then, without hesitation, he grasped Yuan Meng's outstretched hands with both of his.

Welcome to the team.