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Chapter 758: Rapid Integration
In early July, Wang Feng ended his vacation and quietly arrived in Manchester with Lu Yao.
This international metropolis, located in the northwest of England, was as bustling as Milan or Madrid. It had a long history, once the birthplace of the cotton textile industry and the world's first industrialized city.
However, strolling through the streets, one could hardly see many classical buildings anymore. Since the 1960s, Manchester had been undergoing urban renewal projects, with many old buildings demolished and replaced with new ones.
The first thing the Chinese superstar settled was his residence. Without being too picky, he chose a wealthy area 20 kilometers from the city center, near Stockport. The entire community looked like a beautiful garden.
Celebrities like Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo also owned properties in this area. Sun Jihai also lived here during his time at Manchester City. He believed that both the environment and security here were excellent enough.
The two of them were interested in a newly built, pure white, two-story villa. There weren't many rooms, but they were all spacious, with large windows and plenty of sunlight. Although it couldn't compare to the estates in Madrid, it was excellent in all aspects.
Of course, the price was excellent as well, a whopping ￡8 million. When Wang Feng paid for it, Lu Yao felt a bit sorry, "Brother Feng, why don't we just rent a room? After all, we won't be staying for many years."
Wang Feng smiled and reassured her, "We can afford it. Renting won't be as comfortable as having our own property to live in. Besides, Manchester is a big city, and buying a house now is considered an investment."
After sorting out the accommodation, the Chinese superstar reported to the Manchester City training base the next day, a week earlier than the team's requirement. In this new environment, he needed to be fully prepared for a fresh start.
The training base covered 80 acres and took six years to build, costing a total of ￡200 million. It had 16 football pitches, one of which could accommodate up to 7,000 spectators.
The training facilities were top-notch, with modern recovery centers, well-equipped hydrotherapy facilities, luxurious dressing rooms, spas, and even restaurants.
Manchester City also emphasized youth development, not only focusing on football skills but also partnering with a nearby high-quality school for academic education.
It could be seen that Mansour's investment in Manchester City wasn't just about making money; he had a deep love for football and wanted to create a dynasty of the Sky Blues.
The head of the base, Mark Munster, was very surprised by Wang Feng's early arrival. He wasn't fully prepared yet, and if he upset this important figure in any way, he might have to pack up and leave the next day.
He could only nervously accompany the Chinese superstar around the training base. "We'll adjust the shower and therapy facilities as soon as possible, and some training facilities will be maintained soon. It won't delay your schedule."
Unexpectedly, Wang Feng showed a apologetic expression, "It's okay, Mr. Munster, I've caused you trouble. I'll use the facilities that are available for now."
"Oh, I've prepared some small gifts for all the staff to express my apologies. I'm really sorry."
His warm attitude relieved everyone's tension and made them feel warm. They didn't expect the Chinese superstar not only to not blame them but also to take care of them. In less than half a day, he had won everyone's favor.
At the same time, the staff admired Wang Feng's professionalism. No wonder he could stand tall in the football world for so many years.
After a simple team physical examination, the Chinese superstar officially joined the intense training sessions.
Ilkay Gundogan and Leroy Sane, two German midfielders, walked into the indoor training room chatting and laughing. Having just joined Manchester City, they wanted to adapt to the environment as soon as possible, so they decided to report a day early to do some recovery exercises.
To their surprise, there was already someone in the training room, the world-famous Chinese superstar. They felt a bit awkward, not knowing what to say.
Wang Feng naturally wiped his sweat with a towel and walked over with a smile, saying, "Hello, didn't expect you two to come early too. The training facilities here are very complete and suitable for body recovery."
He spoke standard German, and the two of them showed surprised expressions, obviously not expecting the Chinese superstar to speak German. There was a sense of warmth and intimacy.
After all, they had just come from the Bundesliga, although they could communicate in English, it was not as fluent as their mother tongue.
So the three of them chatted casually, from football to daily life, exercising while chatting, and soon became familiar.
When the Manchester City players faced Wang Feng on the official gathering day, they were initially a bit restrained and unnatural, as if they were overwhelmed by his strong aura.
But this kind of barrier would inevitably disappear soon. They found that the Chinese superstar didn't have airs, nor did he act superior. He communicated equally with everyone, listening and expressing himself earnestly. His rich experience made him seem like a treasure trove.
Such a harmonious atmosphere even surprised Pep Guardiola. It was then that he understood why he had lost so miserably back then. Apart from technical aspects, the power of unity alone was enough to move people.
There was also a trivial matter. Vincent Kompany, the captain of Manchester City, wanted to pass the captain's armband to Wang Feng, but he was sternly refused, "You are the most suitable captain, Vincent. As a newcomer, I also need your help."
Wang Feng wouldn't even fight for the No. 10 jersey with Aguero, so how could he accept the captaincy? Although the Argentine didn't say anything, he was deeply grateful. From the Chinese superstar, he felt full respect.
Guardiola arranged for the players to practice passing and receiving the ball in the first training session, which was in line with his tactical thinking.
There were also many participants, including last season's main players, substitutes, and newly joined players.
The new coach naturally had a completely new criterion for selecting players, which meant that the starting lineup might change significantly. Therefore, many players were eager to perform well.
The training was mainly divided into three stages. First, pairs of players stood facing each other with a small arch in between.
The maximum number of times they could pass the ball through the arch to each other with one touch, while ensuring the ball stayed on the ground, increased continuously.
This training could effectively improve the sense of passing and accuracy, as well as the speed of receiving the ball.
The second stage added some dribbling exercises. Still in pairs, but now there were two small arches instead of one.
One player dribbled sideways and passed the ball through one arch to the other player.
The other player had to move sideways and pass the ball through the other arch back to the first player.
They continued this back and forth, and the actions got faster and faster.
The third stage was somewhat like a game of 'monkey in the middle.' Four players formed a group, with one player in the middle acting as the defender, and the other three passing the ball to each other.
Of course, this training had more restrictions. The ball had to stay on the ground, and there were strict rules regarding the time spent with the ball and the target of the pass.