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

With the season drawing to a close, Yan Yuan's injury has largely healed, and he is proceeding with his rehabilitation training and final preparations for the college entrance examination as planned.

The opponent for the German Cup final has also been confirmed: Eintracht Frankfurt.

(Due to Hoffenheim's rise this season, which influenced the Champions League draw and also had a new impact on the German Cup draw, Bayern Munich was eliminated by Eintracht Frankfurt in the semi-finals, allowing them to focus on the Champions League final instead of being eliminated by Frankfurt in the final as they were in 2018.)

I put Hoffenheim's away game against Bayern Munich in the last round of the Bundesliga so that Hoffenheim wouldn't have to face Bayern again in the German Cup; otherwise, it would feel too repetitive to write about.

Besides the match, another new issue has been brought up for discussion: Yan Yuan's transfer.

After receiving the notification, Yan's father rushed over from Birmingham.

He was well aware of the significance of this meeting, as it concerned the next step in his son's professional career and also the respect and commitment he owed to his son's first club that could truly be called "home".

Inside the meeting room, Hoffenheim club president Hopp, sporting director Alejandro González, head coach Julian Nagelsmann, and other senior executives, including the financial director, were all present.

Yan Yuan sat beside his father.

There were no small talk, no formalities.

At the start of the meeting, Yan's father stood up and bowed deeply to the three key figures of Hoffenheim.

This action moved everyone present.

"Chairman Hope, Director Rosen, Coach Nagelsmann," Yan's father's voice was steady and sincere.

"First of all, please allow me, on behalf of my whole family, to express our deepest gratitude to Hoffenheim FC!"

Thank you for opening your doors to Yan Yuan at the beginning of the season, when he most needed to prove himself, and for giving him such a valuable platform!

His gaze fell upon the three of them, his tone earnest:

"Without Hoffenheim's trust, without Coach Nagelsmann's meticulous guidance and tactical support, and without the efforts of everyone at the club, Yan Yuan could not have achieved such results this season, let alone stood on the Champions League semi-final stage and let the world see his brilliance! Our family will never forget this kindness!"

President Hopp, the legendary figure who single-handedly led Hoffenheim from a small rural club to the Bundesliga and even the European stage, wore a gentle and sentimental smile.

He also stood up to shake hands in return, gesturing for Mr. Yan to sit down:

"Mr. Yan, you're too kind. Hoffenheim is also grateful to you for raising such an outstanding son, and even more so to Yan Yuan himself."

Hope's voice carried a sense of peace and wisdom born of experience:

"This season has been a dream for Hoffenheim, a season that will go down in history!"

And Yan Yuan is undoubtedly the core and engine of all of this.

His talent, hard work, and amazing willpower on the biggest stage not only won over his opponents, but also won over all of us Hoffenheim fans.

He brought more than just goals and thrilling victories; he brought a spirit—a spirit unique to Hoffenheim: never giving up, daring to challenge giants!

Sports director Rosen took over the conversation, his tone displaying the pragmatism of a professional manager, yet unable to conceal his excitement:

"Yes, Mr. Yan, Yan Yuan's performance is phenomenal, and his joining has had a comprehensive impact on the club."

On the competitive front, we made history;

On the business front, especially in the Chinese market, Yan Yuan's influence has brought us unprecedented attention and commercial value!

It's no exaggeration to say that Hoffenheim's financial situation has improved like never before this season, thanks to Yan Yuan's presence!

Chairman Hope nodded and personally delivered an exciting piece of news:

"Based on our outstanding performance this season, especially our historic run into the Champions League semi-finals, the UEFA prize money, broadcast revenue, sponsorship income, and various derivative revenues we have earned, especially the huge revenue generated by Yan Yuan in the Chinese market, have far exceeded our expectations after preliminary calculations."

A relieved smile appeared on his face.

"This means that we will not only be able to easily repay the loans we took out to build the new stands at the Rhein-Neckar Arena and upgrade our training base, but we will also have a considerable budget left for player acquisitions and team building next season."

This is a landmark breakthrough for a club of our size!

And Yan Yuan deserves much credit for all of this!

A burst of relaxed laughter and applause filled the conference room.

Yan's father and Yan Yuan also showed relieved smiles. Hoffenheim's financial health was something they were happy to see.

Then, the topic quickly shifted to the core issue—transfers.

Director Rosen adjusted his glasses, his expression becoming serious and sincere:

"Mr. Yan, and Yan Yuan, the club has had several in-depth discussions regarding the transfer."

We received multiple offers, including Paris Saint-Germain's highest offer of €2 million.

He looked at Yan Yuan,

"We know, Yan, that you personally prefer Arsenal, and that Professor Wenger and his team have a special attraction for you."

Arsenal also offered a substantial £1.58 million (approximately €1.8 million at the time), which was not only one of the highest transfer fees in Arsenal's history, but also an astronomical figure unprecedented in the history of our Hoffenheim club.

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Yan's father and Yan Yuan, his tone becoming even more solemn:

"The club's management, including Chairman Hopp, Coach Nagelsmann, and myself, after careful consideration, finally reached a consensus:"

Respecting Yan Yuan's wishes, we accepted Arsenal's offer. However…

This "but" made both Yan's father and son Yan Yuan's hearts jump.

Chairman Hope spoke slowly, his voice steady and full of meaning:

"However, we have decided to express our gratitude to Yan Yuan for everything he has done for Hoffenheim this season, and to wish him all the best for his future career in a special way."

Chairman Hope looked at Yan Yuan with the same gaze one would give to a child about to embark on a long journey.

"Yan, we know that you chose Arsenal because you hope to achieve greater dreams under Professor Wenger's leadership and compete for the Premier League and even the Champions League titles."

We also know that Arsenal went to great lengths to acquire you, and £1.58 million is an immense burden for them.

"We understand that if Arsenal pays this huge sum in one lump sum, they will be short of funds for signings this summer and even in the next few transfer windows."

This means that even if you join next season, Arsenal may not be able to build a truly title-contending squad around you in the short term.

If the team's performance next season falls short of expectations, as the key player who made a record signing, you will definitely face a lot of negative comments and may even become a "burden" for Arsenal.

This is definitely not what we want to see.

Chairman Hope's words went straight to the heart of the matter, full of long-term considerations for Yan Yuan's future development.

Yan Yuan and his father held their breath and listened quietly.

"So, Yan," Chairman Hope's voice was clear and firm.

"To thank you for your contributions, and to allow you to join Arsenal with more composure and as a 'savior'."

This is also so that Arsenal, while acquiring you, will still have enough room to strengthen their squad and improve their overall competitiveness.

Our Hoffenheim club has decided:

They accepted Arsenal's £1.58 million offer, but the payment method is installment payments.

The total amount remains the same, but it can be paid off in four installments over four years.

Furthermore, the initial payment only requires £3000 million.

The remaining amount will be paid out in equal installments of approximately £4267 million per year for the next three years.

Most importantly, we don't charge any interest on this installment plan!

After he finished speaking, the conference room fell silent.

Logically speaking, a transfer fee of £1.58 million, even if paid in installments, would require an initial payment of at least £5000 million.

But Hoffenheim is a club with a human touch.

Yan Yuan has given enough to Hoffenheim this season, and he deserves this gratitude.

At the same time, Hoffenheim also hopes to part ways with Yan Yuan amicably in this way.

Yan Yuan suddenly raised his head, his eyes filled with disbelief, shock, and immense joy!

He almost thought he had misheard.

A £3000 million down payment?

Interest-free installments?

This means Arsenal will only need to pay less than 20% of the original price as a down payment this summer!

The remaining huge sum of over £1.2 million can be paid out over four years without paying any interest.

This is already a very touching expression of gratitude and respect.

Yan's father was also stunned; he knew all too well what this plan meant for Arsenal.

This not only alleviated Arsenal's financial pressure, but also gave Professor Wenger a huge amount of room for transfer reinforcements.

Arsenal can use the huge amount of cash saved to bring in other strong reinforcements this summer and build a truly competitive team around Yan Yuan.

Hoffenheim wanted to part ways amicably with Yan Yuan, and also to thank him for his contributions.

In this way, they minimized the risk that Yan Yuan might face "fighting alone" at Arsenal in the coming years.

Hoffenheim's move is hardly about selling players.

This seems more like paving the way for Yan Yuan's future.

Hoffenheim is expressing their deepest blessings in the most practical way.

"Chairman Hope! Director Rosen! Coach Nagelsmann!" Yan Yuan stood up excitedly, his voice trembling uncontrollably.

"This...this is too...I don't know what to say! Thank you! Really...thank you so much!" Overwhelmed with surprise and emotion, Yan Yuan was somewhat incoherent.

Mr. Yan immediately stood up and bowed deeply to Chairman Hope and the others again, his voice filled with utmost sincerity:

"President Hopp, Mr. Rosen, Coach Nash! This friendship...this dedication...we are truly...speechless...Hoffenheim's nurturing of Yan Yuan, their deep affection for his life...we will remember it forever!"

Thank you! Thank you so much!

Chairman Hope smiled and waved his hand, gesturing for them to sit down:

"Sit down, everyone sit down and let's talk. There's no need for that."

Yan Yuan deserves this reward for everything he has done for Hoffenheim.

We also hope to see Yan Yuan succeed, to see you shine on a bigger stage, and to see Arsenal become better because of your joining us.

This is not just a business transaction, but also a gesture of respect and blessing for a meritorious player who gave his all for the club.

Nagelsmann had been sitting quietly to the side, a gratified smile on his face as he looked gently at the disciple he had nurtured.

He cleared his throat and began to speak:

"Yan, this is the club's sentiment."

Even after you go to London, you still need to play well and show the same spirit you had at Hoffenheim.

And remember, no matter where you are, you'll always be a Hoffenheim child, and the doors here will always be open for you.

At the end of the meeting, Yan Yuan stood up again.

He glanced around the conference room at every member of Hoffenheim's senior management: Chairman Hopp, Director Rosen, and his most respected mentor, Nagelsmann.

His gaze was clear and firm, filled with deep affection and gratitude.

"Mr. Chairman, Mr. Director, Coach," Yan Yuan's voice wasn't loud, but it was full of emotion.

"No matter which club I wear in the future, no matter where I go in the world, I will never forget that Hoffenheim is the first club in my career where I truly felt like I was at home."

You gave me your trust, gave me a stage, gave me room to grow and selfless support, and gave me a sense of home. I will always remember all of this!

Yan Yuan's words, like a vow, echoed in the quiet conference room.

There are no fancy words, only the most simple and profound emotions.

Mr. Hope's eyes were slightly moist, and Director Rosen nodded vigorously.

Nagelsmann smiled with immense satisfaction and pride. In that smile, there was sadness at parting, but even more so, a blessing for his disciple to soar to great heights.

Next, the core framework of the transfer agreement was initially agreed upon in this warm, respectful, and visionary atmosphere.

This is not just a transaction, but a testament to a deep friendship and a club's most dignified and heartwarming farewell to its meritorious player.

(You can look forward to Arsenal's reinforcements in the next season in the novel. Of course, Arsenal's original lineup is unlikely to win the championship. The reason for writing it this way is to leave enough funds for Arsenal to strengthen the team, and at the same time to give Yan Yuan strong teammates.)

Next season, the manager will be making an epic overhaul of Arsenal around Yan Yuan. I've already envisioned the new lineup, so stay tuned for the Gunners' new roster. If you have your own lineup ideas, feel free to share them.