"So, tell me, Mr. Sterling. You want to buy my football club?"
Michael met the older man's tired, searching gaze.
This was the moment. The first real test.
He couldn't come in with the cold, predatory language of a corporate raider.
This man didn't just own a business; he was the guardian of a town's heart.
"Mr. Davies," Michael began, his voice calm and respectful.
"I don't just want to buy your club. I want to be its custodian. I've looked at the financials, I've seen the reports. But more importantly, I've seen the history. I know what Barnsley FC means to this community."
He leaned forward, placing his hands on the table.
This was different from the cold calculus he had with his father. This was about building, not just acquiring.
"I see a club with incredible bones. A top-tier youth academy that is the envy of leagues above this one. A loyal, passionate fanbase that has stuck with the team through thick and thin. You haven't just kept this club alive, sir. You've preserved its soul."
A flicker of surprise and gratitude washed over Ken Davies' face.
He exchanged a quick, impressed glance with Arthur, who remained perfectly still, a silent observer.
"That's kind of you to say, son," Davies said, his voice a little thicker.
"But kind words don't keep the floodlights on. Let's not beat around the bush. My advisors have set the valuation. For the club, the stadium, the training facilities, and all associated assets, the price is nine million pounds."
Michael nodded slowly.
The number was exactly what Arthur had predicted.
It was fair, but it was also the high end of what they could afford.
"It's a fair valuation," Michael conceded, showing that he'd done his homework.
"On paper. But we both know the reality is more complex. There's outstanding debt that needs to be serviced. The training ground, while functional, needs significant investment to stop our best young talent from being poached by Premier League academies. There are player contracts that will need renegotiating soon. The asking price is for the house, but it doesn't account for the fact that the roof is leaking."
This was Arthur's influence, the cool, hard logic. Davies' expression tightened.
He knew Michael was right.
"I'm an old man, Mr. Sterling. I don't have the energy or the funds for a renovation,"
Davies admitted with a sigh. "What are you proposing?"
"I'm proposing a fresh start," Michael said, his voice gaining strength.
"My offer is eight million pounds."
Davies leaned back, a frown creasing his brow.
"Eight… That's a million pounds short, son. I can't do it. I have partners, obligations. Nine million is the number."
The negotiation had hit its first wall.
Michael could see the stubbornness in the old man's eyes. It was about honoring the value of the thing he loved. Pushing him with more numbers would be a mistake. It was time for a different approach.
Michael stood up and walked to the large window overlooking the pitch.
The green grass seemed to glow under the afternoon sun.
"My father," Michael said, his back to the room, "owns Northwood FC. It's his life's work. The legacy of his father before him."
He paused, a shiver running down his spine as he remembered his father's fiery speech.
He wouldn't copy it, but he would harness its power.
"He talks about the past," Michael continued, turning to face Davies.
"He talks about the ghosts of old heroes and the glories of yesterday. He's so focused on looking backward that he can't see the cliff edge right in front of him."
He walked back to the desk, his eyes burning with an intensity that made Davies sit up straighter.
"You've done the hard part, Mr. Davies. You've carried this club's history on your back and brought it safely to the present. You've given it a chance at a future. Now, let me build it."
The energy in the room shifted. This was no longer just business.
"I'm not my father. I'm not interested in reliving the past. I want to create new legends. I want to take your academy, this incredible engine of talent you've protected, and make it the beating heart of this club. I want to build a team so exciting, so full of young, hungry, local talent, that every kid in this town dreams of wearing the Barnsley red. I want to make this stadium a fortress again, a place where Premier League giants fear to tread in the cup. I'm not here to just own the club; I'm here to ignite it."
Goosebumps prickled on Michael's arms. He saw in Davies' eyes that the old man felt it too.
"That's a fine speech, son," Davies said, his voice quiet.
"A very fine speech. But passion doesn't change the number on the page. Nine million."
He was wavering, but his pride wouldn't let him fold.
Michael knew he had one card left to play. It was his most powerful, and his most dangerous.
"Mr. Davies," Michael said, his tone softening.
"Let me be completely transparent with you."
He looked at Arthur, who gave a nearly imperceptible nod. "I'm not coming to you with a corporation's checkbook. I'm not a billionaire looking for a new toy. A few days ago, I sold everything I owned. My apartment, my watches, my art… everything. The total sum of my entire personal fortune, the war chest I have to both buy this club and run it, is fifteen million pounds."
He let the number hang in the air. Davies' eyes widened.
"If I pay you nine million," Michael laid it out, "that leaves me with six million to run the club. To pay wages, to upgrade the facilities, to sign new players, to fix the leaky roof. It's enough to survive, but it's not enough to build the future I just promised you. It's not enough to do right by your legacy."
He looked the old man straight in the eye. "My final offer is this. Eight-and-a-half million pounds for the club. It's a fair price that respects your position. That leaves me with six-and-a-half million to invest directly back into the club. A guaranteed, immediate investment in its future. Your future."
It was a brilliant move. It gave Davies a way to accept a lower price while still securing a bigger investment for the club he loved.
It was a win-win.
Ken Davies was silent for a long, agonizing minute.
He looked out at the pitch, then at Arthur, and finally, his gaze settled on Michael. He saw the fire in the young man's eyes, the raw hunger, the terrifying and thrilling sincerity of someone who was betting everything on a single roll of the dice. He saw the future.
A slow smile spread across his face. "You're a braver man than I am, Mr. Sterling."
He stood up and extended his hand across the desk
. "You've got yourself a football club."
Relief washed over Michael so powerfully his knees felt weak. He shook Davies' hand firmly.
As he did, Arthur was already on his phone, his thumbs a blur.
A moment later, Michael's phone buzzed. A banking alert. A wire transfer of £8,500,000 had been sent. A second alert followed for legal fees.
Arthur looked up from his screen, his face impassive.
"The transfer is complete. After all transaction costs, your remaining personal balance is… ten thousand dollars."
Michael stared at him. Ten thousand. He had gone from a multi-millionaire to having the net worth of a university student in the space of an afternoon.
He owned a professional football club. He had his small apartment and his used car.
And he had ten thousand dollars to his name.
He felt a sudden, terrifying, exhilarating lightness. He had nothing left to lose.
As he looked out at the empty green pitch of his stadium, a faint, transparent blue box flickered in the corner of his vision for just a second.
[Objective Complete: Become the majority owner of a professional football club.]
[Football Empire System is now online!]