THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME

Emily exchanged brief greetings with the two Red Bull executives before settling down in a seat opposite theirs. "So, to what do I owe the pleasure of meeting three of the top dogs of Red Bull here in Trondheim?" She asked, her signature professional smile outlining her face.

Jerome smiled before tilting his head and making eye contact with Thomas Koch, the overall marketing head of Red Bull, who was seated beside him. The latter nodded at him as if they were exchanging some bit of mental communication in that brief moment.

Jerome then turned back towards Emily and said: "First, we'll start by making an offer to your client before discussing anything else." He grinned.

"I'm listening," Emily said, fishing out a notebook from her handbag.

"But first things first," Jerome said, a grin still outlining his face. "Shouldn't we order some breakfast first? I don't think it's a good idea to discuss business on an empty stomach."

"Agreed."

"Agreed."

August Fassbender and Thomas Koch, his two colleagues, immediately echoed one another, agreeing to his proposition without allowing Emily a moment to reply.

Emily could only smile and shake her head before also agreeing to order the breakfast first. She didn't mind spending more time with the Red Bull big shots. She understood she could negotiate a better deal for her client if she could get onto their good side. So for the next half an hour, they didn't talk about anything business-related but just concentrated on enjoying their meal. They were simply like old friends that were making small talk over breakfast. That way, they soon completed their sumptuous breakfast—and without delay, Jerome initiated the topic about endorsements once again.

"So, as I already said," he began, "We value Zachary's potential greatly. We're very serious about signing him as our ambassador. To show our sincerity, we're willing to offer Zachary 12 million Norwegian Kroner a year—that's if he agrees to sign a five-year endorsement contract with us. We're also willing to pay the 10 million of the first year right after signing."

"Oh," Emily replied, raising a brow. "That is quite the offer. But why do I feel that there seems to be a catch on this deal?"

Jerome smiled before turning to Thomas Koch once more. The latter nodded before locking eyes with Emily. "I can assure you that your guess is wrong," he said, smiling a bit. "We're only offering such an amount to establish a good relationship with your client. We won't even attach any strict conditions to the 12 million endorsement deal."

"Then, what are you after?" Emily probed, her brows drawing together into a frown. "It doesn't make sense for two Red Bull representatives, one from Germany and another from Austria, to be the ones negotiating a 12-million-Kroner deal. So, I'll ask again: What are you after?"

"Then I'll get straight to the point," Thomas Koch said, half smiling. "The thing is this: A few years back, our company bought the playing rights of SSV Markranstädt, a fifth-tier German team, with the intent of advancing a new club to the top-flight Bundesliga within a few years. We named the new club RB Leipzig and are now looking for young players to join the side. We've identified Zachary as a player with great potential and are willing to build our fast-growing team around him. If he agrees to join us, we shall offer him the best contract money can get. That's my promise."

"Oh," Emily said after a moment, leaning back into her seat to observe the marketing manager's face. "If I may ask, in which division of German football is this RB Leipzig playing at the moment?"

Thomas Koch smiled, a few wrinkles forming on his forehead. "We have just qualified for the 3rd Liga after winning the Saxony Cup this month," he replied. "We've also qualified for next season's DFB-Pokal after winning the cup. So, you don't have to worry that your client won't get to play against top footballers if he joins our club..."

"Wait, wait," Emily said, raising her hand slightly to interrupt the man. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves here. I really appreciate the endorsement offer Red Bull is making to my client. Twelve million Norwegian Kroner a year is not a small sum, especially for a player at his age. It's quite a good deal for sure. But my client will most likely reject your deal because of that extra condition. Think about it. Do you think he will leave Rosenborg, a team where he's performing well and developing at a fast rate, for a third division team, in a completely new country?"

"First listen," Jerome chipped in, his signature smile outlining his face despite the situation. "Let me also ask you this. Have you ever seen any teams under Red Bull performing poorly in their respective leagues? The answer is no. So, I can promise you that RB Leipzig will grow into a European giant in only a few years. That's without a doubt. If your client joins us, he'll be well on his way to starting a unique legacy in a completely new place. And as Mr. Koch said, we'll ensure the coaches build the team with him as its core. We're very willing to build him into someone like Barcelona's Messi in Leipzig."

"I do get your point, Jerome," Emily said, smiling. "But the question remains: do you think my client will even think about leaving his club for a third division side? Mind you: he previously refused offers from Zenit and Tottenham."

"And that's the very reason we've decided to first meet you instead of him," August Fassbender, the other Red Bull representative, cut in. "As an agent, you should be able to see the trends of most things in football. If you do a bit of research about Leipzig, you will notice that the team has immense potential. In two to three years, we'll most likely be entering the Bundesliga. For instance, this coming season, we've already signed several promising players that will most likely help us win the 3rd Liga. If Zachary can join us, we would surely make it to the Bundesliga within two years. He would then have the chance to play against teams like Bayern and Dortmund. Tell me why you, as an agent,

would say no to such an opportunity for your client? Can't you see the possibilities that are there, especially within a team supported by Red Bull itself?"

"I do get your point," Emily said, sighing and shaking her head. "But, it's not me that can make this decision. It has to be my client. I can only promise that I'll bring up the issue to him and see how he reacts. But don't get your hopes up, as his answer will most likely be negative. How much are you willing to offer him as his salary, by the way?"

"You've got to understand that money has never been a problem for Red Bull," Thomas Koch said, smiling a bit. "Let's say that if he can join us during this summer transfer window, we're willing to even offer him 40,000 Euros as his starting salary. And that's weekly, not monthly, like what he is getting at Rosenborg. So, tell me: Haven't we been sincere enough?" He asked, his voice taking on a pleading tone.

Emily chuckled. "I'm not buying into that poker face of yours, Thomas," she said. "That's quite the sum of money, especially for a player at his age. But you've got to remember that money isn't everything. He may not wish to join your team even if you offer 300K per week to him. That aside, he has just signed a contract with Rosenborg. Do you guys expect him to abandon his team in the middle of the season? You people are putting me in a difficult position."

"We only wish for you to focus on convincing Zachary," Thomas Koch said, grinning. "As you have just said, he may be totally against the idea of joining a third division side. But I believe that you can make him see reason—that's if you try. You can then leave the issue of dealing with the Rosenborg higher-ups to us."

Emily frowned as she deliberated about the issue for a moment. She wasn't totally against the idea of Zachary joining a rapidly rising German side and earning more money in the process. She was well aware that the Red Bull Energy Drink company was a miracle worker when investing in sports. The teams under them, such as New York Red Bulls and Red Bull Salzburg, were doing well in their respective competitions. So, she didn't doubt Thomas Koch in the slightest when he declared that Leipzig would make it to the Bundesliga in two to three years.

If the Red Bull higher-ups could keep their promise and make Zachary the core of their team, he would become someone with the fame like that of Barcelona's Messi a few years later. He would for sure be a legend, like no other, if he got involved in the rise of such a fast-developing team. But the challenge was that Zachary was steadily beginning to fit into his current team. As his agent, Emily didn't want to mention any prospects of moving to another club to him, as that might destabilize his growth. So, she was in a bit of a dilemma.

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