Chapter 114: Opportunity

"Come on, brothers, let’s have a drink!" Dai Guangming raised his glass. "This trip will last a whole year. We need to work hard during this time; there won't be any room for rest. Besides, it will be a year before we see Liu Lin and Ning Xi again, so tonight, let’s drink until we drop!"

"Is it really a good idea for us to drink?" Long Bisheng asked, sounding a bit hesitant.

"Oh, what's the big deal?" Zhou Wei chimed in. "We're sixteen! We haven't been protected by the 'Minor Protection Law' for two years now. A little alcohol won't hurt. Plus, we don't usually touch a drop—even Li Jie, that Northeast-born bottomless pit who was fed two ounces of liquor by his old man when he was just a baby, doesn't drink. Today is a special occasion; not drinking would be disloyal." He gave a mischievous wink. "Besides, you're not going to see Ning Xi for a year, you need a little liquid courage to keep the bond alive."

"What are you talking about?" Ning Xi arched her eyebrows and pointed her chopsticks at Zhou Wei. He ducked his head, feigning terror, which made everyone else burst into laughter.

Liu Lin took a sip of his drink, his chubby face beaming. "Who knows? Maybe it won't even take a year before we meet again in England."

"What do you mean?" Their curiosity piqued, everyone put down their glasses and stared at Liu Lin, unblinking.

This reckless fellow had the audacity to lift his glass again, acting as if he were savoring the drink—a move that naturally led to a brutal outcome. Ignoring the fact that he might become their agent in the future, Li Jie and the others immediately pounced on him for another round of playful beating.

After taking the beating, Liu Lin obediently explained, "Manager Jiang tested our academic performance a while ago... He thinks we're doing quite well and need to gain more experience. While you're in England, your training sessions and matches will be observed by scouts from various friendly clubs and English teams at all levels. If any of you are spotted, the club will consider transferring you. There are many of you, and the club doesn't have enough agents. Since your transfers are much simpler than those of established stars, the club plans to send me, Ning Xi, and a few other classmates to England to handle the transfer negotiations... Of course, that's only if a club actually shows interest in you first."

"Wait, wait," Dai Guangming said, his eyes narrowing. "Are you saying that this trip to England isn't just about adapting to the atmosphere of European football in advance, but also about the chance to be scouted by European clubs and start playing in Europe directly?"

As soon as he said this, everyone’s eyes lit up with intense heat. The look of desperation in their eyes was enough to make even Liu Lin feel a little uneasy.

Europe! In terms of world football, South America and Europe are neck and neck. South America boasts the football kingdom of Brazil and an Argentina that is in no way inferior, while Europe possesses the highest number of national teams capable of winning the World Cup. However, at the club level, while South American clubs are just as strong as their European counterparts, no one would dare claim that the average level of South American clubs is higher than that of Europe.

Although the Intercontinental Cup—representing the clash between the highest-level clubs of South America and Europe—was evenly split, with each side winning twelve titles out of the first twenty-four, one must remember that South American teams swept the first five editions, while European teams won five consecutive titles in the 1990s. European clubs, with their massive financial power, constantly poach players in their prime from South America, while South American clubs are forced to rely on developing their own talent or bringing in aging stars. The disparity is clear.

Being able to play in Europe is the dream of every player—this is no exaggeration. It is home to the best players, the most famous coaches, the most brilliant tactical masters, and the most renowned transfer kings. It offers the highest honors at the club level and the most lucrative rewards. Everyone wants to go there; the only question is whether they can.

"You could call it 'landing in Europe,'" Liu Lin nodded. "But don't expect to reach the stars overnight. European teams have strict controls on non-EU players, especially the English work permit. None of us can get one in the short term. It’s more likely you'll be spotted by lower-tier English clubs—where work permit approvals, while still strict, are easier to navigate if a club desperately needs you; the English FA often turns a blind eye in such cases. Or perhaps, smaller clubs in leagues that have good relationships with Yunjia Tianyu—like those in Sweden, Belgium, or Denmark—might take an interest in you."

"That sounds reasonable," Hu Gandang nodded. "After all, the top five leagues don't just sign anyone. For us, it's better to be grounded. Even if we start at a small club, we can improve step by step, and there will always be a chance to reach the giants."

"So you all need to work hard," Ning Xi raised her glass. "Come, here’s to you all joining a big club soon. Only then will we agents start making money!"

The group roared with laughter and raised their glasses in unison. "No problem! Let’s drink to that!"

Nine glasses clinked high in the air, sending a spray of foam into the night.

When he first set out on the path of football, Long Bisheng had wondered if he would ever be like the stars on the national team, playing in Europe. Now, he had achieved half of that goal. For the next year, he would truly be playing in Europe—even if it was just in reserve team matches.

But for him, this opportunity was more than enough. There were at least a hundred thousand players in China who made football their profession or aimed for professional play, but how many had the chance to personally experience the atmosphere of European football?

If he weren't in the Yunjia Tianyu youth academy, if Yunjia Tianyu weren't practically a partner to Newcastle, and if Pei Wei hadn't been dedicated to promoting exchanges between Chinese and European football, he would never have had this chance to come to Europe at such a young age! Even Dai Guangming and the others, despite their immense talent and self-confidence, knew full well that unless they performed exceptionally in the youth ranks, got noticed by the first team, earned a spot in the national youth team, and shone in international tournaments, it would be nearly impossible for them to be scouted by European clubs.

There was a massive chasm between European and Asian football, one not easily bridged. Europe was filled with countless talented youngsters waiting for their chance to shine, and scouts were more accustomed to looking toward South America. If not for the bridge Pei Wei had built with his wealth and connections, they never would have had this opportunity at such a young age!

European club training grounds were always crawling with scouts. Even a good performance in practice could catch a scout's eye and lead to a foothold in Europe. All the youngsters of the Yunjia Tianyu U17 squad were incredibly excited by this prospect. No one knew how many of them were secretly vowing to give everything they had this year to stay in Europe, but one thing was certain: the number was not small.

This didn't mean they were disloyal or backstabbers. In reality, players who came through the Yunjia Tianyu system were almost universally loyal to the club. However, their owner, Pei Wei, had always encouraged players to go abroad. In the last decade, countless players—Chinese and foreign alike—had left Yunjia Tianyu for European leagues. If one were to keep count, Yunjia Tianyu had sent more players to Europe than all other domestic clubs combined!

Pei Wei didn't fear his players being scouted by European clubs; he feared they wouldn't be good enough to catch their eye. That would mean the players his club developed weren't up to the standard of European football, which would be a blow to his pride.

What Pei Wei could be proud of, however, was that every player who left Yunjia Tianyu performed just as well as the established stars, even in the top European leagues. Yunjia Tianyu had gradually built its brand in Europe, prompting European scouts to turn their eyes toward China.

This was an era of global economic integration, and football was no different. After years of developing talent-scouting systems, major and minor clubs had established sophisticated networks across Europe and South America. Some forward-thinking clubs even set up training camps in Africa. In this environment, talented players from South America, Europe, and Africa were being snapped up, and sometimes giants would fight tooth and nail for a single prospect. In this landscape, Yunjia Tianyu—with its high reputation in Asia and a youth system that rivaled European giants—was becoming increasingly significant.

It was precisely because of this that Pei Wei decided to launch the youth exchange program, giving Long Bisheng and the others this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.