Mateo sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the closed envelope in his hands.
The visit from Sir Alex Ferguson just hours earlier still pulsed through his chest like aftershocks.
A private meeting.A legendary offer.
But no cameras.No leaks.No headlines.
The world had no idea.
And for now, he wanted it that way.
The Market Reacts
Even without knowledge of the visit, the football world had caught fire.
Rumors swirled after Mateo's recent performances, his benching, and his now-visible frustration.
Clubs began to circle.
Real Madrid sent formal interest through his agent.
Manchester City described him as "a long-term vision piece."
Arsenal called daily โ promising a team built around his creative fire.
PSG and Barcelona both offered outrageous transfer fees.
Even Juventus and Leipzig positioned themselves as "rebirth destinations."
Mateo watched as names stacked on top of names.
Everyone wanted him.
But only one had looked him in the eye and said:
"We'll build it around you."
The Agent's Call
His agent's voice rang with excitement.
"Mateo, it's happening.You're the most talked-about player in the window.Every elite club is ready to make a move."
Mateo didn't answer right away.
He looked out the window.
Munich felt colder now.Smaller.
"Tell them I need a few more days," he said finally."I'll call you when I'm ready."
The Family Circle
That evening, Elena and Klara sat with him at the dinner table.
His mother, always graceful, broke the silence.
"You don't need to prove anything to anyone anymore, mi hijo.But if you goโฆ go where your future feels yours."
Klara leaned closer, eyes locked with his.
"Don't chase what's already built.Go where you'll help build something new."
Mateo listened.
Not with his ears.
But with everything inside him.
The System Waits
No blinking quests.No glowing notifications.
Just one quiet sentence pulsed in silver letters across his vision:
๐ "The storm must choose where to strike next."
The Choice Ahead
Up in his room again, the envelope still sat unopened on the desk.
Not from Madrid.Not from Paris.Not from London.
But from Manchester.
Unmarked. Quiet.
Legendary.
Mateo placed his palm flat over it.
And whispered to himselfโ
"They don't know yet.But I do."