THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME

"I thank you for your understanding, Coach," Emily said, standing up from her seat. "I have to go now and submit a copy of the letter to the legal office. Thank you for your time."

"Just a moment," Coach Johansen said. "What are Zachary's intentions? Where does he want to go after leaving Rosenborg?"

"His first choice is Tottenham," Emily immediately replied, as she didn't need to conceal such information. "As for his second choice, he is considering Juventus."

Coach Johansen narrowed his eyes. "I understand his second choice. Juventus will provide a suitable environment for him to grow over the next few seasons, especially with all the word-class stars on the squad. But why is his first choice destination Tottenham? Why not any other big club in Europe?"

Emily shrugged. "Maybe, he's confident in himself to help Tottenham start winning titles. Remember: He has already done so for Rosenborg and helped the team win the Europa League."

"I get his reasoning," Coach Johansen said, sighing. "But I still hope you can advise him against a move to Tottenham. Of course, I know that Zachary is a phenomenal player. I know he can even help a weak club achieve an impossible dream, like winning the Europa League. But why give himself such a difficult task if there's another better option? Why not join a bigger club where he'll be sure to win trophies season in, season out? Do you get my reasoning, Emily?"

"I do," Emily said, nodding. "I'll pass on your message to him. Or better, you can call him and talk to him yourself. I'm sure he will consider your advice."

"Then, I'll do just that and call him later today," Coach Johansen said. "And about the transfer request, you don't have to worry. Management is very open to selling Zachary to any other party outside Norway at the right price. So, be rest assured that there won't be anyone at the top blocking your request."

"That's good to know." Emily smiled, nodding. "Thank you for the info. I have to go now and submit the other letter. Have a good day, coach, and thank you again for your time."

"You're welcome," Coach Johansen said, smiling. "I wish you the best in your endeavors to process Zachary's transfer to a new club. Have a good day too."

-----

After leaving Coach Johansen's office at Lerkendal, Emily quickly headed to Rosenborg's offices in Brakka and submitted a copy of the transfer request to the legal department. She then took a taxi back to her hotel before picking up her key from the reception and returning to her room.

A thoughtful expression outlined her face as she sat on a chair in front of the reading table on one side of her room. She was considering her next moves to aid Zachary's smooth transfer out of Rosenborg.

"Going by Coach Johansen's hint," she mused, "The management has already come to terms with the fact that a small club, like Rosenborg, can't keep a player at Zachary's level. They are ready to sell for the right price. But I can't leave anything to chance, especially since Zachary wants this transfer processed as soon as possible. I have to take extra measures to ensure that Rosenborg starts considering offers from interested parties in the shortest time possible."

Emily's eyes flickered with a trace of resolve as she picked up her phone. She quickly searched for the number belonging to Olav Brusveen, the TV2 Sporten reporter, before dialing it.

"Hello, my dear Emily," an enthusiastic voice sounded from the other end of the line when the call connected. "You've finally remembered to return my call. What a pleasant surprise!"

"Cut the drama, Olav," Emily said. "Let's get down to business. I have a good scoop for you. It's insider info that you can't get from anywhere else at the moment."

"A piece of insider news!" Olav's tone immediately turned professional. "Let me guess. It's about Zachary."

"Bingo!" Emily said, intending to sound sarcastic. "Brilliant! You've managed to make an almost impossible guess. Now, do you want the info or not?"

"First things first," Olav responded, "What is the price for this piece of news? Will it put me in trouble?"

"The info is legit," Emily said impatiently. "And, of course, you don't have to pay anything for it. Take it as a favor from a friend."

"I see," Olav's voice sounded from the phone speaker. "For a moment, I was scared that you might want me to pay for the info with my body. Imagine my surprise."

"Olav!" Emily's voice rose an octave or two as she spoke into the phone.

"Okay, okay! Sorry, that was just a joke. Go ahead. I'm all ears now."

Emily inhaled deeply and said, "You didn't hear this from me. But you can be sure that Zachary's party submitted an official transfer request to Rosenborg's management today morning. How you use this information is up to you. But make sure you don't mention that it came from me. Otherwise, you'll never get another scoop from me."

"I understand," Olav said, his voice sounding totally professional. "You don't have to worry about me causing trouble for you. I'll say that the info was from a reliable source close to Rosenborg."

"Great," Emily said. "You can do what you have to do with the info. I'm hanging up now."

"Wait," Olav hurriedly said. "What about my request to exclusively interview Zachary? When can I interview him?"

"That's not up to me to decide," Emily replied. "I will first discuss with Zachary about the notion. If he agrees, you can conduct the interview before the end of the week."

"Okay, thank you," Olav said. "I'll be eagerly waiting for a positive response from Zachary. Have a good day and thanks for the scoop."

"You're welcome, and have a good day too," Emily intoned and ended the call.

She leaned back into her seat and exhaled a breath of relief as she'd finally crossed another task off her schedule. She was sure that the pressure on Rosenborg's management would increase after some credible news outlets published articles about Zachary's official transfer request. Then, the club's agents would be forced to act with haste when listening to offers from other parties.

"I should also send a message to the representatives of both Tottenham and Juventus concerning the transfer request," she decided after a moment of deliberation. "That should further quicken the transfer process."

Emily was a woman of action. She opened her laptop and started drafting an email addressed to the relevant parties.

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