My Ultimate Gacha System

Chapter 366 41: Meeting Marco

3:25 PM

Marco opened the second folder and slid the Manchester United document across the table. The header read Manchester United FC - Revised Offer - June 20, 2023 with the club crest similarly watermarked.

"Base salary," Marco said immediately. "United's original offer was two hundred thousand pounds per week in year one. Revised offer is now two hundred twenty thousand per week in year one."

He let Demien see the number before continuing.

"Rising to two hundred thirty-five thousand in year three and two hundred fifty thousand in year five," Marco said. "That's twenty thousand per week more than they originally offered, and thirty thousand per week more than Liverpool's revised offer."

The difference was significant and impossible to ignore.

"Over five years, that's approximately seven point eight million additional pounds before tax compared to their original offer," Marco said. "And approximately thirteen million more than Liverpool's revised offer over the same period."

Demien scanned the document while Marco continued.

"Signing bonus increased from ten million to twelve million pounds," Marco said. "Appearance bonuses increased from six thousand to seven thousand five hundred per Premier League start or sixty-plus minute appearance. Goal and assist bonuses increased from nine thousand to eleven thousand per goal or assist."

He flipped the page.

"Image rights section," Marco said. "Original United offer was twenty-five percent to you but had the same exclusion problem as Liverpool, with language excluding Manchester United brand and partner revenue. The revised offer hasn't changed the percentage—still twenty-five percent—but they've narrowed the exclusion definition."

His finger found the relevant clause and Demien leaned forward to read it.

"More deals now count toward your percentage share," Marco explained. "My estimate is the effective split is now approximately twenty-two to twenty-six percent depending on deal structure. This is better than Liverpool's revised image rights split by roughly four to six percentage points."

Marco turned to the next section and his tone sharpened.

"Commercial obligations," he said. "This is where United made significant movement and you need to understand it properly."

He read from the document: "Player agrees to minimum ten appearance days per calendar year for club commercial obligations. Pre-season tour participation is required with maximum duration of twenty-one days including travel time."

Marco looked up. "Original offer required twelve appearance days minimum plus pre-season tours of 'reasonable duration' with no defined ceiling. You asked for eight days maximum with a tour ceiling in your notes. Revised offer is ten days minimum plus tour capped at twenty-one days maximum."

He paused to let that register.

"It's not the eight days you wanted," Marco said. "But there's now a definite ceiling, which addresses your concern about United's commercial operation consuming excessive time. They heard you and moved meaningfully even if they didn't go all the way to your number."

Demien read the section himself and the revision was substantial compared to the original open-ended language.

"Buyout clause section," Marco said, and his tone indicated this was the difficult part. "Original United offer had no buyout clause, only mutual consent required for any transfer. You wanted a conditional exit clause."

He read from the document: "If the player is not receiving regular first-team minutes after eighteen months, the club will consider reasonable transfer offers above fifty million pounds."

Marco emphasized the word "consider" with his tone.

"This is vague and non-binding," he said. "They've added language but it doesn't actually guarantee anything. 'Consider' means they'll listen to offers but can still say no. 'Reasonable' isn't defined. 'Regular first-team minutes' isn't defined. It's something, but it's not a hard exit mechanism like Liverpool's automatic buyout clause."

Demien understood the distinction immediately—Liverpool gave a guaranteed exit at seventy-five million after eighteen months, United gave vague language about considering offers with no guarantees.

"Wage escalator changed as well," Marco said. "Original structure was five percent annual increase regardless of appearances made. Revised structure is five percent annual increase IF you make minimum fifteen Premier League starts that season, otherwise three percent."

He looked at Demien directly. "This ties wage increases to actual performance rather than just time served. It's more fair structurally but also means you earn less if you're not playing regularly."

Marco closed the folder and sat back.

"Questions," he said.

"Playing time provisions?" Demien asked.

"Same as Liverpool," Marco said. "Vague language about mutual discussions if you're not playing regularly, but no guarantees of minutes. Neither club will promise that to a nineteen-year-old."

"What was United's emphasis in their revision?"

Marco nodded at the question again. "Money first, same as Liverpool. They're willing to pay top dollar and they made that very clear. Commercial obligations came second because they knew that was a major sticking point in the original offer. Image rights and exit language came third. United is showing flexibility on everything except giving you a hard buyout clause that activates automatically. That's their line in the sand—they won't move on that."

Demien processed this and the pattern showed United's priorities—pay premium wages, show flexibility on commercial demands, but keep control over transfers.

"United moved more on commercial obligations than Liverpool did," Marco summarized. "United's better on image rights by several percentage points. United pays significantly higher wages—thirty thousand per week more than Liverpool. But Liverpool gives a cleaner exit via the automatic buyout clause. United's offer is more front-loaded with money. Liverpool's is more balanced with exit protections."

He paused and then asked the question Demien had been building toward.

"Which offer is better?"

Marco didn't answer immediately and the silence stretched for five seconds before he spoke.

"It depends what you value most," Marco said. "United pays more money and gives clearer commercial boundaries. Liverpool gives a cleaner exit mechanism. Liverpool's offer is more balanced overall. United's is weighted toward immediate financial gain. Neither is obviously superior to the other—they're just structured differently to appeal to different priorities."

Demien sat back and let the information settle while both folders sat on the table in front of him representing two different futures.

Both clubs had taken his concerns seriously. Both had made meaningful revisions. But neither had given him everything he'd asked for, which meant the decision was harder now rather than easier because both offers were legitimately strong.

3:50 PM

Marco closed both folders and pulled out a blank notepad while his energy shifted from presentation mode to preparation mode.

"We're shifting now from reviewing offers to preparing for Thursday and Friday's actual meetings," he said. "Both meetings will follow similar structures—directors present their vision for your role at the club, then you have opportunity to ask questions. Your questions matter as much as their pitches because questions reveal maturity and seriousness."

He wrote at the top of the page: Questions to Ask Both Clubs.

"What are you trying to learn in these meetings beyond what's already in the contract offers?" Marco asked.

Demien thought before answering because the question required real consideration rather than quick response.

"I need to understand where I actually fit in each system," he said. "Not where they say I fit but where I really fit based on current squad composition and tactical setup. And I want to understand the development pathway—who I'm competing with for minutes, what realistically happens if I'm not playing."

Marco nodded and wrote on the notepad: tactical fit, development plan, competition analysis, playing time reality.

"Do you have a preference between working with Klopp versus Ten Hag?" Marco asked.

"I've never met either manager," Demien said.

"That's about to change," Marco said, and he set the pen down. "Both Klopp and Ten Hag will be present at their respective club meetings. Liverpool confirmed this morning that Klopp will attend Thursday's meeting. United confirmed Ten Hag will attend Friday's meeting. Both managers want to meet you personally before either club makes their final push."

The information changed the dynamic completely and Demien's understanding of what Thursday and Friday would actually involve shifted immediately.

He wasn't just meeting with technical directors and sporting directors. He was meeting with the actual managers who would coach him daily if he signed.

"Both managers will sell their vision enthusiastically," Marco continued. "Both are charismatic and persuasive—that's part of why they're successful at elite clubs. Both will make you feel like you're the missing piece their team needs. Your job is to listen for what they DON'T say, not just what they do say."

"What do you mean?" Demien asked.

"Examples," Marco said. "If Klopp talks about developing you over two seasons, he's really saying you won't start immediately and need time to adapt. If Ten Hag talks about healthy competition for places being good for the squad, he's really saying you'll be fighting for minutes and nothing is guaranteed. The gaps between words matter as much as the words themselves."

Demien nodded and the distinction made sense—read between the lines rather than taking everything at face value.

"I'm going to dictate questions you should ask both managers," Marco said. "Write them down."

Demien pulled the notepad toward himself and picked up the pen.

Marco spoke slowly enough for Demien to write clearly:

"Where do you see me fitting tactically in your system?"

"What's the development pathway you envision for me in year one?"

"Who am I competing with for the position you see me in?"

"What happens if I'm not getting minutes after six months?"

"What made you want to sign me specifically?"

Demien finished writing the fifth question and Marco waited for him to look up before explaining.