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The first training session at Manchester United has concluded. It suddenly hit me that every first experience feels profound and precious. For me, the first training at Manchester United was a valuable experience that made me realize how heavenly my time at Dortmund was.

– Ho-woo: Mino.

– Ho-woo: Is it impossible to return to Dortmund?

On the very day the first training at Manchester United ended, I jokingly asked Mino Raiola if it was possible for me to go back to Dortmund.

– Mino Raiola: Jinho.

– Mino Raiola: Shall we look into it?

– Ho-woo: It’s okay. I was joking.

It was a joke with a hint of sincerity, and I had no intention of returning to Dortmund. If Ferguson wasn’t here, I might have genuinely despaired and seriously considered returning, but thankfully, Ferguson was vigorously managing the team.

I believe in our manager, Alex Ferguson. He will transform this dark squad into something brilliant.

– Ronaldo: Manchester United! I’m back!

Just then, the trade news about Ronaldo, who had been negotiating his salary for a while, was confirmed.

I smiled with satisfaction at the news of having a comrade to share the pain with.

‘That Ronaldo guy will probably want to return to Real Madrid after a mini-game, right?’

Imagining that scene made me burst into laughter, just as I received another message from Ronaldo.

– Ronaldo: Son Jinho.

– Raldado: Hand over my jersey number nicely!

Ronaldo, back at Man United, tried to snatch my small and precious jersey number, but I flatly refused. Honestly, I didn’t care much for the number 7, so I could have just given it up, but since Ronaldo asked for it, I strangely didn’t want to give it away.

A prideful battle unfolded over the number 7 jersey.

“Jinho, please concede the number…”

“I refuse.”

“…that obviously won’t work.”

As tensions rose between Ronaldo and me over the jersey number issue, the club finally intervened.

During the persuasion process of the club, a front office employee I had built a rapport with informed me that due to Ronaldo’s salary issues, Ferguson’s salary had also increased. Observing the sharp angle for a salary increase, Mino Raiola rushed straight to the Manchester United president’s office.

– Mino Raiola: I saw it! I fought! I won!

– Mino Raiola: (salary increase contract .jpg)

And as a result, I was able to receive a slightly higher salary than Ronaldo in exchange for giving up the number 7 jersey this season.

***

[The biggest deal of the summer transfer market. Rooney + 58.7 billion – Ronaldo trade confirmed.]

└ Wow. Seriously, how did this happen?

└ Ronaldo is really heading to Man Utd?

└ Haha, it’s the time of the invincible Emperor!

└ Are we seeing Son Jinho-naldo? This is wild, hahahaha.

└ Is something wrong with Glazers? Why are they suddenly starting to spend money?

└ I think Glazers mentioned last season that they paid off the debt since acquiring the club.

└ Really? Hahaha, that’s insane. It’s now the great Emperor’s time.

└ Will Manchester be coming for a visit?

└ If they come, I’m definitely going to enjoy it, haha. I have to cheer at the game.

└ These days, K-League kids are also cheering, right?

└ It might be lacking compared to the original, but it’s still enjoyable, haha.

[Carlo Ancelotti expresses strong dissatisfaction over Ronaldo’s transfer. ‘Ronaldo is a world-class player. It’s hard to understand why he was let go like this.’]

[What will happen to Son Jinho’s jersey number with Ronaldo’s acquisition?]

└ Ah, good point, what about the jersey number?

└ What can we do? Of course, Son Jinho has to concede to our King Goddu.

└ Concede? Seriously, what about the fans who already bought the jersey?

└ Why should our King concede in the first place? Can’t Ronaldo wear the number 10?

└ Ho-jokdu faction in-house conflict, oh no!

└ These guys fight and reconcile all the time, haha.

[Son Jinho finalizes negotiations with Ronaldo; Son Jinho will wear the number 7 jersey this season! “Already considering the fans who purchased the jersey.”]

└ Wow, haha, the King Goddu knows how to care for fans.

└ This is probably something our King asked for.

└ Please, stop fighting, you fools.

***

Thanks to the club’s mediation, this season, Ronaldo decided to wear the number 28 jersey, which he used during his Sporting days.

When Rooney transferred, the number 10 jersey was left vacant, but Ronaldo absolutely refused to wear the same number as Messi, so it was ultimately decided to leave number 10 vacant for one season.

– Gyeouri: Ronaldo, are you back!!!

– Cheolmo: Man Utd really exploded in the transfer market this time, right? Isn’t this a violation of FFP?

– Gyeouri: Nope! It’s been less than what Chelsea spent!

– Chairman Hwang Geum-soon: Shouldn’t Man Utd be focusing on acquiring defenders rather than attackers?

– Gyeouri: Well, our manager is Ferguson~

Han Gyeouri welcomed Ronaldo’s return, while my mother-in-law and Chairman Hwang Geum-soon showed signs of vigilance.

Anyway, as a result of the trade between Ronaldo and Rooney, the chain of transfers officially began.

***

[(Official) Manchester City acquires Thiago Alcântara from FC Barcelona. Transfer fee is 32 million euros (approximately 46 billion won).]

[‘Liverpool, who firmly blocked Arsenal’s offer, proposes a Luis Suárez <-> Karim Benzema trade to Real Madrid.]

[Karim Benzema firmly declines Liverpool’s offer. ‘I want to play at a big club. My goal is always to win, and from my standards, Liverpool is not a big club.’]

[FC Barcelona shows curiosity towards Luis Suárez.]

[FC Barcelona proposes a trade of Sánchez <-> Luis Suárez to Liverpool.]

[Is Luis Suárez heading to FC Barcelona?]

[Steven Gerrard expresses disappointment. ‘I tried to persuade Suárez, but it seems his mind is already made up…’]

[(Official) Dortmund signs Son Heung-min.]

[Marco Reus, ‘He showed an amazing performance as an attacking midfielder during the preseason…’]

[Can Marco Reus and Son Heung-min coexist?]

[Jürgen Klopp mentions Son Heung-min. ‘A young player with exceptional professionalism.’]

[‘Happy One’ Mourinho shows interest in acquiring Ivan Perišić. “Ivan Perišić is a game-changer on the field, a player Chelsea needs.”]

***

While Alex Ferguson was scanning the summer transfer market, he frowned at the failed transfers he had hoped for.

Last season, the triangular plan involving Ronaldo, Van Persie, and Bale had crumbled due to Tottenham chairman Levy’s reluctance.

Thus far, Alex Ferguson had assembled a strike force with top-level players, even if the midfield and defense were somewhat lacking.

But for Alex Ferguson, the right winger position remained a source of regret, and he scoured the transfer market for solutions.

However, there wasn’t a right winger satisfying to him, aside from Gareth Bale.

‘Guess there’s no choice.’

Ultimately, Ferguson decided to give opportunities to youth players.

Wilfried Zaha, acquired during the last winter transfer market, was among them.

And the youth prodigy, Adnan Januzaj, succeeded in getting his chance.

Alex Ferguson alternated them onto the field during practice matches.

The promoted prodigy Januzaj, perhaps due to his eagerness to catch the manager’s eye, preferred a reckless dribble rather than simple and concise passes, resulting in losing the ball needlessly.

“Fuck!”

Just as Ferguson was about to scold Januzaj for his reckless dribbling tactics.

“Stand straight, Januzaj.”

“Why didn’t you pass to me there?”

The discipline of Son Jinho and Ronaldo began for Januzaj, and seeing that, Ferguson nodded with a satisfied expression.

And the discipline from the two also extended to Wilfried Zaha, under Ferguson’s silent approval.

“Hollywood actions, huh? I’ll make sure you can’t do that ever again.”

“Stand straight, Zaha. From now on, every time you fall, I’ll kick your legs out.”

***

After joining Manchester United, Ferguson made me play in so many positions during training matches.

Striker, winger, attacking midfielder, central midfielder, defensive midfielder, both left and right fullbacks, and center back.

I feel like I’ve played every position except goalkeeper.

After many experiments, Ferguson finally smiled with satisfaction.

“Hm. Everything is adequate, but I was most comfortable when I played as a midfielder.”

The manager nodded as if it was a satisfying experiment.

‘Mad scientist, perhaps?’

I felt like I had become Ferguson’s experiment subject.

Anyway, facing the opening game, we had a friendly match with Sevilla.

In this game, I participated as a center back to replace Rio Ferdinand, who had suffered a minor injury during training, and led the back build-up.

“Jinho! Just make forward passes in this game, got it!?”

Ferguson demanded forward passes from me.

In this situation with less pressure than when I played as a central midfielder, I calmly threaded through long passes, and Ferguson nodded with a pleased expression.

Ronaldo evaded offside with fantastic off-the-ball movement, received the long pass, and scored a clean return goal, leading Manchester United to a 3-0 victory.

After finishing the friendly match schedule, Manchester United, a few days later, faced Wigan Athletic, the FA Cup winners, in the Community Shield.

In that match, I played as a right winger.

It seems I have become All-purpose Jinho for Ferguson.

 

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