After Paris Saint-Germain was removed from the list, I led England to victory!

(Image of the male protagonist)

(June 6.1st, the Champions League final in the early morning. Seeing Maldini and his teammates, who had persevered for PSG for ten years, lift the Champions League trophy was truly moving. Maldini deserved it, and PSG deserved it.)

June 10, 2017, 2:00 PM.

Yan Yuan stood in front of the office of sports director Antero Henrique, his fingers slightly curled and then relaxed. He took a deep breath and finally raised his hand to knock on the door.

"Come in," came Enrique's voice from inside the door.

As Yan Yuan pushed open the door, the office's cold air hit him, and he instinctively tensed his shoulders.

Enrique was sitting behind a large desk, flipping through a document. When he saw him come in, he raised his chin to indicate that he should sit down.

"Yan, have a seat."

Yan Yuan sat down, placed his hands on his knees, and unconsciously rubbed the fabric of his training pants with his fingertips, nervously unsure of what to do.

Enrique closed the file, crossed his hands on the table, and looked at him calmly.

"I think you've already heard that the team will be making some adjustments next season."

Yan Yuan nodded, his throat tightening.

Of course he heard about it; it was all over the Paris Saint-Germain dressing room.

This season, the club plans to sign Neymar, as well as Monaco's rising French star Kylian Mbappé.

"That's right. In order to better comply with the Financial Fair Play policy and also to optimize the squad, the club needs to free up some positions, including the youth teams," Enrique said, carefully choosing his words.

"Considering your situation in the youth team... we have decided not to renew your contract."

Upon hearing this, Yan Yuan's breath caught in his throat for a moment, but his face remained expressionless.

He had guessed this day might come back in May at the end of the season, but when he actually heard it, he still felt a chill run down his spine.

"Sir, I still want to ask, is it because the youth training system needs French players?" Yan Yuan asked, his voice lacking confidence.

Enrique frowned slightly; Yan Yuan's question displeased him.

"It's not entirely because of that. The team needs more mature players who can contribute immediately, and more talented young stars, and you..." Enrique said politely.

"Yan, I know you're a hard-working player, but professional football isn't something you can succeed in just by working hard."

Upon hearing this, Yan Yuan became nervous.

"Sir, I... I can play in other positions. I won't compete with French youth players for playing time. I can agree to be loaned to any club, even in a lower-level league..." Yan Yuan still wanted to try to persuade himself.

Enrique sighed; he had seen far too many young men like this.

The reputation of Paris Saint-Germain's youth academy is certainly valuable to all young people who love football, and he can understand why Yan Yuan is so reluctant to give it up.

"Yan, let me be blunt. You're 17 years old, and your technical characteristics are basically set. You're not French, nor did you come from Paris's youth academy. There's no reason for the club to invest more in you."

Yan Yuan lowered his head and remained silent for a few seconds, then looked up and asked him again.

"So, you think I can't play in the top five European leagues?"

Enrique looked at him with a hint of pity in his eyes, but more so with professional composure.

"Yes, your talent is average. Top leagues need players who are mature in both mentality and skills, players who can change the game. Unfortunately, you don't have that kind of talent."

"..." Yan Yuan didn't say anything more.

He knew that the director had already made his point and there was no room for him to back down.

"The club will give you a release clause, enough to tide you over for a while." Enrique stood up, signaling the end of the conversation. "Good luck."

"Thank you, sir."

Yan Yuan also stood up, nodded, turned and left. Just as the door closed, he heard Enrique add a sentence behind him.

"Don't be too sad, kid. That's just how the world of football is. People will always come in, and people will always leave."

Back in his dorm, Yan Yuan sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the group photo of Paris Saint-Germain U19 on the wall.

In the photo, he stands in the corner with a bright smile.

This photo was taken when he first arrived in Paris. At that time, he naively thought that he would play here for many years and even make it into the first team.

But reality dealt him a heavy blow.

He took out his phone and dialed his father Yan Zhen'an's number.

The call was quickly connected, and the father's voice came through the receiver.

"son?"

"Dad, I've been fired." Yan Yuan said calmly, he was trying very hard to control his emotions.

On the other end of the phone, Mr. Yan was silent for two seconds before asking,

"Did Enrique speak with you personally?"

"Um."

Another brief silence followed.

Yan Yuan could imagine his father's expression at that moment: his brows furrowed slightly, his fingers tapping lightly on the table, a habit he had when he was thinking.

"It's alright," the father finally spoke, his tone relaxed, as if he had long anticipated this day.

"Son, don't rush back. Find a hotel in Paris, travel around, and relax."

Yan Yuan was already deeply hurt, and hearing his father say that made him even more upset. He replied,

"Dad, I didn't come to Paris for a vacation."

After hearing this, Yan's father smiled and continued to comfort his son.

"I know, but you don't have to make yourself suffer. I'll transfer you some money. Take a few days to relax and travel around Paris. I'll continue to try to get you in touch with a new team. Don't call your mom for a while."

Yan Yuan understood his father's meaning: this matter must not be known to his mother.

If she knew Yan Yuan had been dropped by Paris, she would probably send her son back to England to study hard, so he could either become an office worker or return home to inherit the restaurant.

Yan Yuan's mother, Li Shuwen, is a third-generation Chinese in England. She runs a Chinese restaurant in Birmingham. She has always been straightforward and open-minded, and she takes a neutral stance on her son's football career, neither approving nor opposing it.

Yan's father was from Shaanxi. He came to England when he was young and started a small import and export company from scratch. Later, he married Yan Yuan's mother in England and eventually settled down there.

He was also a football fan, and after having Yan Yuan, he also took on the role of his son's agent.

Although not a professional, as a good businessman, Yan's father has a deep understanding of negotiation.

He is also quick to negotiate professional football contracts. Over the years, thanks to his talent in business negotiations and his good interpersonal skills, he has helped his son negotiate some youth training contracts.

After hanging up the phone, Yan Yuan began packing his luggage.

There were a few training clothes from Paris hanging in his closet. After hesitating for a moment, he folded them neatly and stuffed them into his suitcase.

The photo frame on the bedside table contains a picture of the three of them.

In the photo, Mr. Yan is wearing a sharp suit, and Mrs. Yan is wearing a dress with a bright smile. He stands between his parents, holding a trophy from the Birmingham Community Youth League.

He was 12 years old at the time, and this photo was taken when he had just been signed by Birmingham's youth academy.

Yan Yuan picked up the photo frame and gently wiped the glass surface with his fingertips.

"It's okay," he told himself softly, "This is just the beginning."

He said that, but he was about to burst into tears.

He picked up his backpack, took one last look around the dormitory he had lived in for two years, and then closed the door. He no longer belonged in this place.

At the end of the corridor, the setting sun streamed in through the window, casting a long shadow of him alone.

……

The friendly captain of PSG, Thiago Silva, learned that many of his former teammates would be leaving this season to welcome Neymar and Mbappe, so he specially invited everyone to a farewell party tonight.

Fortunately, Yan Yuan was also on the list of invitees, even though he is currently just a junior member of the team.

Yan Yuan stood in the corner of the restaurant, holding a glass of orange juice, watching the lively scene before him.

The Paris Saint-Germain first-team players gathered in small groups, chatting and laughing.

Captain Thiago Silva, holding a wine glass, walked back and forth in the crowd, occasionally patting a teammate on the shoulder and saying a few words of encouragement.

He organized the farewell dinner. After the season ended, the club needed to clear out a group of players. Whether it was for tactical adjustments or financial reasons, someone always had to leave.

Yan Yuan hadn't expected to be invited.

He is just a youth team player, and he has very limited opportunities to interact with first-team players.

But unexpectedly, Thiago Silva personally messaged him:

"Yan, you're here too! Everyone likes you."

He didn't know why he was remembered.

Perhaps it's because he always takes the initiative to help pack up the equipment after each training session;

Perhaps it's because he always greets the first-team players with a smile whenever they pass by the training ground;

Or perhaps it was because he handed Cavani a bottle of water during an extra workout at the gym, and in return, Cavani said, "Thanks, young man."

Regardless, he is quite popular here, and he gets along well with both his youth team teammates and first-team players.

"Hey, Yan!" Verratti walked over with a plate, gesturing with his chin. "Why are you hiding here all by yourself? Aren't you going to talk to them?"

Yan Yuan smiled and said, "I'm listening, sir. I'm glad you're having a good chat."

Verratti shrugged, casually forked a piece of grilled meat from the plate, stuffed it into his mouth, and mumbled:

"I heard you're leaving?"

Yan Yuan nodded: "Yes, the club is not renewing the contract."

Verratti frowned, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he just patted him on the shoulder: "That's football, don't take it too seriously."

Yan Yuan didn't speak. He knew Verratti meant well, but he was tired of hearing that phrase from Enrique, his teammates, and even his family.

"But seriously," Verratti suddenly laughed, "you're a really nice guy. You always help us pack up after training, which makes us feel bad about slacking off."

Yan Yuan smiled as well: "It was just a small thing."

Verratti shook his head: "It wasn't by chance, it's because you're a good person."

Yan Yuan was stunned for a moment. He hadn't expected that he could leave a good impression among these people.

Verratti didn't say anything more, just raised his glass to him, then turned and walked towards Cavani.

As the dinner party progressed, the atmosphere gradually became somewhat melancholic.

After all, nobody knows if they'll see each other here again next season.

Thiago Silva stood in the center of the restaurant, raised his glass, said a few words of thanks, and then suggested that everyone hug goodbye one last time.

Yan Yuan stood aside, watching as these stars, whom he had only ever looked up to on TV, hugged, patted each other on the shoulder, and some even had tears in their eyes.

He suddenly felt a little unreal; he had actually worked with these people, even if it was just a fleeting encounter.

When it was his turn, Di Maria walked over and opened her arms: "Yan, good luck."

Yan Yuan hugged him, and at that moment, for some reason, his nose tingled with emotion.

"Thank you, angel," he said, patting Dimalia on the back.

DiMaria smiled, released him, and patted his back hard: "Don't give up, you'll have a better chance."

Just as DiMaria's hand left his shoulder, Yan Yuan suddenly felt a buzzing sound in his mind, and a voice echoed:

The player interaction system is now activated.

Yan Yuan stood frozen in place.

[Host's interaction level with Di Maria has reached 100%. Copyable attribute: Ball Control (78% match)]

[Host's interaction level with Cavani has reached 100%. Skill can be copied: Matador's Strike (shooting skill, 87% compatibility)]

[The interaction level between the host and Verratti has reached 100%. The attribute that can be copied is: Dribbling (51% match).]

Yan Yuan's breathing almost stopped.

He subconsciously looked around, but there were only a few staff members left in the restaurant clearing away the dishes, and no one noticed his unusual behavior.

[System Function Description: By interacting amicably with star players (not ordinary players), reaching 100% interaction level allows you to copy one of their signature skills or attributes; the system includes a training space where the host can independently enhance skills, and the training space can be used for 8 hours per day; the shop function is not yet available and requires joining a new team and completing training sessions to unlock.]

Yan Yuan stood rooted to the spot, his heart pounding like thunder.

He tried asking himself, "What is this?"

This system is a player interaction and growth system designed to help the host become a top player.

Yan Yuan took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down.

He recalled the bits and pieces of his time in Paris over the past two years: occasionally helping Di Maria retrieve the ball, accompanying Cavani to practice shooting during holidays, listening to Verratti complain about the referee while eating in the cafeteria... Those interactions that he thought were insignificant had actually been recorded by the system long ago.

And now, they have become his opportunity.

He closed his eyes and selected the three skills in his mind.

[Skill copying in progress...]

A warm current suddenly surged up his spine, and Yan Yuan felt his muscles slightly hot, as if something was being reorganized.

A few seconds later, the system notification sounded again:

[Copy complete]

"Yan? Are you alright?" Cavani's voice pulled him back to reality.

Yan Yuan snapped back to reality and found Cavani standing in front of him, his brows slightly furrowed.

"Ah, it's nothing!" He quickly shook his head, forcing a smile. "It's just... I'm a little reluctant to leave everyone."

Cavani stared at him for two seconds, then suddenly laughed: "Kid, you're pretty special."

"what?"

"Most young people who get their contracts terminated are either angry or depressed," Cavani shrugged. "But you look... like you're not affected at all."

Yan Yuan's heart skipped a beat.

Cavani, of course, had no idea what he was thinking; he was just saying it casually, but his words inexplicably resonated with his current mood.

"I just feel that this won't be the end," Yan Yuan replied...

After the dinner, Yan Yuan carried his luggage and walked alone to the hotel. The night breeze was slightly cool, but his blood was burning.

"System, can we have a conversation?"

"Can."

Why are you only showing up now?

"Non-technical questions will not be answered."

Is skill duplication random, or can you choose it yourself? Also, can a target player only be duplicated once?

"The skill replication is the target player's highest physical attribute or a signature skill. A target player can only be replicated once."

"I understand. What about skill matching? Is it possible to achieve 100% matching?"

"The initial skill matching degree is determined by the degree of matching between the host's physical data and the target player's physical data, but it can be improved to 100% through training later."

"System, can I view my personal data?"

The host's personal data is as follows (only the rating is displayed, not the numerical value):

Name: Yan Yuan

Height: 184cm

Weight: XNUM X kg

Clubs played for: None

Positions: Right winger (proficient), attacking midfielder (average), left winger (average)

Ball control: S

Dribbling: B-

Field of view: B+

Long pass: C-..."

After reviewing the personal data, Yan Yuan finally understood why Verratti's skill compatibility with his was so low: it was because there was a significant difference in their physical attributes.

Verratti is not tall, even somewhat short, standing at only 165cm. His dribbling skills are practically made for him, so Yan Yuan has some difficulty adapting to them.

In contrast, Di Maria's ball control attribute, due to its similar physique and the fact that the two play in essentially the same position, reaches S-level after the attribute is optimized.

However, it's not a big problem, as long as it can be improved through training.

"System, what is the maximum level for each skill?"

"The highest level is S+. Taking Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi, and Neymar as examples, their shooting, dribbling, and ball control are all at the S+ level."

Yan Yuan realized the gap between himself and the world's top players, and he had to admit that the road ahead was long and arduous.

(Just so you know, in this book, the protagonist will join Arsenal and become a legend there. If you don't like it, you can leave now. If you're not interested or don't have the patience to listen to me finish a story, you can go find a better novel.)