After the signing was finalized, in the afternoon of the same day, Oliver was in the Arsenal photo studio, taking his new season photoshoot.
"Oliver, tilt your head a little to the left… Perfect! Hold it, just like that!" The photographer's voice echoed in the spacious studio. Oliver blinked his eyes, which were blurry from the flash, and adjusted to the halo of light in front of him. He stood ramrod straight, the brand-new Arsenal home red and white jersey still carrying the scent of a newly unboxed item.
The team crest on his chest felt heavy, a symbol he had once looked up to in countless highlight reels and posters. The number 7 was vividly emblazoned on his back and front, simple yet sharp.
"Oh my god, this jersey looks even better on you than on the models in the brochure!" A young assistant holding a reflector board whispered in admiration, his tone filled with genuine envy.
Oliver tugged at the corner of his mouth, he gently caressed the area over his left chest, the abstract cannon crest, as if he could feel something ancient and resilient emanating from it. Oliver subconsciously shifted his shoulders, trying to make the brand-new kit fit more snugly.
The huge incandescent lights on the ceiling cast a scorching glow, and sweat began to trickle down his temples.
"Last few sets! Just a little longer!" The photographer semi-squatted, his lens focused on him like a hawk.
"Your eyes! Give me that… um… yes, gimme that hidden flame! Fantastic!" The shutter clicked incessantly.
During a break in the photoshoot, Emily, the club's press officer, walked over quickly. Dressed in a sharp suit, she clutched a freshly printed press release that was still warm, speaking rapidly like a machine gun: "Yes, it's perfect! We've already initiated the official announcement process, and social media warm-up will start immediately. After today's shoot, you can report to the National Football Team; their schedule is indeed very tight."
She glanced at her wristwatch, a slight frown on her brow, "Once you're done here, we'll immediately arrange a car to take you back."
"Understood, Ms. Emily, thank you for your hard work." Oliver nodded, his voice steady.
He took the water handed to him by the assistant, unscrewed the cap, and took a big gulp. The cool water slid down his throat, quelling the dryness brought on by the stuffy studio and calming the slight ripple of urgency in his heart.
Leaving Hoffenheim, where he had played for one season and ultimately won the Bundesliga, bidding farewell to Coach Nagelsmann, and embarking on a new journey—it all happened like a whirlwind.
Only the weight of the red and white jersey on him reminded him that this was not a dream. Oliver joined Arsenal, and Hoffenheim received the transfer fee.
…
Shortly after the photoshoot for the official kit.
Arsenal's official social media accounts were updated promptly. There was no lengthy preamble, just a photo and a short, powerful line of text: "Arsenal is delighted to announce that we have formally completed the signing of 18-year-old English player Oliver for a transfer fee of £158 million. Oliver, 2017-2018 Bundesliga, Champions League Top Scorer, Bundesliga Young Player of the Season, Bundesliga Champion, German Cup Champion, Champions League Semi-Finalist Core Player. Welcome to North London, Ollie! #WelcomeHomeOliver"
The accompanying image was precisely the official kit photo meticulously crafted in the studio. Ollie's factory photo, the team crest was slightly changed so the image wouldn't be blocked. In the picture, Oliver, dressed in the brand-new Arsenal No. 7 red and white kit, stood tall and straight, his gaze was calm as he looked directly into the camera, a slight smile on his lips, neither exaggeratedly flamboyant nor deliberately artificial.
Only the quiet confidence and youthful sharpness emanating from his brows conveyed a sense of latent power that could be clearly felt even through the screen. This photo was like a giant stone dropped into a calm lake.
BBC Sport: "Breaking! Arsenal officially announces the signing of the new Champions League and Bundesliga Golden Boot winner Oliver! The 18-year-old genius winger officially lands at Emirates Stadium!"
Sky Sports: "Super Transfer! The Gunners beat out numerous giants to successfully sign Hoffenheim's star striker Oliver! Wenger finally gets the sharp attacking player he has dreamed of!"
Bild: "Shocking! Bundesliga Champion & Double Golden Boot winner Oliver transfers to Arsenal! Nagelsmann loses his beloved player, Gunners usher in an attacking revolution!"
Then came the netizen comments.
"Champions League Golden Boot + Bundesliga Golden Boot??? £158 million??? Arsenal??? Am I still dreaming or has Professor Wenger finally gotten through to the oil sheikhs?" A Manchester United fan commented under Arsenal's official announcement tweet, followed by a string of exaggerated emojis expressing disbelief.
"Wenger Finally Got His Man!" This tweet from a seasoned Arsenal fan account was quickly retweeted and liked furiously.
"This time, it's finally not a 'Wenger almost signed' situation." An old Gunners fan said.
"Double Golden Boot winner joining?! Next season, can we start chanting 'We have Ollie'?! Oh my god, I'm already looking forward to the new season!" Another Gunners fan's comment was filled with euphoria.
"Unbelievable! Completely incomprehensible! He's only 18, just won the Bundesliga, and the Champions League Golden Boot! Real Madrid, Bayern, Manchester City were all waving their checkbooks, why choose Arsenal? What for? Just for the rainy weather in London?" A hot post title on a well-known sports forum posed the question.
"Speaking of which, did Wenger give this kid some kind of magic potion? Or did Arsenal offer an astronomical signing bonus? Otherwise, I really can't figure it out!" The comments were filled with similar confusion.
Worldwide, fans' enthusiasm instantly ignited the entire internet.
The top ten trending topics on X were instantly dominated by terms like #OllieToArsenal #HereWeGO #NewNumber7
"Holy crap! Ollie is awesome! Gunners even gave him the No. 7 jersey! Full prestige!" The top-liked comment was concise and powerful.
"Wooohooo, as a Gunners fan + Ollie fan, today feels like Christmas present! Double delight! Wenger + Oliver, this scene is too beautiful, I feel it all is just a dream! Lemme spin the top to check it!"
Arsenal's official store page, the pre-order link for the new season's No. 7 jersey went live minutes after the official announcement, and immediately crashed. The customer service backend was flooded with inquiries, almost all about when "Ollie 7" would be shipped. Doubt, amazement, ecstasy, confusion…
Various voices clashed and fermented in the virtual world, converging into a storm of public opinion sweeping across the major Leagues. At the center of the storm, the owner of that name was currently tidying his new dormitory room; he was due to report to the training camp tomorrow. The storm continued to rage online for several hours.
…
Just as Oliver's update sparked a new round of heated discussion, and the buzz about him being an "academic footballer" had not yet subsided, German football also dropped a bombshell.
Bayern Munich officially announced:
"Official Announcement: Bayern Munich Football Club is pleased to announce that Mr. Julian Nagelsmann will officially take over as head Coach on June 5, 2018, with a contract for 3 years. Coach Nagelsmann led Hoffenheim to make history last season, bravely winning the Bundesliga title and the German Cup. His advanced tactical concepts and ability to develop young players are impressive. We firmly believe he is the right person to lead Bayern forward. Welcome to Bayern, Julian!"
This news was like a powerful lightning bolt, instantly splitting the pages of all sports media and pushing the popularity of Oliver's move to Arsenal to new heights again.
"Oh my god! Nagelsmann left too? Went to Bayern! Hoffenheim's supermarket just opened and their best coach and top scorer both poached in one summer?"
"Teacher and student both are dominating the screens, one going to London to carry the Gunners No. 7, the other going to Munich to take charge of Bayern. Who wrote this script? It's too exciting!"
"Nagelsmann going to Bayern is both logical and highly anticipated. With his ability and last season's achievements, coaching a giant club was only a matter of time. It's just unexpected that it coincided with Oliver's 'transfer' announcement, now the topic is exploding!"
"Nagelsmann nurtured Oliver from a youth academy reject into a double Golden Boot winner at Hoffenheim; he is definitely Oliver's mentor and benefactor. Now the master goes to the Bundesliga powerhouse, and the disciple goes to London's Gunners… Although they will be rivals, it's truly the best outcome. Wishing both master and disciple great success in their new environments!"
"If Arsenal meets Bayern in the Champions League next season, that master-disciple showdown… Tsk tsk, just thinking about it is thrilling!"
"Hoffenheim fans' hearts are bleeding right now… But seeing their Coach and star player both ascend to bigger stages, they should feel a little relieved, right? A real-life story of instant fame + rise of a young Coach!"
…
Late at night, in Oliver's room at the Arsenal player apartments. London's weather was never good; it started raining again at this hour, and the halos of the streetlights stretched long, hazy shadows on the wet streets. Only a reading lamp was on in the room, its warm yellow light illuminating a corner of the desk.
Oliver sat alone at the desk, several thick computer science textbooks spread open before him. Next to them was a thick stack of tactical analysis materials and numerous videos provided by the Arsenal coaching staff, which Oliver had specifically requested.
He had just finished three hours of "pre-season preview" and intended to close his eyes and rest for a moment. Just then, the system came alive.
[Season achievement settlement begins… ]
[2017/18 Season, German Cup Champion, Confirmed.]
[2017/18 Season, German Bundesliga Champion, Confirmed.]
[2017/18 Season, Champions League, Advanced to Semi-Finals (Finished Third), Confirmed.]
[Championship Coefficient Bonus (Accumulated Coefficient 1.6x) Activated… ]
[Base Achievement Points Total: 43200 points]
[Individual Honors Inventory… ]
[2017/18 Season, German Bundesliga Top Scorer (Golden Boot) Confirmed, Reward Points: 2000]
[2017/18 Season, Champions League Top Scorer (Golden Boot) Confirmed, Reward Points: 4000]
[2017/18 Season, German Bundesliga Young Player of the Season, Confirmed, Reward Points: 1000]
[Individual Honors Reward Points Total: 7000]
[Previous Points Balance: 22530]
[Current Available Points Total: 43200 + 7000 + 22530 = 72730]
The pale blue settlement information flow abruptly stopped, finally settling on that number: 72730.
"Phew…"
Without the expected burst of excitement, Oliver simply opened his eyes slowly, letting out a long, silent sigh. Oliver almost thought the system was going to cheat him, but thankfully, the points had finally arrived. His gaze lingered on that number for a long time. This was the recognition he had earned at Hoffenheim, under Nagelsmann, in the Champions League, at Westfalen, at Allianz, at Etihad, at Bernabéu… with his sweat, his running, and every crucial goal. Arsenal's No. 7, Imperial College London's offer, the Professor's trust, the fans' expectations…
The road ahead was long, and the challenges would only grow greater. But looking at that number, Oliver felt a surge of solid confidence and burning fighting spirit.
...
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