Became The Premier League’S Youngest Manager [EN]: Chapter 85

Helena, sitting at the conference table with the key management team, continued speaking as she looked around the room.

“Although it’s a discussion, the financial situation is unavoidable, so I’ll explain it first. The total weekly wage budget for the squad next season is £1 million. We’ve also separately accounted for match bonuses and other incentives, which are expected to be around 50% of the weekly wage, consistent with last year.”

‘Oh, the weekly wage budget has slightly decreased compared to last season.’

“So, how much can we spend on transfers?”

“Adding the £16 million we received from selling Yoann, Matt, and Conor Roberts, we can allocate an additional £10 million in pure transfer funds.”

Jonathan Landris, the newly appointed Football Director, raised an eyebrow at the lower-than-expected wage budget and questioned Helena.

Jonathan Landris and Manager Hyungmin exchanged blank stares before turning their gaze back to Helena.

“Um… did you say that in addition to the £16 million we raised from sales, we can only add £10 million in pure transfer funds?”

“Yes.”

Helena stated calmly, despite Jonathan’s visibly pale face.

“It can’t be helped. It’s the maximum amount we can use while reserving the minimum funds needed to operate next season. Fortunately, we have significantly more advertisers next season, which makes this possible.”

“£10 million is only enough to buy about half of a Premier League-level starting player.”

“Well… isn’t that Jonathan’s problem to figure out, not mine?”

Jonathan Landris’s expression twisted at Helena’s cold dismissal.

Hyungmin, who had been watching the exchange between Jonathan Landris and Helena, raised his hand.

“Yes, go ahead.”

At Helena’s permission, Hyungmin asked,

“So, can we use all the funds from selling existing players for new player acquisitions in the future?”

“Um… no.”

As Jonathan and Hyungmin’s faces alternated between frustration, Helena spoke as if doing them a favor.

“In the future, when we sell existing players, you can use up to 80% of the incoming transfer fees for new player transfers.”

“80%! How many of our key players are leaving on free transfers? Are you telling us to fill that gap with £26 million?! The squad needs a complete overhaul right now!”

Jonathan protested vehemently, but Helena simply shrugged.

“Sorry, Jonathan. That’s not something I can help you with. I can provide support when negotiating prices, but all I can do is set the limit to ensure Burnley Football Club can operate properly without going bankrupt.”

At Helena’s firm response, Jonathan Landris blinked back tears.

‘Right, it’s always like this.’

‘What am I expecting from a small club like this…’

‘Ah, I miss my Liverpool days.’

‘Klopp, I miss you!’

If the famously jovial giant of a manager [Jurgen Klopp, former Liverpool Manager] had heard his former colleague’s whining, he would have laughed heartily and given him a playful kick, but Jonathan felt a strange longing for his old boss today.

“Haa… So, will the player acquisition and transfer process remain the same as before? Report to the board after players are selected and receive final approval?”

Jonathan Landris sighed and asked. Mike Garlic and John Banaszkiewicz nodded, but Helena shook her head.

“Why bother doing it that way? We used to do pre-reporting because there was no budget, but now we have the budget and amounts. Just handle it yourselves.”

“Handle it ourselves?”

“Yes. Anyway, the scouting team selects the players, and then Jonathan and Hyungmin give the final approval, right? There’s no more budget coming, so don’t ask and just handle it. If a transfer offer comes in and Hyungmin approves, Jonathan, you take care of it. Once it’s confirmed that 80% of the sold player’s fee is coming in, execute it.”

A flustered Jonathan Landris asked again,

“Um… usually, the board gives the final approval, right? Or the CEO approves… Shouldn’t I report to Helena beforehand?”

“The dumbest thing in the world is a non-expert instructing an expert in their field.”

Helena stated firmly.

“There’s nothing more wasteful than making someone who knows what they’re doing report unnecessarily. If they didn’t know what they were doing, they shouldn’t be in that position in the first place. Is there anyone at Burnley right now who knows more about the players than Jonathan and Hyungmin? No, there isn’t. So, the two of you decide.”

“Um… can we really do it well?”

Helena replied to Jonathan Landris’s mumbling, who was taken aback by his significantly increased authority.

“I’m doing it because I believe you’ll do well.”

“But what if we don’t do well?”

“Well, then it just means I have a bad eye for talent. It’s a shame, but I’ll just fire you and hire someone else.”

Helena shrugged and gave a light but serious answer.

Later, Jonathan Landris confessed that he felt a chill of terror run down his spine at that moment.

Hyungmin, who was sitting next to him, also subtly checked if his head was still attached.

“Okay, now that the minimum available funds for the next transfer window are somewhat confirmed, who does Hyungmin want to sign the most?”

At Helena’s question, Hyungmin’s eyes lit up, and he immediately named one person.

“Benjamin Šeško.”

***

“Hey! Stop taking our kids!”

RB Salzburg’s Technical Director, Mark Lang, was momentarily pleased by the incoming call, but he burst out in anger at the name he heard over the phone.

The conference room echoed, but the members of RB Salzburg’s scouting team and transfer committee, who had experienced their Technical Director expressing a range of emotions—joy, anger, sadness, pleasure, and frustration—while on the phone during the transfer window, simply shrugged and continued with their work.

Realizing his outburst, Mark Lang turned his chair around in apology and covered his mouth with his hand to prevent the conversation from leaking out.

“How many of our kids are you taking now?! You took Nicolas Seiwald, you took Karim Adeyemi, and now you want Benjamin Šeško too?!”

“Hey, hey, what’s wrong, Mark? It’s not like we’re asking for them for free. It’s a transfer offer. Selling players is the core of Salzburg, isn’t it?”

“Listen! We process and sell raw gems! But you’re trying to take kids who only need one final touch in the gem processing stage at the price of raw gems!”

“Um… isn’t £15 million plus 10% of the next transfer profit not a raw gem price? If I remember correctly, we acquired Benjamin for £2.2 million. That’s a profit of £12.8 million, isn’t it?”

“Is acquiring a 14-year-old kid who’s just starting in the youth system the same as acquiring an 18-year-old monster who scored 14 goals in 17 first-team games?! We raised him for four years!”

“Hey, ‘kid’? Benjamin has been taller than me since he was a kid. Anyway, are you going to sell him or not?”

Mark Lang trembled at the smooth voice coming from the other end of the phone, but he had to admit it honestly.

The reason why Red Bull Football Group tried to transfer promising players from RB Salzburg, which belongs to the Austrian first division, to RB Leipzig, which belongs to the German Bundesliga [German Football League], was because the market value difference between players proven in top-tier leagues and those who weren’t was significant.

Thanks to that, this sly former employee was trying to poach his former company’s treasures one by one, exploiting that gap.

“If it’s even £1 short of £15 million, I’ll never sell him!”

“Don’t worry. Helena may not know much else, but she doesn’t lie about money.”

When Hyungmin mentioned the CEO of Burnley Football Club, who had recently become a hot topic in the football world, Mark Lang became curious.

Marina Granovskaia of Chelsea, who had already gained a reputation for her outstanding (read: ruthless) negotiating skills.

Amanda Staveley of the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund consortium, which acquired Newcastle.

And Helena Cartwright of Cartwright Fund, which acquired Burnley.

These three women were making their mark in the world of football management, which had been a man’s world, especially in the world’s best league, the Premier League.

Helena Cartwright conducts thorough research and then cleverly secures top-tier prospects by calculating amounts down to the pound that the other party cannot refuse.

On the other hand, Amanda Staveley simply overpowers with Saudi Arabia’s overwhelming financial power.

Finally, Marina Granovskaia wields Chelsea’s glorious history, which has maintained its top position for 15 years, the abundant financial power of the new owner, Todd Boehly, and a massive pool of youth and promising players in both hands.

It was still said that the other two were relatively behind Marina Granovskaia, but that gap would soon narrow.

Before long, the three women who were shaking up the world’s best English Premier League and the football world as a whole were being called the “Iron Ladies,” after former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

“Is she that great? Helena Cartwright?”

“Well, she still doesn’t know much about football, but she’s definitely good from a management perspective. She has good judgment and guts.”

“Is that so? I have more questions I want to ask…”

“Ah, I have to go now. The Benjamin deal is okayed, right? I’ll tell our Football Director to contact you!”

“…”

He called me as he pleased, talked about his business as he pleased, took what he wanted, and then hung up as he pleased.

Mark Lang trembled and glared at his phone, which still had time left on the contract, but he barely suppressed the urge to smash it, remembering the remaining installment payments. Instead, he slammed his fist on the desk.

“That bastard!”

After fuming for a while, Mark suppressed his anger and sadness and turned on his phone, starting to search for Benjamin Šeško’s agent’s phone number.

Burnley had already made contact behind the scenes, but no matter how high his personal anger was, the poor office worker had to do what he had to do today.

***

“What’s worrying you?”

Immediately after Hyungmin excitedly left the conference room, saying he would contact RB Salzburg right away,

Mike Garlic, noticing that Helena’s expression was darker than expected, asked.

After hesitating for a moment, Helena honestly revealed her concerns.

“I’m just… worried that we’re relying too much on signing players from Salzburg.”

“Are you worried that Kim is bringing in too many players from the side he’s close to?”

“Not to that extent… Um… no, I guess that’s what I’m worried about. Yes, I don’t think Hyungmin would have malicious intentions, but I’m worried that he’s leaning too much on personal connections.”

Helena readily admitted after reflecting on her concerns at Mike Garlic’s point.

John Banaszkiewicz shook his head and interjected at her expression.

“Actually, I had those concerns at first too.”