The next day, in a meeting room at Colney Training Centre in London, the atmosphere was solemn and slightly tense. The reason was simple: today, Arsenal was going to sign a contract for a superstar player, something unprecedented in the club's history. Arsenal Chairman Kroenke, Sporting Director Raúl Sanllehi, Head Coach Arsène Wenger, and Chief Financial Officer Vinai Venkatesham were all present. They represented Arsenal's highest decision-making body, showing the importance they placed on this signing.
Oliver, Jules, and Simon, a senior sports lawyer and a core member of Jules team, arrived on time. Jules had already determined his negotiation strategy; his ultimate goal today was to successfully secure 70% of his son's image rights. This was no small sum; generally, the split of image rights between players and clubs was fifty-fifty, or the club took the larger share. For this 70%, he was prepared to make concessions on some contract terms as a bargaining chip.
After brief pleasantries and greetings, both parties took their seats, and instantly, an invisible pressure filled the air. Professor Wenger's gaze towards Oliver was gentle and full of expectation, but the expressions of the other senior executives appeared more cautious. After all, this would be one of the most expensive signings in Arsenal's history, and even in Premier League history.
The meeting officially began.
Raúl Sanllehi, as Sporting Director, was the first to express the club's warm welcome to Oliver and its anticipation of reaching an agreement. Immediately, the focus of the negotiation shifted to the contract details.
Jules, as Oliver's agent and father, naturally became the protagonist at the negotiation table. He took a deep breath, pulled out the prepared documents, and his steady gaze swept over Arsenal's senior executives, especially Chief Financial Officer Venkatesham. He knew that this key figure, who controlled the club's purse strings, would be the main opponent in this negotiation.
"Mr. Kroenke, Mr. Sanllehi, Professor Wenger, Mr. Venkatesham," Jules English was fluent and clear, with a London accent, "Firstly, thank you very much to Arsenal for their recognition and sincerity towards Oliver. My son and I are both very much looking forward to this collaboration. Based on Oliver's outstanding performance in the Bundesliga and Champions League last season, as well as the immense potential and market value he has shown, our team has carefully evaluated and proposes the following contract terms as the basis for our negotiation."
He opened the document and read out each item clearly. The contract terms Yan's Father proposed for his son were as follows:
[Weekly Wage: £250,000.
• Goal Bonus: Champions League matches: £70,000/goal; Premier League matches: £60,000/goal.
• Assist Bonus: Champions League matches: £45,000/assist; Premier League matches: £25,000/assist.
• Appearance Bonus: Starter: £15,000/match; Substitute appearance: £10,000/match.
• Loyalty Bonus: £8,000,000, paid annually.
• Signing Fee: £20,000,000.
• Additional Bonuses: Premier League Golden Boot: £700,000; Champions League Golden Boot: £800,000; Champions League Player of the Season: £400,000; Premier League Player of the Season: £300,000. Total £2,200,000.
• Release Clause: £180,000,000.
• Contract Length: 2+1 years.]
After this list was read, there was a brief silence in the meeting room. Even Oliver, sitting quietly in a chair nearby, couldn't help but lower his head and rub his nose, even blushing a little, after hearing it.
[Oliver thought: Huh? Dad? This isn't what we discussed yesterday.]
[Jules: Son, you're still too young. Watch how your father negotiates for you.]
Chairman Kroenke frowned slightly, and Sporting Director Raúl Sanllehi's expression also became serious and Chief Financial Officer Venkatesham, the club's steward known for his shrewdness and caution, his face instantly changed! His fingers unconsciously tapped the table, his eyes filled with shock and immense pressure!
"Two… two hundred and fifty thousand weekly wage?!" Venkatesham couldn't help but blurt out, his voice filled with disbelief,
"Mr. Thorne, this figure… with all due respect, it far exceeds our club's current salary structure limit! Our club's top salary is £350,000 only for Ozil, and most other players earn around £200,000, even Aubameyang is £180,000. And a £20 million signing fee? A loyalty bonus of £8 million? Such high goal and assist bonuses? This… this will instantly inflate our wage bill to a very dangerous level!"
His tone was urgent, clearly startled by Jules proposal. Professor Wenger did not speak, only frowned slightly, seemingly deep in thought. Sanllehi tried to ease the atmosphere: "Mr. Thorne, we understand Oliver's value, but this offer is indeed… very challenging. We need to consider Financial Fair Play regulations and the club's long-term healthy operation."
Jules face showed no ripples; having been deeply involved in negotiations for many years, he had long anticipated the other party's reaction. He calmly responded: "Mr. Venkatesham, Mr. Sanllehi, I fully understand your concerns. But please allow me to state our position."
He leaned forward slightly, his gaze sharp: "Firstly, a weekly wage of £250,000. Oliver is this season's Bundesliga Golden Boot, Champions League Golden Boot, and led a non-giant team to a historic Bundesliga title and reached the Champions League semifinals. His goal efficiency, on-field influence, age potential, and immense commercial value, especially in the Asia market, all prove that he deserves this level of salary. This is not only a reflection of his athletic value but also of his market value. Ozil is a top player, but Oliver's future ceiling is higher. His arrival will greatly enhance Arsenal's global influence and commercial revenue potential."
"Secondly, regarding bonuses," he continued, "High goal and assist bonuses are incentives for players' continuous excellent performance and direct guarantees for the club's results.Oliver has the ability to consistently contribute goals and assists in the highest level of competition. These bonus clauses, rather than being a burden, are an investment in the club's success.As for the signing fee and loyalty bonus, these are guarantees for the player's long-term commitment and the club's future investment, very common in top player transfers."
Jules paused, his tone still steady: "Of course, we understand Arsenal's financial pressure. We come with the utmost sincerity and are willing to negotiate within a reasonable range. Negotiation is about finding a balance that both parties can accept."
His words, while strongly defending his asking price, also cleverly left room for negotiation, demonstrating extremely high negotiation skills. The high asking price, like throwing a boulder into a calm lake, aimed to create ripples, laying the groundwork for the real goal that followed: image rights.
Jules' ultimate goal was his son's image rights. The negotiation officially entered a stalemate. Venkatesham, as the financial representative, argued strongly, repeatedly emphasizing FFP restrictions, the balance of the team's salary structure, and future transfer budget pressure.
He tried to lower prices on various terms: "With all due respect, Mr. Thorne, £250,000 weekly wage is absolutely unacceptable! This breaks our salary system! We can at most accept £160,000!"
"A £20 million signing fee is too high! This is equivalent to an extra transfer fee expense! £8 million is a more reasonable figure!"
"Champions League goal bonus of £70,000? Too high! Referring to the highest standard within the team, we can only offer £40,000 for Champions League goal bonuses!"
"Loyalty bonus paid annually is fine, but the total amount needs to be reduced…"
Venkatesham expressed his views.
Jules, though unyielding, was not entirely rigid. He was now like an experienced chess player, flexibly moving his pieces on the chessboard.
Then, Jules put forward his series of conditions:
"Mr. Venkatesham, £160,000 weekly wage? This is even lower than some core players in mid-table Premier League teams. Oliver is a strong contender for the future Ballon d'Or; this figure cannot reflect his value. We can take a step back, but it must be at least £220,000."
"The signing fee is compensation for a player giving up their original contract and joining a new club, and also an acknowledgment of the player's value. £20 million is the result of market evaluation. If the club feels a one-time payment is too much pressure, we can discuss installments, but the total cannot be less than £15 million."
"Goal bonuses are key to motivating players. Oliver's goal-scoring ability in the Champions League is evident to all. £55,000 is a compromise figure that shows sincerity from both sides. The Premier League goal bonus can be reduced to £50,000…"
Both sides went back and forth, engaging in a war of words. Lawyer Simon calmly observed from the side, occasionally whispering to Jules, providing legal support to ensure the strictness and enforceability of the terms. Oliver sat quietly beside his father, filled with admiration and peace of mind as he watched his father display professionalism, composure, and wisdom at the negotiation table. He just wanted to go home. He knew his father was fighting for the best conditions for him.
The negotiation lasted for several hours. The atmosphere in the meeting room was sometimes tense, sometimes relaxed. Coffee was refilled cup after cup. Finally, after both parties showed sufficient sincerity and flexibility, a balance point acceptable to both gradually emerged.
The final core contract terms were agreed upon:
• Weekly Wage: £200,000. (Reduced from £250,000 to £200,000)
• Goal Bonus:
◦ Champions League matches: £55,000/goal (Reduced from £70,000 to £55,000)
◦ Premier League matches: £45,000/goal (Reduced from £60,000 to £45,000)
• Assist Bonus:
◦ Champions League matches: £30,000/assist (Reduced from £45,000 to £30,000)
◦ Premier League matches: £15,000/assist (Reduced from £25,000 to £15,000)
• Appearance Bonus: Starting: £15,000/match (unchanged); Substitute appearance: £10,000/match (unchanged).
• Loyalty Bonus: £8 million, paid annually (unchanged).
• Signing Fee: £10 million (reduced from £20 million to £10 million).
• Additional Bonuses: Premier League Golden Boot: £1 million; Champions League Golden Boot: £800,000; Premier League Player of the Season: £400,000. Total £2.2 million (unchanged).
• Release Clause: £200 million (increased from £180 million to £200 million).
• Contract Length: 3+1 years (initial contract 3 years, Arsenal has the option to renew for 1 year).
Looking at this finalized list of terms, Financial Director Venkatessham let out a long sigh of relief. Although many terms were higher than his initial expectations, they had been significantly reduced compared to the 'astronomical price' Jules initially offered, especially in the major items of weekly wages and signing fees.
He wiped the fine sweat from his forehead, feeling as if he had fought a tough battle. Jules's face showed a satisfied smile. He was sure that his son would be very pleased with this result. A weekly wage of £200,000 was already in the top tier of the Premier League, enough to reflect his value, while not placing an excessive burden on Arsenal.
Although the signing fee was halved, £10 million was still a substantial income, and it would not cause Arsenal to bleed money. More importantly, his 'concessions' on other terms paved the way for his true goal.
"Mr. Kroenke, Mr. Sanllehi, Mr. Wenger, Mr. Venkatessham," Jules spoke again, his tone calm, "We have largely reached an agreement on the core terms, which demonstrates sincerity from both sides. Now, I would like to discuss the last and very important issue—the distribution of image rights."
Everyone's gaze once again focused on Jules.
"As is well known," Jules said unhurriedly, "Oliver is not only a top player; his unique charisma and immense influence, give his personal image extremely high commercial value. The management of image rights is crucial for shaping a player's personal brand and developing commercial income."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over Arsenal's executives, especially Venkatessham, and said,
"In previous negotiations, our team made significant concessions on terms such as salary and bonuses to align with Arsenal's financial planning and team building. Therefore, in the area of image rights, we believe that Arsenal's recognition and support for the player's personal value and market potential should be fully reflected."
Jules put forward his core demand: "We request that Oliver and his team own 70% of his personal image rights, and Arsenal owns 30%. This 70% share will ensure that Oliver's team can independently and efficiently develop and operate his personal brand, maximizing its commercial value. At the same time, the 30% owned by Arsenal will ensure reasonable use of the player's image in official club promotions, sponsorship collaborations, and other activities."
Venkatessham's recently relaxed nerves tightened again. What? 70%! This was much higher than the usual split between clubs and top stars (typically 50%-50% or the club taking the larger share).
Venkatessham immediately retorted: "Mr. Thorne, I must say, 70% is too high! Arsenal's usual practice is a 50-50 split, and in some cases, Arsenal takes more. A player's image value is inseparable from the club's platform…"
"Mr. Venkatessham," Jules interrupted him, still speaking calmly, "Precedent can be broken. I believe both you and I are very clear about Oliver's commercial value potential. When he was at Hoffenheim, his social media followers, jersey sales, and commercial endorsement potential already surpassed that of typical Premier League stars. Oliver's image rights are by no means comparable to those of an ordinary Premier League star. In Arsenal's history, no star has ever had such a massive potential fan base.
The 70% ratio is a reasonable reflection of his unique market value and a testament to our team's professional capabilities in commercial development. With the backing of the market, to be frank, even if Arsenal only takes 30%, it will still yield more revenue than many stars' 60%. I am not just an agent; I am also a businessman, and I understand this better than anyone."
Jules then shifted his focus, connecting previous concessions to image rights:
"More importantly, in previous negotiations, we already made concessions worth millions of pounds in terms of salary and signing fees. These concessions saved Arsenal valuable funds that can be used for summer transfer window signings to strengthen the squad. We believe that reflecting a portion of these 'saved' values in the distribution of image rights is a beneficial arrangement for both parties. This is both compensation for Oliver's personal value and an incentive for our team to more actively develop his commercial value, ultimately bringing additional brand exposure and potential commercial cooperation opportunities to Arsenal."
What a clever feint. Jules's words were clear and hit the mark. He cleverly linked the image rights negotiation with the previous salary concessions, implying that the money Arsenal saved needed to be 'compensated' by the image rights percentage. At the same time, he also emphasized the potential benefits of the 70% share for Arsenal; more active commercial development could lead to more revenue.
Wenger and Sanllehi exchanged glances. They understood that Jules had a point. The value of the market behind Oliver was immense, and traditional sharing models might not maximize his potential. Moreover, the other party's concessions on core terms were indeed significant. Venkatessham fell into deep thought. He quickly calculated.
Jules's concessions on salary and signing fees indeed saved Arsenal a considerable amount of cash expenditure, roughly estimated at tens of millions of pounds. While the 70% share of image rights was a high percentage, if the total commercial income generated was large enough, even if Arsenal only received 30%, it could still be a significant sum.
This was more like a 'risk-sharing, profit-sharing' model.
After a brief silence and internal eye contact, Sanllehi, as the Sporting Director, spoke on behalf of Arsenal:
"Mr. Thorne, regarding image rights, we understand your position. Oliver's unique value indeed warrants special consideration. The 70% ratio… while higher than usual, but based on Oliver's special circumstances and the sincerity shown by your side on the core terms… we can accept it in principle."
He added: "Specific details, such as scope of use, authorization methods, income distribution mechanisms, etc., will need to be drafted into a detailed supplementary agreement by our legal team and your team's lawyer, Simon."
"Of course!" Jules's face broke into a victorious smile, "We completely agree, and Simon will fully cooperate."
Simon, who had been silent, immediately nodded: "No problem, Mr. Sanllehi, we will ensure the agreement terms are clear, legal, and protect the interests of both parties."
At this point, all core obstacles in the contract negotiations were cleared.
Ultimately, Jules, with his ingenious negotiation strategy, seemingly made 'sacrifices' in salary and bonuses, successfully securing for his son the dominant share of image rights, the largest commercial interest, at 70%. This held significant meaning for Oliver's future personal brand building and commercial income. Simon quickly reviewed the framework of the core contract terms agreed upon by both parties, and after confirming no issues, he nodded to Jules and Oliver.
Oliver finally signed the contract. Finally, Wenger smiled and looked at Oliver:
"Ollie, there's more good news. Regarding your jersey number, I plan to give you the number 7 jersey."
Oliver's eyes lit up. The number 7 is a legendary number in Arsenal's history, symbolizing a core player and attacking prowess.
Wenger explained: "Although Mkhitaryan currently wears number 7, Arsenal has decided to make a major squad overhaul in the summer transfer window, and Mkhitaryan is also on the departure list. So, after the new season begins, number 7 will belong to you."
A surge of excitement welled up in Oliver's heart, and he nodded vigorously: "Thank you, Professor! I am very honored to wear Arsenal's number 7 jersey."
The meeting concluded. Both parties stood up and shook hands. Venkatessham walked up to Jules, a wry smile and a sense of relief on his face, and extended his hand: "Mr. Thorne, I must say, this was one of the most stressful negotiations I've ever experienced. You are truly professional. However, the final result is good for both parties. Thank you again!"
Jules also smiled and shook his hand: "Mr. Venkatessham, you flatter me. All of this is for the future of Arsenal and the player. I also saw sincerity from Arsenal. It's been a pleasure working with you!"
Wenger finally walked up to Oliver, gently patting his shoulder with a kind smile: "Son, the contract is finally settled. Now, put aside all distractions and focus on preparing for the World Cup! Perform well and let the whole world see your strength! I, and everyone at Arsenal, look forward to your first season at Emirates Stadium! That will be a brand new beginning!"
"I will, Boss!" Oliver's eyes were firm, filled with infinite anticipation for the future, "I will give it my all! See you at the World Cup! See you in the Premier League!"
Stepping out of Colney Base, the London afternoon sun was exceptionally bright. Jules looked at his spirited son beside him, a gratified and proud smile on his face. The Arsenal era with Oliver officially began.
...
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