As Cao Baming gestured a farewell, Mike understood the unspoken meaning.
The others in the room couldn't comprehend it, but Cao Baming didn't look back, walking straight out.
Mike remained. With Cao Baming gone and evening approaching, it was time for dinner. However, with unfinished tasks, no one had left the room.
Seeing their boss depart, Mike immediately began relaying Cao Baming's instructions to everyone.
"Get the signing procedures finalized within an hour and send them to me."
"How's the contact with Ronaldo coming along? Tomorrow, only he is scheduled to arrive, and the time is uncertain. It's best to have everything prepared now. He's not a fully confirmed figure; we can't let him slip away at this stage."
"Submit the player salary settlement report to me today. The finance department must double-check everything. By tonight, review the current total budget three times."
"The plan is to release the announcement to the public at 8:15 PM. Don't be late like yesterday. I won't hold you accountable for yesterday's one-minute delay, but if this mistake happens again today, everyone will be fined."
"And remember the 9 PM press conference. Cao Baming won't be there; the head coach has to stand in for him! Understood?"
Mike spoke in one breath, leaving the room speechless and stunned. Even Guardiola seemed as obedient as a child in front of Mike.
Didn't Cao Baming just make a simple gesture when he left?
Everyone was thinking this, unable to grasp how such a gesture could convey so much.
Suddenly, the way people looked at Mike was like they were looking at a monster – the same way they had looked at him on the first day they met Cao Baming.
At this moment, Mike looked calm, even enjoying their gazes.
Directing people indeed felt good, especially when he wasn't directing ordinary people, but true elites.
When he was a football manager before, seeing a coach of Guardiola's caliber would make his hair stand on end, his hands tremble, and sweat break out on his forehead.
But now, Guardiola was his subordinate! This feeling was incredibly satisfying, simply exhilarating!
After listening to Mike's speech, and wondering if he was finished, people finally began their tasks.
That evening, the fans had been waiting for a long time. Many had speculated that Manchester United would drop new bombshell news today, but there had been no word until now.
Could it be that there's nothing? The fans involuntarily began to think.
All of this stemmed from rumors on the internet, with some speculating that Messi's next club was still undecided and that he was good friends with Cao Baming.
Thinking about it, was this reason truly sufficient?
Messi wasn't in a hurry to decide this summer. Even if he did, why would he go to Manchester United? Surely, Liverpool, Real Madrid, and other giants would want to take him in.
The idea of Cao Baming and Messi being good friends seemed even less reliable. Cao Baming had many friends, not to mention his group of friends in the Tang national team. They couldn't all be invited, could they?
By 7:50 PM, only about ten minutes remained until the news release time from yesterday. The fans thought that if there was still no news by then, it was basically over.
Everything was just wishful thinking by the fans.
Meanwhile, in the executive offices of Arsenal Football Club, the team finally finished their tasks. The media team had prepared in advance: the public announcement at 8 PM, the press conference at 9 PM!
Today, there would absolutely be no further delays! Cao Baming was indeed generous with money, but he was equally uncompromising when it came to financial discipline!
With the situation as it was, they had no choice but to take it seriously, dedicating a hundred and ten percent of their energy and releasing the information precisely on time.
At 8 PM, a piece of news appeared, but no one noticed it yet.
However, in just a few seconds, it exploded like a bomb. The news's browsing volume surged exponentially.
Even the title was unimportant. Seeing the source as Manchester United sent the fans into a frenzy!
Is Messi coming?
They clicked to see! Indeed, the beginning featured a photo of Messi, making all the fans crazy, excited, and thrilled. But they continued reading.
Smart fans knew it wouldn't be just that. This wasn't Cao Baming's usual style. Further down, they saw other names, even more exciting.
Then, a photo of Messi, Neymar, and Luis Suárez standing shoulder to shoulder appeared!
Indeed, the media editors understood the fans best! The lineup was so thrilling it brought tears to their eyes, gushing like a fountain.
Luis Suárez was really coming! He was on the list of signed players. It was all true, not just fan fantasy!
This truly felt like a dream. Many fans felt a tingling sensation, their heads spinning, finding it hard to distinguish between dream and reality.
They quickly and forcefully slapped their faces. The pain was real!
Looking back at the photo of the three together, their smiles were so pure, so radiant, a joy from the heart!
This photo instantly evoked memories of their peak period at Barcelona, the classic "MSN" trident celebrating a goal together.
And now, the three stood together, even without a specific order. Whether it was intentional or accidental, no one knew, but the scene had indeed changed!
This wasn't the Bernabéu Stadium, nor Barcelona. This was Manchester United's Old Trafford, and it was the first time the three had taken a photo together in this location.
As expected, fans began to reminisce, going wild over this news.
The comment section updated frantically, even faster than live stream bullet comments! Facing this scene, no one could control their emotions.