Kai and Campbell trained side by side.
Campbell pushed himself relentlessly, matching Kai's pace through every sprint, shuttle run, and conditioning drill. Even when Kai quietly increased the weights or made the exercises tougher, Campbell never complained. He gritted his teeth and kept going.
Even so, it did nothing to change Kai's opinion of him.
"That's enough for today."
Kai looked over at Campbell, who had dropped into a squat, breathing heavily with sweat pouring down his face.
He had always heard the captain's individual training sessions were brutal. Experiencing one firsthand was something else entirely.
Still struggling to catch his breath, Campbell looked up.
"So... are we doing this again tomorrow?"
Kai shook his head.
"No. We've got a match coming up. There's no point burning unnecessary energy now."
Campbell's face stiffened before his shoulders slumped.
Right.
Kai was preparing for the weekend because he was guaranteed a place in the starting eleven.
A substitute like me doesn't have to worry about managing my workload because there was no guarantee I'd even get on the pitch.
That thought only made him feel worse.
Kai patted him on Campbell before he picked up his bag, left the training ground, and drove home.
By the time he arrived, his agent, Barnett, was already waiting outside the front door.
"Well, this is unexpected," Kai said with a smile. "I wasn't expecting a visit."
Barnett folded his arms and snorted.
"If I didn't come looking for you, you'd probably forget you even had an agent."
Kai chuckled.
"I wouldn't go that far."
He unlocked the door and stepped inside, with Barnett following behind.
"What can I get you?"
"A glass of ice water, thanks."
While Kai headed for the kitchen, Barnett walked over to the living room. Instead of sitting down, he rested both hands on the back of the sofa.
"It's time we sorted out your commercial endorsements."
Kai handed him the water.
"Have they already expired?"
"Some of them have," Barnett replied with a nod. "Several sponsors want to renew, but I've been holding off because their offers aren't good enough. A few companies still owe outstanding payments as well. If they don't settle within a week, I'll take legal action and make it public."
He paused before continuing.
"But that's not the main reason I'm here."
Barnett looked directly at Kai.
"Tell me honestly. Have you really ruled out a transfer?"
Everyone knew Arsenal's situation.
The club was in turmoil.
Despite everything, Kai remained one of the Premier League's most sought-after midfielders. Barnett knew that staying too long in a struggling Arsenal side could eventually hurt both Kai's market value and his earning potential.
He had decided it was worth trying one more time.
The moment those words left his mouth, Kai quietly placed his water bottle on the table.
His gaze settled on Barnett.
There was no anger in his eyes, only unmistakable displeasure.
Barnett immediately raised both hands.
"Alright, alright. Forget I said anything."
Kai's voice remained calm.
"Don't bring it up again."
Before signing together, they had agreed on three rules. One of them was that Barnett would never pressure Kai regarding transfers.
Today, he had stepped over that line. Kai was willing to overlook it once. There would not be a second time.
Changing the subject, Kai asked, "You've signed quite a few players in England over the last few years. How do you even have time to come see me?"
Since establishing himself in the Premier League, Barnett had rapidly expanded his business, using London as the center of his operations.
His client list now included players such as Luke Shaw, Joe Hart, and, of course, Kai.
Barnett grinned.
"Because you're my biggest client."
Kai laughed and waved the compliment away.
"You say that to everyone."
"I really don't."
Barnett was telling the truth.
Although midfielders rarely attracted the same commercial attention as elite forwards, Kai's status as Arsenal captain made him one of the most valuable players on Barnett's books.
More importantly, there was the enormous Chinese market behind Kai.
That was where the real opportunity lay.
Barnett had even shut down his American branch and opened an office in China specifically to develop Kai's commercial presence there.
Doing business with Kai's name attached had been more profitable than he had ever imagined.
The two continued chatting for a while, yet Barnett showed no sign of leaving.
Kai narrowed his eyes.
"So, what are you really here for?"
He was beginning to suspect the endorsement discussion had only been an excuse.
Barnett let out a dry laugh.
"I wanted to tell you something I've been hearing about the Arsenal board."
Kai frowned immediately.
Whenever club politics became involved, it seldom led to good news. In his view, the ideal owner invested in the club and stayed out of football matters.
Usmanov had once fit that description. Recently, however, he had started taking a far more active role in the club's affairs, creating no shortage of headaches inside Arsenal.
Barnett looked at Kai and spoke quietly.
"There's a strong possibility that David Dein are coming back."
Kai blinked.is
"What?"
Seeing the puzzled look on his face, Barnett smiled.
"I suppose someone your age wouldn't know much about him."
He took a sip of water before continuing.
"David Dein was the man who discovered Arsène Wenger and convinced him to join Arsenal. Behind the scenes, he played a huge role in building the club. Many of the transfers he negotiated are still regarded as some of the smartest deals in modern football."
"He's incredibly sharp. He understands football, but he also understands how to run a club."
"In the old days, Arsène focused on the team while David handled the business side. The two complemented each other perfectly. Once David left Arsenal, all that responsibility fell onto Arsène. If you ask me, that's when the pressure really started piling up."
Kai nodded thoughtfully.
"Even so, how did he manage to come back? Usmanov doesn't seem like the type to hand over authority."
Barnett laughed.
"Usmanov may be Arsenal's Executive Chairman, but a lot of the board believes he's accumulated too much power. Being a Russian owner already made him a divisive figure. Once he started involving himself in transfer decisions, even more directors turned against him."
He leaned forward slightly.
"Several board members sold their shares to David Dein. That deal made him Arsenal's second largest shareholder with a thirty percent stake."
"After that, he joined forces with the rest of the board and stripped Usmanov of control over transfers and the club's finance department."
Kai's eyes widened.
That must have been one fierce boardroom battle.
What surprised him most was that neither he nor any of the Arsenal players had heard even a whisper about it.
Barnett smiled knowingly.
"That's because it only happened about three hours ago."
Kai stared at him.
"Three hours ago? And you already know about it?"
He narrowed his eyes.
"Don't tell me you've planted someone inside Arsenal."
Barnett burst into laughter and waved the accusation away.
"Nothing that dramatic."
"I just happen to be good friends with one of your minority shareholders."
Kai chuckled.
"That explains it."
There wasn't much else to say. Boardroom politics were well above a player's pay grade.
Besides, this development might actually benefit Arsenal. If David Dein's return kept the increasingly hands-on Usmanov in check, it could only help stabilize the club.
The following morning, Arsenal's players met their new vice chairman for the first time.
David Dein.
His hair had turned gray, and he stood only about 1.7 meters tall. Deep lines marked his face, yet his warm smile immediately put people at ease.
Unlike some executives, David had no interest in making a grand entrance.
He quietly stood outside the training pitch, watching the session without interrupting anyone.
Kai couldn't help comparing him to Usmanov.
If Usmanov had visited, there was a good chance the entire squad would have been lined up for a lengthy speech.
Instead, Pat Rice invited David onto the training ground once the session ended. David greeted each player personally, asking how they were doing, sharing a few lighthearted jokes, and chatting as though he had never left the club.
Within minutes, even the younger players had relaxed around him.
When he reached Kai, David studied him for a moment before smiling.
"Arsène told me Arsenal finally has a true leader."
Kai smiled politely.
"I'm just the captain."
David raised an eyebrow.
"The captain who lifted Arsenal's first Champions League trophy."
Kai could not help smiling a little wider.
David had a remarkable way of complimenting people without making it sound forced. Captaining Arsenal to its first Champions League title remained one of the proudest moments of Kai's career.
He rarely talked about it himself.
Even so, hearing someone acknowledge that achievement always brought him quiet satisfaction.
David extended his hand.
"Best of luck in the next match."
Kai shook it firmly.
"You have my word. I'll give everything I have."
David nodded with a satisfied smile before moving on.
Not long afterward, Pat Rice gathered the squad in the tactical room.
Attention quickly shifted from boardroom politics to football. Their next challenge would be Chelsea at the Emirates in Premier League Round Eight.
Chelsea's opening seven league matches had fallen well below expectations.
Antonio Conte had no intention of accepting that situation. He saw the trip to Arsenal as the perfect opportunity to change the narrative surrounding his team.
A victory over the reigning European champions would immediately restore confidence, silence much of the criticism, and inject fresh belief into a squad that had struggled to find its rhythm since the start of the season.
. . .
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