Chapter 105: Jorge Mendes

“Haha, that crying face is absolutely hideous!” Dai Zhiwei, just out of bed, lay on the sofa reading the news about Villarreal’s Europa League triumph, especially laughing uncontrollably at the photo of Bruno clutching the Bertoni trophy with tears streaming down his face.

After the victory, the entire Villarreal team was ecstatic, flooding social media with countless memes.

In contrast, Dai Zhiwei was the calmest person on the squad.

After all, he was a star who had once won the AFC Champions League, which he regarded as being on par with the Champions League—although no one truly believed that winning the AFC Champions League was equivalent to winning the UEFA Champions League, despite both granting entry to the Club World Cup.

Following the Europa League victory, Villarreal held a “grand” celebration and parade. Nearly 40,000 people participated in the festivities—an astronomical number given that Villarreal’s population barely exceeded 50,000.

Despite the claim of grandeur, Dai Zhiwei, who had attended the Guangzhou Evergrande celebrations for the Chinese Super League and AFC Champions League titles just six months earlier, found the Villarreal event somewhat provincial.

In truth, from a certain perspective, Villarreal, with its population barely over 50,000, was little more than a large village in China.

After the celebrations, Dai Zhiwei packed his bags the next day, preparing to return home.

However, before departing, he had an appointment.

With a man.

Had Dai Zhiwei come out?

Of course not.

Following his dazzling performances in La Liga and the Europa League knockout stages, a steady stream of people sought him out: local Chinese community groups in Spain, various sponsors, but mostly football agents.

To these agents, Dai Zhiwei, lacking any European representation, was a dazzling gem.

Yet Dai had declined to engage deeply, citing a desire to avoid distractions during the season.

Now that the 2015-16 season had ended, he knew it was time to face the issue of agents.

His current agent was Jin Chang, with whom he had always worked well.

Whether in private relations or through Jin Chang’s connections in the national team, Dai hoped Jin Chang would continue as his agent.

But Jin Chang’s drawback was obvious: his entire operation was domestic, leaving Dai helpless abroad.

After joining Villarreal, Dai sometimes felt having Jin Chang was no different from having no agent at all; at times, sponsors unable to reach an agent had to come directly to him with endorsement contracts.

Having established himself in Villarreal, Dai understood that barring major surprises, he would spend the next decade or more playing in Europe, rendering an agent confined to domestic affairs less useful.

Embracing the principle of adapting to local customs, he decided to meet with European agents to at least have a broad range of options before the new season.

His first meeting was with today’s top football agent—Jorge Mendes.

Upon learning Dai was returning home, Mendes chose Madrid for their meeting and arranged for his assistant to drive Dai there, convenient for his flight home afterward.

Guided by Mendes’s assistant through several twists and turns, Dai finally arrived at a secluded café where Mendes awaited.

Dressed all in black with a black cap, Mendes quietly sipped coffee in a corner.

At first glance, Dai thought Mendes looked less like an agent and more like a successful businessman.

“Dai, hello! Please sit. Would you like something to drink?” Mendes stood and shook Dai’s hand, as if they were old acquaintances.

“Thanks, a fancy coffee will do,” Dai replied as he sat down.

Mendes’s assistant ordered a coffee for Dai at the counter, soon bringing over a cup of black coffee and a bottle of milk.

Though Spain’s coffee culture may not be as renowned as Italy’s, coffee holds great importance there, akin to tea in China.

The Spaniards often drink café con leche, a blend of fresh milk and black coffee. In small cafés and bars, staff prepare bottles of black coffee and milk, serving black coffee first and then adding milk to taste—a famous Spanish specialty.

Its preparation is unique: instead of machine-extracted espresso, ground coffee is directly poured into milk and then filtered, producing a flavor distinct from lattes or café au lait, less bitter and intense, with subtle nuances for the discerning palate.

Though this specialty coffee can increase an athlete’s fat intake, Dai enjoyed it and occasionally ordered it.

“Dai, congratulations on winning the Europa League! I watched that match—you were outstanding!” Mendes praised him—indeed, he had texted Dai that very night.

This was not their first meeting; they had met once before at the Bernabéu, where they exchanged numbers.

“Your flight is at three, right?” Mendes glanced at his watch. “Ruiz and I will take you to the airport afterward.”

“No trouble at all,” Dai said without hesitation.

Both knew the purpose of this meeting well, so there was no need for cautious small talk.

He suspected Mendes’s eagerness to become his agent was not just about Dai himself but also due to his former club, Evergrande, and the backing of the Chinese Super League, which held great allure for someone like Mendes.

Earlier this year, with Mendes and his team’s full support, Evergrande had successfully secured Jackson Martínez in the final moments before the European transfer window closed, outbidding rivals and replicating their previous successful acquisition of Paulinho.

The vast potential of the Chinese Super League was attracting the attention of European agents, and it was no secret the league favored South American players—many of Mendes’s clients hailed from South America.

“Dai, I owe you an apology,” Mendes said solemnly. “Previously, I had someone look into the specifics of your contract with Villarreal.”

Chinese people are fond of asking, “How much do you earn?”

But in Europe, even family members often do not know precise salaries—not out of discord but to respect privacy and independence.

Thus, an agent’s private investigation into a player’s contract could be perceived variously by the person involved.

“Then lunch is on you today,” Dai joked with a shrug.

“Oh, I’ll prepare well for that,” Mendes replied with a smile.

But then he grew serious. “Dai, I analyzed your Villarreal contract. I can see your confidence—you value bonuses over your base salary. But… your salary is far too low compared to your contribution.”

“Perhaps your previous agent aimed to secure the deal smoothly, but do you know where your salary ranks within Villarreal?”

“Twelfth!” Mendes gave Dai an unexpected ranking.

“Yes, Villarreal is a small club,” Mendes said, stirring his coffee. “Generally, salaries there are modest. Most starters earn two to three million euros annually. For instance, Bakambu’s salary is among the highest, at three million. But you are different.”

“Since you joined Villarreal, do you know how many new sponsors they’ve gained?”

Without waiting for an answer, Mendes continued, “Five—all from your homeland. Together, they contribute around ten million euros annually. And next season, that number will grow.”

“Moreover, Xtep initially planned not to renew its contract after this season, but because of your arrival, they’re now competing with 361 Degrees for Villarreal’s jersey sponsorship for the next five years. The deal is expected to exceed twenty million euros.”

Dai was genuinely unaware of these details and remained silent.

“Dai, besides being Villarreal’s top striker, consistently delivering goals on the pitch, you directly influence the club’s financial income.”

Mendes locked eyes with Dai. “In short, you are the most important person at Villarreal right now.”

“Therefore, I believe you can ask for more.”

“For example, a higher salary with minimal increase in the release clause.”

“Or being designated the primary penalty taker.”

“Or your preferred jersey number.”

For the first time during the meeting, Dai nodded. Mendes’s words convinced him.

“Besides that, may I ask frankly—have you thought about transferring to a big club?”

“Of course,” Dai spread his hands. “Isn’t that natural?”

“Yes, top clubs have the best resources, coaches, and teammates. They help you grow.”

“To be honest, over the years I’ve seen many talented players, but few as outstanding and consistent as you—only Cristiano and a handful of others compare. If you maintain your current form, your transfer will be highly anticipated.”

“Not to boast, but if you move to a top club, I can help—my connections with top clubs in La Liga, Premier League, and Serie A are strong. Though, I wouldn’t recommend Serie A for someone your age.”

“Also, I advise you not to leave Villarreal this summer. Apart from a couple of giants like Liverpool, most strong teams aren’t eager to sign forwards right now.”

Here Mendes showcased his strength: though the 2015-16 season had just ended, he already knew the transfer intentions of major clubs—truly a remarkable insight.

Dai was quietly impressed.

Mendes then shared some “small talk,” recounting how he built Cristiano Ronaldo’s brand, making his commercial income surpass that of Messi and Neymar combined.

Listening, Dai admitted he was tempted, especially as Mendes outlined his plan to craft Dai’s personal image.

“Jorge, do you know our Chinese basketball star Yao Ming?” Dai asked for the first time during the meeting.

“Yao? I’m not much of a basketball fan, but I know he’s a great player!” Mendes answered cautiously, uncertain of Dai’s intent.

“Yao Ming is currently China’s most commercially successful sports star. He has a comprehensive management team called the ‘Yao Team,’” Dai explained in detail.

The Yao Team is Yao Ming’s business management group, consisting of six members: Bill Duffy, Yao’s agent in the U.S.; Bill Sanders, in charge of advertising negotiations and media relations; John Hakinger, associate dean of the University of Chicago’s business school, responsible for commercial promotion strategy; Zhang Mingji, Yao’s cousin and manager of Chinese contracts; Lu Hao, Chinese agent assisting with the domestic market; and lawyer Wang Xiaopeng.

Though specialized in different areas, all report directly to Yao. Major decisions are made by consensus after discussion and voting, with Yao holding veto power. Each member approaches matters with professional rigor. The Yao Team’s purpose is to help Yao achieve career success and life goals.

“Jorge, I’m inclined to sign with you. I understand your capabilities, but you don’t know enough about China and Chinese football.”

Mendes nodded thoughtfully, quickly gathering his thoughts. “I intended to build you your own management team. Your idea of a ‘Dai Team’ is quite sound. I just have one question: does your Chinese agent have to be Jin Chang?”

“Yes,” Dai answered firmly. He wanted everything clear before signing to avoid complications later.

“Give me some time. I need to talk with Mr. Jin Chang. He’s not an easy opponent to deal with,” Mendes sighed.

Dai didn’t respond. He didn’t care about Mendes and Jin Chang’s negotiations—his priority was safeguarding his own interests.

He raised his coffee and drank it in one go. “I’ll be waiting for your good news!”

(End of chapter)