I Am Jose-Chapter 142 - : Finalizing Transfer Targets

"What target?" José asked curiously, looking at Piri. He knew that when it came to players in La Liga who weren't particularly famous, Piri would definitely have a better grasp than he did.

"Right midfielder from Málaga, Francisco Rufete. Twenty-four years old, a Spanish international. Fast, accurate crosses, hardworking, and highly active on the pitch. He came from Barcelona's youth academy but never played for the first team. He previously joined Mallorca but left midway through the 1998-99 season due to a lack of playing time, transferring to Málaga, who were still in the Segunda División at the time. Over three seasons, he's made over eighty appearances, scoring fourteen goals—quite an impressive record. His contract has two years left, and his release clause is only eight million dollars. We could sign him for a relatively low price," Piri said with a smile.

José recalled the player. When they faced Málaga away last season, Rufete had been suspended, which was why José hadn't formed much of an impression of him. However, he had seen him in the Spanish national team—after last year's European Championship, Rufete had secured a spot in the restructured squad. The fact that he was selected despite the presence of Mendieta spoke volumes about his ability.

"If we're looking for a replacement for Mendieta, I actually think Rufete is a better fit than Ibagaza. His playmaking ability is stronger," Piri added with a grin.

"If they don't want him, then we'll take him. Our midfield already has plenty of dynamic dribblers—Ronaldinho alone is enough. If Rufete brings more balance between attack and defense, he might actually be more useful than Ibagaza," José said, laughing.

R𝑒ad lat𝒆st chapt𝒆rs at free𝑤ebnovel.com Only.

Rufete seemed like a solid choice. Since Piri had recommended him, José had no reason to doubt the suggestion. He immediately called the club's transfer department to inquire about the possibility of signing Rufete. Then, he and Piri eagerly turned their attention to Drogba's match highlights from the past two seasons.

"Damn, this guy is rough," José muttered to himself while watching. No wonder people joked about him being the 'Ivorian Li Yi' when he later moved to the Premier League. His technique was laughably raw—his first touch could send the ball five meters away, and his dribbling looked clumsy, like a rampaging elephant. He just bulldozed his way through defenders. But still, his physical attributes were absolutely monstrous...

"What do you think of him?" José asked with a smile.

Piri pulled a face, as if he were watching something unbearable. He had no personal bias, but as a technically skilled player himself, he never had much appreciation for rough-and-tumble players like Drogba. "His physicality is certainly impressive... but his ball control is just painful to watch."

"Ball control can be trained over time. But that kind of physique... damn, it's insanely strong," José mused.

"Are you seriously considering signing him? He's already twenty-three—he may not have much room for development. Plus, he had two injuries last season, playing only eleven matches in total. He looks strong, but who knows if there are hidden risks?" Piri asked, surprised.

"Of course, we'll need to check his medicals thoroughly. I wouldn't take any chances there. As for his technique, his style is still rough—he relies too much on his physicality, so there's definitely room for improvement," José said with a grin. "Piri, when it comes to identifying talent, I trust your judgment more than mine. But when it comes to training players, you have to admit, I've got the edge."

"You're not bad at spotting talent either," Piri chuckled. "It's just that your focus isn't entirely on that."

José waved him off with a laugh. Ligue 1 was proving to be a goldmine. Maybe he should also look for an affordable yet promising center-back or defensive midfielder there...

The problem was, most of the defensive midfielders he could think of were still kids—like Essien, Mohamed Sissoko, and Mahamadou Diarra.

Essien was already a starter at Bastia, but he was highly rated and didn't have an EU passport, which made signing him a hassle. He wouldn't move to Lyon for a few more years, so José figured he could wait until the club's finances were in better shape before making a move.

Mahamadou Diarra had the same non-EU issue, which was another headache.

As for Mohamed Sissoko, José knew he was a powerful, hard-tackling defensive midfielder, but he was still under seventeen—signing him now wouldn't mean much since he couldn't even sign a professional contract yet.

"In terms of defensive midfielders, there's actually a solid option," Piri suddenly suggested. "Pablo García, a Uruguayan who holds Spanish nationality. He performed decently for Atlético Madrid a couple of seasons ago. When Atlético got relegated, AC Milan signed him, but last season he only played five matches in Serie A—purely a backup. He wouldn't cost much."

"Oh, the card magnet?" José recalled García. Later in his career, he had done well in La Liga, becoming a specialist in the dirty work of midfield battles. He picked up plenty of yellow cards but was a highly effective enforcer. His defensive qualities even earned him a move to Real Madrid—though things didn't end well for him there...

Thinking of García reminded José of another defensive midfielder who struggled at Madrid—Danish international Thomas Gravesen. But José had no intention of pursuing him. Gravesen had shone at Everton because Moyes had played him as a midfield playmaker. When Madrid used him as a pure defensive midfielder, he flopped. Right now, José needed an enforcer, not a playmaker. With Motta in the squad, they already had a midfield general.

Pablo García was a great fit—an EU citizen, young, cheap, and willing to be a backup.

Now, Mallorca had their targets lined up:

Klasnic (already signed)

Drogba (striker)

Rufete (right midfielder)

Pablo García (defensive midfielder)

A center-back

With only one key signing left—a reliable center-back to partner Nadal—José turned his focus to defenders.

Piri agreed with his assessment. Nino was a decent backup but lacked the ability to start at the Champions League level. His height wasn't ideal, and his turning speed was mediocre. Without the experienced Nadal alongside him, he would likely become a weak link.

After Piri left, José racked his brain for a suitable center-back. Names flashed through his mind, but most were out of reach.

Lúcio? Already moved to Leverkusen—too expensive.

Jaap Stam? Too costly.

Thuram? No chance. Italian defenders rarely left Serie A.

English defenders? Overpriced.

Samuel? Just joined Roma.

Spanish defenders? No standout options—Puyol was untouchable, and Piqué and Ramos were still kids.

French defenders? Plenty of talent, but most were either too expensive or flawed in some way.

He had to look at second-tier European footballing nations.

After much deliberation, José narrowed it down to two options:

Valérien Ismaël (France) – Experienced but injury-prone and slow.

Daniel Van Buyten (Belgium) – Stronger, faster, and still playing in Belgium, making him more affordable.

Van Buyten stood out—at 1.94m, he was a beast in the air and even had an eye for goal. With the right set-piece tactics, he could be a major weapon.

With his targets set, José decided to personally negotiate the transfers of Van Buyten and Drogba. First stop: Belgium.

On July 6, José arrived in Liège. Mallorca had already contacted Standard Liège in advance, so upon arrival, he was greeted by their club director, Robert Dreyfus.

For a Belgian club, hosting representatives from a top-five league was nothing new. Standard Liège had struggled in recent years—they were historically one of Belgium's biggest clubs, with eight domestic titles, but hadn't won the league since 1983. Financially, they weren't in great shape either...