THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME
Offers from Red Bull

Emily exchanged brief greetings with the two Red Bull executives before sitting on the chair opposite them. "So, why do I owe the pleasure of meeting three of Red Bull's top dogs here in Trondheim?" He asked, his trademark professional smile adorning his face.

Jerome smiled before tilting his head and making eye contact with Thomas Koch, Red Bull's overall head of marketing, who was sitting next to him. The latter nodded at him as if they had exchanged a bit of mental communication in that short period of time.

Jerome then turned towards Emily and said: "First, we'll start by making an offer to your client before discussing anything else." He grins.

"I listened," said Emily, taking out a notebook from her handbag.

"But first things first," said Jerome, a grin still adorning his face. "Wouldn't we order breakfast first? I don't think it's a good idea to talk about business on an empty stomach."

"Agreed."

"Agreed."

August Fassbender and Thomas Koch, two of his colleagues, immediately echoed each other, agreeing to his proposal without giving Emily time to answer.

Emily could only smile and shake her head before also agreeing to order breakfast first. He doesn't mind spending more time with Red Bull's big shots. He understands he can negotiate a better deal for his client if he can get on their good side. So for the next half hour, they did not talk about anything business-related but just concentrated on enjoying their meal. They were just like old friends chatting over breakfast. That way, they immediately finished their luxurious breakfast—and without delay, Jerome started the topic of endorsement once again.

"So, as I've said," he began, "We really appreciate Zachary's potential. We are very serious about signing him as our ambassador. To show our sincerity, we are willing to offer Zachary 12 million Norwegian Kroner a year— that if he agrees to sign a five-year support contract with us. We are also willing to pay the first 10 million years after signing."

"Oh," replied Emily, raising an eyebrow. "That's a good offer. But why do I feel like there's a deal in this deal?"

Jerome smiled before turning to Thomas Koch once more. The latter nodded before locking eyes with Emily. "I can assure you that your guess is wrong" he said, smiling slightly. "We only offer such a large amount to establish a good relationship with your clients. We won't even attach any strict requirements to the 12 million support deal."

"Then, what are you after?" Emily investigated, her eyebrows fused into wrinkles. "It makes no sense if two Red Bull representatives, one from Germany and one from Austria, are negotiating a 12 million Kroner deal. So, I'll ask you again: What are you after?"

"Then I'll get straight to the point" said Thomas Koch, half-smiling. "The problem is this: A few years ago, our company bought the rights to play SSV Markranstadt, a fifth-tier German team, with the aim of advancing a new club to the top Bundesliga within a few years. We named the club the new club RB Leipzig and are now looking for young players to join. We have identified Zachary as a player with great potential and are willing to build our rapidly growing team around him. If he agrees to join us, we will offer him the best contract money. That's my promise."

Thomas Koch smiled, a few wrinkles forming on his forehead. "We have just qualified for the 3rd League after winning the Saxony Cup this month" he replied. "We also qualified for the DFB-Pokal next season after winning the cup. So, you don't have to worry that your client won't be able to play against a top footballer if he joins our club..."

"Wait, wait, wait," said Emily, raising her hand slightly to interrupt the man. "Don't be in a hurry here. I really appreciate the offer of support that Red Bull has given my clients. Twelve million Norwegian Kroner per year is not a small number, especially for a player of his age. This is a good deal. . But my client will most likely turn down your deal because of those extra conditions. Think about it. Do you think he will leave Rosenborg, a team where he is performing well and developing at a high pace, for a third division team, entirely a new country?"

"Listen first," Jerome interjected, his trademark smile portraying his face regardless of the situation. “Let me also ask you this. Have you ever seen teams under Red Bull perform poorly in their respective leagues? The answer is no. So, I can promise you that RB Leipzig will grow into a European giant in just a few years. That's no doubt. If your client joins us, he will soon start a unique legacy in a completely new place. And as Mr. Koch said, we will make sure the coaches build a team with him as the core. We really want to build him into someone like Messi from Barcelona in Leipzig."

"I see what you mean, Jerome," Emily said with a smile. "But the question remains: do you think my client would think of leaving his club for a third division team? Mind you: he previously turned down offers from Zenit and Tottenham."

"And that's why we decided to meet you first rather than him" August Fassbender, another Red Bull representative, cut in. "As an agent, you should be able to see the trends of most things in football. If you do a little research on Leipzig, you will see that this team has a huge potential. In two to three years, we will most likely enter the Bundesliga. For example, next season, we have signed some promising players.players who will most likely help us win the 3rd League. If Zachary can join us, we will definitely make it to the Bundesliga within two years. He will then have the opportunity to play against teams like Bayern and Dortmund. Tell me why you, as an agent,

would you turn down such an opportunity for your client? Can't you see the possibilities, especially in the team supported by Red Bull itself?"

"I see what you mean" said Emily, sighing and shaking her head. "But I'm not the one who can make this decision. It must be my client. I can only promise that I will bring this matter to him and see how he reacts. But don't get your hopes up, because he or she the answer will most likely be negative. By the way, how much are you willing to offer him as his salary?"

"You have to understand that money is never a problem for Red Bull" Thomas Koch said with a small smile. "Say if he can join us during the transfer window this summer, we are even willing to offer him 40,000 Euros as his starting salary. And it's weekly, not monthly, like he got at Rosenborg. So, tell me: Aren't we sincere enough?" He asked, his voice taking a pleading tone.

Emily laughs. "I don't agree with that poker face of yours, Thomas," he said. “That's a pretty amount of money, especially for a player his age. But you have to remember that money is not everything. He may not want to join your team even if you offer him 300 grand per week. In addition, he has just signed a contract with Rosenborg. Do you expect him to leave his team in the middle of the season? You put me in a difficult position."

"We just hope you focus on convincing Zachary" Thomas Koch said. "As you just said, he may be completely against the idea of joining a third division team. But I'm sure you can make him see the reason—that if you try it. You can then leave the matter of dealing with Rosenborg higher up - it's up to us."

Emily frowned as she thought about the matter for a moment. He was not entirely opposed to the idea of Zachary joining a fast-growing German team and making more money in the process. He was well aware that the Red Bull Energy Drink company was a miracle worker when investing in sports. Teams under them, such as the New York Red Bulls and Red Bull Salzburg, performed well in their respective competitions. So, he did not doubt Thomas Koch in the slightest when he stated that Leipzig would reach the Bundesliga in two to three years.

If the Red Bull boss can keep their word and make Zachary the core of their team, he will become someone with Barcelona-like Messi fame a few years later. He will definitely become a legend, unlike the others, if he is involved in the resurgence of a rapidly growing team. But the challenge is that Zachary is starting to adjust to his current team. As her agent, Emily did not want to mention the prospect of a move to another club to her, as doing so could destabilize her growth. So, he's a little bit of a dilemma.

**** ****