The speed at which the news spread far exceeded anyone's expectations.
After terminating his contract with Leicester City, Charles Lin returned home to rest and wait for offers from other clubs.
Leo Lin hadn't yet had the chance to properly examine his attribute values. After getting home, he finally found the time—while showering—to take a comprehensive look at his stats.
Name: Leo Lin
Age: 18
Height: 1.83 meters
Weight: 76 kg
Penalty Area Shooting: 65
Long-Range Shooting: 73
Attacking Positioning: 65
Short Passing: 67
Vision: 70
Heading: 64
Stamina: 70
Explosiveness: 71
Speed: 70
Interception: 61
Tackling: 59
Defensive Positioning: 66
Dribbling: 68
Strength: 90
Crossing: 66
Curve: 64
Long Pass: 62
Skill: "Riser Howitzer!"
Leo Lin studied the numbers carefully.
No wonder he had been able to stay in Everton's youth academy and later catch Leicester City's attention.
To have attributes like these just after turning eighteen really did count as genuine talent.
His original Strength had been 70. After adding 20 points, it had jumped straight to 90.
A complete monster. With this level of talent and his previous performances, even after leaving Leicester City, other clubs were bound to come knocking.
At that moment, Charles Lin heard his son finish showering. He grabbed a change of clothes and headed into the bathroom himself, only to see Leo Lin muttering to himself.
"This stat's decent."
"This one's a bit lacking."
"Not fast enough—still need to train Explosiveness."
…
Charles Lin had no idea what Leo Lin was doing and walked over.
"These muscles…"
"You've been training in secret?"
He pinched Leo Lin's arm.
If Leo Lin weren't his biological son, Charles Lin would never have believed he was only eighteen.
Truthfully, Charles Lin had been worried. He feared that after leaving Leicester City, Leo Lin might not receive offers from European clubs and would be forced to leave European football altogether.
But before long, invitations from numerous clubs proved that worry completely unnecessary.
...
A few days later, Spain, at Leo Lin's home.
"If a club shows interest, which league would you most like to go to?"
Charles Lin asked.
Leo Lin thought for a moment.
"Hopefully a Premier League team."
He had already trained in both Everton's and the Foxes' youth academies.
With Premier League youth academy status, there was no need to apply for a work permit.
On top of that, the system's growth template was that of an all-around midfielder, and with the extra 20 points in Strength, he was especially suited to the physically intense Premier League.
After Leo Lin left Leicester City as a free agent, the news quickly became public—and the direction of public opinion was completely different from what he had imagined.
Sky Sports: "Lin Rejects Leicester City's New Contract—Could This Be a Premier League Opportunity?"
Premier League Gazette: "Did No One Notice Leo Lin's Long-Range Strike in the Friendly? He Seems to Be Showing His Talent!"
Marca: "Reliable Sources Say Multiple Premier League Clubs Have Extended Invitations to Lin!"
Once the news broke, several Premier League clubs scouted Leo Lin and surprisingly submitted contract offers.
July 17th.
Charles Lin and Leo Lin were drinking tea at home.
Suddenly, a phone call came in. Then another. And another—calls from the Premier League rang one after another. Some clubs even mailed official invitation documents directly to Leo Lin's home.
The documents began arriving one by one. Clearly, they had all been sent on the same day, which was why they reached him together.
Charles Lin tallied the calls and started reviewing the documents.
"We've received quite a few invitations from La Liga and the Premier League," he said.
"Watford, Norwich, Brighton, Everton…"
He listed several clubs—mostly mid-to-lower table sides or teams struggling in the relegation zone.
Leo Lin almost gave up hope.
Well, with his current reputation, fantasizing about a powerhouse club reaching out really was wishful thinking.
But after reeling off those relegation candidates like he was calling out dishes, Charles Lin suddenly picked up the black tea on the table and downed it in one gulp.
"Hah." He let out a long breath, then spoke again.
"Lastly."
He raised a document stamped with a red club crest.
Leo Lin's pupils instantly shrank.
Even from a distance, even with just a glimpse, he recognized it immediately.
"Liverpool?!"
"Liverpool!!"
Leo Lin grabbed the document. Sure enough—
"I'm not seeing things, am I?"
"This really is Liverpool!"
He checked the paperwork over and over to make sure there was no mistake.
Charles Lin smiled.
"I'm not surprised, actually."
"Since Klopp took over, Liverpool's results have been improving, but the midfield is still an issue."
"They really do need a good midfielder."
Any doubts Charles Lin had disappeared as he spoke. Liverpool genuinely lacked personnel.
This wasn't a transfer driven by profit. Liverpool truly saw Leo Lin as a young midfielder worth developing.
After all, Leo Lin had left Leicester City precisely to secure more playing time. With his talent and ability, only first-team minutes could truly unlock his potential. Without regular high-intensity matches, that talent would slowly fade.
From Liverpool's perspective, they didn't have much transfer budget to work with. Signing a young player on a free was a reasonable option—after all, it cost nothing, and if it didn't work out, the club wouldn't lose much.
"So," Charles Lin asked, already knowing the answer,
"whose offer will you choose?"
And all of this traced back to Charles Lin himself.
...
A few days earlier, at Liverpool's headquarters.
After receiving offers from relegation-threatened clubs, Charles Lin refused to settle. He carefully studied teams across Europe's top five leagues, organized Leo Lin's information, and began reaching out proactively.
Liverpool believed they were the only club to receive Leo Lin's self-recommendation.
In reality, they were just one of many clubs targeted by the ever-ambitious Charles Lin.
Jürgen Klopp, Liverpool's current head coach.
A master tactician renowned for high pressing, defensive counterattacks, and orchestrated attacking play—truly worthy of the title.
He also had his own methods for managing the locker room.
Outstanding players were essential to his tactical system.
Everyone knew that while Liverpool's squad looked complete on paper, it was missing a midfielder.
After learning that Leo Lin hadn't secured a contract, Klopp's newly assembled assistant coaching staff launched an overnight analysis—just as Charles Lin proactively extended an olive branch.
Krawietz, a member of the coaching team, repeatedly reviewed Leo Lin's youth academy footage from Everton and Leicester City. Combining that with his friendly match performance, he reached a conclusion.
"Undeniable talent."
"His long-range shooting is excellent—that's rare."
"Worth a try."
Krawietz was confident in his judgment. Since Leo Lin was a free signing, and the contract offered was a standard one with low wages, even if he failed to make it, Liverpool wouldn't suffer any real loss.
Klopp slammed his hand on the table.
"We've tried plenty of midfielders over the past few years anyway."
"So let's try one more."