novelraw Chapter 374 48: The Contract weight
Chapter 374 48: The Contract weight
Fletcher gave Ten Hag the floor for closing remarks and the manager shifted forward in his chair while his intensity increased visibly.
"I won't tell you Liverpool is a bad choice," Ten Hag started, and the acknowledgment of the competition was confident. "Klopp is a great manager. Anfield is a special stadium. They have strong history and they develop players well. I respect them."
The respect was genuine rather than performative.
"But ask yourself this question," Ten Hag continued, and his eyes locked on Demien's face. "Do you want to wait two years to compete for a starting place? Or do you want to compete now? Liverpool builds slowly. That works for some players. But you're nineteen with quality to contribute immediately. Why wait?"
The direct challenge to Liverpool's timeline was the core of United's pitch.
"Manchester United is in transition," Ten Hag said. "Some people see that as weakness. I see it as opportunity. We're rebuilding the right way with young, hungry players who want to prove themselves. You fit that profile. Come be part of something being built, not something already finished."
Different framing entirely from Liverpool. Klopp had sold recent success and a proven system. Ten Hag was selling the rebuild as opportunity rather than weakness.
"Old Trafford is your stadium if you choose it," Ten Hag said, and his voice carried weight without emotion. "You already scored there. Seventy-five thousand fans already chanted your name. That connection exists. Build on it. Be part of United's next great team."
The emotional appeal was grounded in Monday's reality rather than abstract possibility.
"You don't need to answer now," Ten Hag finished. "You shouldn't answer now. Take your time. Talk to your family, talk to Marco. But know that we want you here. Not as a squad player who fills numbers. As an important part of our midfield rebuild. Starting from day one of pre-season."
He sat back and the pitch was complete.
「Ten Hag's Closing — Analysis」
「Masterclass in opportunity positioning」
「Direct comparison to Liverpool without disrespect」
「Framed rebuild as opportunity not weakness」
「Emphasized immediate contribution vs patient development」
「CORE QUESTION POSED」
「Immediate opportunity or patient development?」
「ASSESSMENT: Strong pitch」
「Different philosophy from Liverpool but equally valid」
「Decision is about preference not quality」
Murtough added briefly.
"Same timeline as Liverpool," Murtough said. "We need an answer by Monday June 26th. We have other midfield targets if this doesn't work out. Not pressure, just transparency about our process."
Marco nodded once.
"Understood," Marco said. "You'll have an answer by Monday."
The meeting concluded with handshakes around the table and Ten Hag stood to shake Demien's hand one final time while his grip was firm.
"My phone is always available if questions come up before decision time," Ten Hag said, and he pulled a business card from his jacket pocket. "Don't hesitate to call."
Fletcher walked them to the elevator and thanked them for coming, and the elevator doors closed at twelve fifty.
------
They walked out of United's building without speaking and got into the waiting car, and the driver pulled away from the curb heading east back toward Kings Cross while Marco let silence hold for several minutes.
Once they were moving through traffic, Marco spoke.
"Compare it to Liverpool," Marco said.
Demien exhaled properly for the first time since entering the conference room two hours earlier.
"Different energy," Demien said. "Less emotional, more tactical. Ten Hag focused on immediate opportunity. Klopp focused on long-term development."
"Correct," Marco said. "What else?"
"United pays more," Demien said while organizing his thoughts. "Thirty thousand per week more base salary. Better signing bonus. But Liverpool has an automatic buyout clause. United's is conditional and vague."
"Trade-offs," Marco said. "Money versus security. What about the timelines?"
"United said twenty-plus starts year one across all competitions," Demien said. "Liverpool said cup rotation year one, Premier League regular starts year two. United's timeline is faster."
"Also correct," Marco said. "So which timeline do you prefer?"
Demien looked out the window at London passing by and didn't answer immediately.
"I don't know yet," Demien said.
Marco nodded and his expression showed approval rather than concern.
"Good," Marco said. "You shouldn't know yet. You've heard two excellent pitches from two excellent clubs. Both want you. Both will develop you. Both will pay you well. The difference is philosophy."
"Liverpool patient, United immediate," Demien said.
"Exactly," Marco said. "Liverpool says come grow with us over two years and we guarantee your exit if it doesn't work. United says come contribute now and we'll pay you more but you're committed to the project. Neither is wrong. They're just different approaches to the same goal."
The car arrived at Demien's hotel and Marco said they'd talk tomorrow to process everything properly after giving Demien space to think overnight.
Demien got out and thanked Marco for the preparation.
"Get some rest," Marco said. "We'll debrief properly tomorrow."
The car pulled away and Demien walked into the hotel lobby.
------
Demien sat at the desk with his laptop open and both contract offers displayed side by side on the screen—Liverpool's PDF on the left, United's on the right, and the numbers stared back at him without providing clarity.
He opened a new document and started typing comparison points in clean bullet format.
LIVERPOOL:
£190,000/week base salary (revised from £175,000)£9,500,000 signing bonusAutomatic buyout £75,000,000 after 18 monthsYear 2 target for regular Premier League startsKlopp's development record (Trent Alexander-Arnold, Harvey Elliott)Anfield atmosphere, European pedigree, recent successCompeting with: Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Jones, Elliott
MANCHESTER UNITED:
£220,000/week base salary£12,000,000 signing bonusConditional exit language at 18 months (non-binding)Year 1 target 20+ starts all competitionsTen Hag's development record (Ajax academy products)Old Trafford (already scored there Monday)Competing with: Mount, McTominay, potentially one more
He stared at the list and the comparison was clear but the answer wasn't, and both offers were elite options that nineteen-year-olds shouldn't complain about receiving.
Money favored United by significant margin. Exit protection favored Liverpool with guaranteed buyout. Timeline favored United with faster integration. Development reputation favored Liverpool with proven Premier League track record.
His phone buzzed and Sophia's name appeared on the screen with a text message.
Sophia: How did it go?
He typed back quickly.
Demien: Strong pitch. Different from Liverpool. Still can't decide.
Her response came within seconds.
Sophia: That's because they're both good options. Sleep on it.
He set the phone face-down on the desk and didn't call anyone else because talking it through out loud would only add voices to a decision that needed to come from his own judgment.
He opened YouTube and searched for Liverpool tactical videos, and spent twenty minutes watching their pressing patterns and midfield rotations while trying to imagine himself in red at Anfield.
Then he searched for Manchester United tactical videos and spent another twenty minutes watching their buildup sequences and half-space positioning while trying to imagine himself in red at Old Trafford.
Both systems suited his profile. Both managers knew how to develop young players. Both clubs competed for titles and European qualification.
The decision should be easier than this, but having two elite offers created paralysis rather than clarity.
He closed the laptop at six PM and ordered room service—grilled chicken with vegetables and rice because eating properly mattered even when his mind was occupied.
The food arrived twenty minutes later and he ate while watching television without really processing what was on the screen, and his mind kept cycling back to the meetings.
Klopp's intensity versus Ten Hag's tactical precision. Anfield's history versus Old Trafford where he'd already scored. Patient development versus immediate opportunity. Clean exit guarantee versus higher wages.
No clear answer emerged because both offers were too good, and that was the problem.
He set an alarm for eight AM tomorrow because Saturday meant meeting with Marco to compare properly and start narrowing options, but tonight he had two elite offers and zero clarity on which one was right.
Sleep came slowly when he finally tried at ten PM, and his mind stayed active despite his body's exhaustion while he lay in the darkness staring at the ceiling.
Dreams came eventually—red shirts that could have been Liverpool or Manchester United because both looked the same in the abstract space of unconscious thought, and stadiums that blurred together into one massive venue filled with fans chanting his name without specifying which club they supported.
The dreams offered no answers, just more questions wrapped in imagery his sleeping mind couldn't process into useful guidance.