Havertz lowered his head in embarrassment, unsure whether he should continue or not.
Nearby, Grealish, Bruno Fernandes, and Thiago Silva were also struggling not to laugh.
Especially Bruno.
He could not help thinking to himself: 'I cost 45 million euros, Havertz cost 85 million euros, so where exactly does that 40 million euro difference lie?'
Ling quickly ran over to the host.
"Can I give it a try too? Back when I joined, the ceremony was very simple, and I never got to make my debut at Old Trafford. It's always been an unfulfilled regret of mine."
The host did not dare refuse.
Thinking about it carefully, it was true.
Ling had gone straight from the youth team to the first team, signed a contract worth 1,500 pounds a week, and was then thrown directly into matches.
With that in mind, the host raised the microphone and said, "Let's give a round of applause for the man who will become the greatest number 7 in Manchester United's history!"
Whoosh!
Old Trafford erupted like boiling water, with deafening cheers pouring down from the stands.
Bang!
The football was launched over.
Ling controlled it with his chest, then unleashed a powerful right-footed strike.
He was aiming for the absolute top corner.
But the ball skimmed past the post and flew into the stands!
"Not the best feel for the ball today." Ling shrugged.
The second shot also grazed the crossbar and flew into the stands.
He winked at Havertz behind him, took the microphone, and said to the fans, "Folks, this is a gift for you. Thank you for your unwavering support!"
Grealish reacted quickly, picking up a football and blasting it into the stands as well.
Havertz, on the other hand, took a while to understand what was happening.
This made Mourinho start to wonder: 'this kid loved raising donkeys so much, could there be something wrong with his head?'
Back when he coached Balotelli, going to work every day had felt like going to a funeral.
He really did not want to deal with another dumb player!
"The number of volley goals doesn't define your ability."
Ling put an arm around Havertz's shoulder and spoke from experience. "When I used to practice shooting with David, I'd miss one out of every three shots, but that didn't stop me from scoring worldies in matches."
Havertz looked at him. "Really?"
Ling nodded solemnly. "Absolutely."
De Gea, hearing this nearby, curled his lip.
He was lying again.
What missing one out of three?
It was more like scoring with every shot, and almost always into the corners, the kind that were impossible to save!
But football really did have players who were terrible in training yet unstoppable in actual matches.
Rooney, Batistuta, Dembélé — some of them could barely juggle properly.
At least Havertz could juggle.
After the debut ceremony ended, Havertz chose number 10, Grealish chose number 17, Bruno Fernandes chose number 6, and Thiago Silva chose number 12.
Havertz felt the weight of responsibility.
Although Manchester United's number 10 was not as iconic as the number 7, it still carried significant meaning.
Bobby Charlton, Denis Law, Teddy Sheringham, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Rooney — all of them were legendary figures in Manchester United's history.
Havertz felt he had to work hard.
He could not keep meeting with Havertz the donkey and Sophia his girlfriend so often.
"See those passionate Manchester United fans?"
Ling waved toward the stands, immediately stirring up another commotion.
"I believe they'll cheer for you in the future. When that day comes, you'll realize you made the right choice. Keep it up, Kai."
Havertz nodded firmly.
He believed Ling's words.
He would become a superstar in the future!
With that, Manchester United's squad for the new season was more or less finalized!
...
After three days of training together, they boarded a flight to Nanjing, China.
The 2019 International Champions Cup.
Manchester United would face Inter Milan.
At the Olympic Sports Center, Jeremy Ling saw Lukaku once again.
Old acquaintances meeting, with no need for open hostility.
Ling looked at Lukaku and Lautaro in the distance and could not help imagining Dalian's little king. Then he chuckled.
"Ling, I know you're upset inside!"
Maguire patted his chest and said, "Watch how I defend Romelu today. I'll definitely help you vent your anger!"
He was really annoyed!
What status did Lukaku have to think about driving Ling away?
Would he be the one missing chances every day?
"Alright, give him some physical pressure."
Ling nodded with a smile, not taking it too seriously.
In the distance, Lukaku saw this and felt inexplicably uncomfortable.
Perhaps he had not slept well last night.
...
"Ling's popularity in China is absolutely insane, isn't it?"
Looking at the endless sea of red in the stands and the massive TIFO display stretching across the Olympic Sports Center, Maguire felt as if he were standing inside Old Trafford.
No, even Old Trafford did not have this kind of atmosphere.
Ashley Young patted him on the shoulder. "If you could lead Manchester United to a Seven-Title season like Ling did, English fans would go even crazier for you. So keep working hard."
"I'm afraid I'll never achieve that in my lifetime," Maguire muttered.
He only made the occasional mistake, yet Manchester United fans already bombarded him with criticism.
How could he ever hope to enjoy the same treatment as Ling?
"We don't have much time for pre-match warm-ups, so focus on building chemistry," Ling said, turning toward the team.
"If there are any issues, communicate them quickly."
"Don't worry. Thiago and I already have great chemistry. Our defense will be rock-solid!" Maguire said with full confidence.
Thiago Silva smiled and nodded.
Although Maguire occasionally had lapses in concentration, his defensive fundamentals were excellent, especially in one-on-one tackles and aerial duels.
All Thiago needed to do was provide cover, organize the line, and smooth out the rough edges.
It reminded him a little of his days beside Nesta.
Back then, Thiago himself had been the one learning from a senior partner, and now it was his turn to guide someone else.
Havertz jumped up and down a few times, trying to pump himself up.
This was his Manchester United debut, and he had to seize the chance to perform well and earn Mourinho's trust.
Not far away, Lautaro stared at Ling's back, his eyes filled with both admiration and competitive fire.
Since childhood, he had wanted to become the best striker in football.
After witnessing the glorious records Ling had set over the past two years, he had long regarded him as the benchmark he needed to chase.
"Romelu, one day, the two of us will reach the very top!"
Lautaro clenched his fist.
Hearing this, Lukaku also felt excitement surge through him.
People always said he had won titles at Manchester United without contributing much, and to him, that was a blatant insult.
He had moved to Inter Milan precisely to prove that even without Manchester United's platform, he could write his own story.
Meanwhile, on the sidelines, Conte watched Ling with a gloomy expression.
He was deeply frustrated.
Why had he left Chelsea in the first place?
Aside from poor results, it had been those consecutive losses to Manchester United that had made Abramovich unhappy.
Now, even after moving to Serie A, could he still not escape this shadow?
Fine.
Then bring it on!
Conte believed that Manchester United's new-season lineup, filled with fresh faces, could not possibly have built proper chemistry yet.
If Inter could take this chance to defeat Manchester United, even if it was only an International Champions Cup match, it would still count as a small form of revenge for his dismissal.
...
📰 Sky Sports: Manchester United Face Inter Milan in Nanjing as Mourinho Tests New-Look Squad
📰 Manchester Evening News: Ling Returns to China With United as Havertz, Grealish, Bruno and Thiago Make Preseason Bow
📰 Gazzetta dello Sport: Conte Meets Old Premier League Ghost as Inter Prepare for United Test
📰 Dongqiudi: Olympic Sports Center Packed as Ling Leads Manchester United Back to China
The atmosphere around the stadium was closer to a festival than a preseason friendly.
Manchester United shirts filled the streets, Ling's name appeared on banners, scarves, and LED boards, and even Inter fans had carved out their own pockets of blue and black in the stands.
📱 @CNUnitedFan ✔
The whole stadium is red tonight! This doesn't feel like a friendly. This feels like Ling bringing Old Trafford home.
| ↳ 📱 @InterCN1908
| Reply: There are Inter fans here too, thank you very much. Some of us loved football before Ling became famous.
📱 @NeutralBallCN
It's a club match, not a national-team match. People can support whoever they want. Ling said it himself before: loving something is not wrong.
📱 @StretfordEndTom
Why isn't Mahrez playing?
| ↳ 📱 @UnitedMedicalWatch
| Reply: Slight calf issue from training. Should be back in a week.
📱 @SerieATalkCN
People saying they don't know Inter's players need to relax. Perišić, Brozović, Lautaro, Godín, Barella — this team has quality. Conte will make them annoying very quickly.
...
"Good evening, everyone."
"Tonight, we're live from Nanjing for the 2019 International Champions Cup, with Manchester United facing Inter Milan."
"This may be a preseason match, but judging by the atmosphere inside the Olympic Sports Center, nobody here is treating it lightly."
Rob Palmer's voice carried over the broadcast as the camera swept across the stands.
Beside him, Terry Gibson looked down at the pitch and said, "Both teams have gone strong tonight. For United, it's the first real look at the new pieces around Jeremy Ling, while Inter have Conte, Lukaku, and plenty of motivation of their own."
Rob continued, "Manchester United are in red tonight. Mourinho continues with last season's 4-3-1-2 shape. In goal—"
He read through the lineup, with the camera lingering on the new arrivals.
"Of particular interest, Jeremy Ling starts up front, while Thiago Silva wears number 12, Kai Havertz takes the number 10 shirt, and Jack Grealish starts in number 17."
Terry added, "It'll be interesting to see how Havertz connects with Ling. United lost Pogba, so they need someone who can help stitch together the final third. Havertz has the movement and imagination, but now he has to do it in a much more demanding environment."
Rob turned to Inter's side.
"Inter Milan line up in Conte's usual 3-5-2. Lukaku starts against his former club, with Lautaro Martínez beside him. That alone gives this match a little extra edge."
"How will Lukaku perform in his first match for Inter against Manchester United?"
"We're about to find out."
BEEP!
With the referee's whistle, the match officially began.
The Olympic Sports Center erupted.
Both teams started seriously, not lazily strolling around just because it was the International Champions Cup.
For Manchester United, China was not only an important market but also the homeland of their core player, Jeremy Ling.
Losing here would not be a good look.
As for Inter Milan, the reason was even simpler.
Conte and Lukaku both wanted to prove themselves.
---------
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