Dynasty Awakening: Building My Own Football Empire-Chapter 234: Spanish Painter

It was June first. The transfer window was open.

To the fans the transfer window was exciting. It was a time of rumors and YouTube compilations and dreaming.

To Michael Sterling it was a headache.

Arthur Milton was sitting on the floor. He was surrounded by five different phones. He looked like a frantic octopus.

"Boss," Arthur shouted holding up a red phone. "Juventus are calling again. They say they have increased the offer for Victor Osimhen to seventy million. They say they will throw in a Fiat car and a lifetime supply of pasta."

"Tell them no," Michael said without looking up from his laptop. "Tell them Victor is allergic to pasta. Tell them he only eats Yorkshire pudding."

Arthur picked up a blue phone.

"Boss. It is PSG. They want Amara. They say they need a Ferrari in Paris."

"Tell them Amara is not for sale," Michael said. "Tell them the Ferrari has no wheels for them."

Michael rubbed his temples. This was the price of success. When you are Misfits nobody cares. When you are FA Cup Winners and nearly Champions everyone wants to steal your toys.

Kenji Sato the billionaire owner walked into the room. He was wearing a suit made of white linen. He looked very cool and very rich.

"Michael," Kenji said. "Stop playing defense. We need to play offense. We have the Champions League money. We have the Kenji money. Let us go shopping."

Michael closed his laptop.

"I have a list Kenji. But these players... they are not easy to get."

"Easy is boring," Kenji smiled. "Show me the target."

Michael turned his screen around.

There was a picture of a player. He was young. He had long messy hair. He was wearing the red and white kit of Atletico Madrid.

NAME: MATEO VEGA

POSITION: ATTACKING MIDFIELDER

NICKNAME: EL PINTOR (THE PAINTER)

"Mateo Vega," Arthur said looking at the screen. "He is famous. He is the most creative player in Spain. But he sits on the bench because he does not like to defend."

"Exactly," Michael said. "He is a Misfit. A genius trapped in a defensive system. He wants to paint pictures but his manager wants him to build walls."

"We need a creator," Michael continued. "Kai Sora is gone. Leo Stone is great but he is a box to box runner. We need a magician. Someone who can unlock the door when teams park the bus against us."

"Let us go get him," Kenji said clapping his hands. "My jet is ready. Do you like tapas Arthur?"

Arthur eyes lit up. "I love tapas. I love small food that comes on many plates."

They were about to leave the office when the door slammed open.

Diego Nunez burst in. The giant defender was wearing a Hawaiian shirt with pineapples on it. He looked terrified.

"PAPA MICHAEL!" Diego roared.

"What is wrong Diego?" Michael asked. "Is there a fire?"

"Worse!" Diego shouted. "I saw on the internet. It says Transfer Window Open. Does that mean we have to leave? If the window is open will I fall out?"

Michael sighed. He walked over and put a hand on Diego shoulder.

"No Diego. The window is for new friends to come in. Not for you to fall out."

"Oh," Diego said calming down. "So I stay?"

"You stay forever Diego. You are the foundation."

"Good," Diego nodded. "Because I bought a lot of pineapple shirts for the summer. I do not want to move my shirts."

"We are going to Spain Diego," Michael said. "We are going to find a new friend. A painter."

"A painter?" Diego asked confused. "To paint the stadium?"

"To paint with the ball," Michael said. "Go enjoy your holiday Diego. Do not eat too much sand."

"I only eat a little sand," Diego promised as he walked out. "For minerals."

Three hours later they were in Madrid.

The sun was setting over the Spanish capital. It was beautiful.

They met Mateo Vega and his agent in a small restaurant away from the cameras.

Mateo Vega looked smaller in real life. He was slight and thin. He had dark artistic eyes that seemed to be analyzing the geometry of the table cloth.

His agent was a large man named Carlos who wore a very shiny watch.

"Mr Sterling," Carlos said loudly. "My client is happy at Atletico. He plays for a big club. Why should he come to Barnsley? It is cold in Barnsley. It rains sideways."

"It rains vertically sometimes," Arthur corrected while eating a plate of Patatas Bravas.

Michael looked at Mateo. The boy was not listening to his agent. He was looking at a video on his phone.

It was the video of Barnsley playing. It was the goal Amara scored at Wembley.

"You play fast," Mateo said. His voice was quiet.

"We play chaos," Michael said. "At Atletico you are a soldier. You march. You defend. You suffer."

Mateo looked up. "I hate suffering. I want to play."

"Then come to us," Michael said leaning forward. "In Barnsley we do not have soldiers. We have Misfits. We have a striker who wears a mask. We have a defender who eats sand. We have a winger who is a Ferrari."

"We need a brain," Michael continued. "We need someone to see the pass that nobody else sees. I do not want you to tackle. I want you to create."

Carlos the agent interrupted.

"That sounds nice. But what about the money? Mateo is a star."

Kenji Sato placed a napkin on the table. He took out a gold pen. He wrote a number on the napkin.

He slid it to Carlos.

Carlos looked at the number. His eyes bulged. He coughed.

"The weather in Barnsley is actually very fresh," Carlos said smiling. "Very good for the skin."

Mateo Vega was still looking at Michael.

"The number is good," Mateo said. "But I have one question."

"Ask me."

"The number 10 shirt," Mateo said. "Who wears it?"

"Nobody," Michael said. "It is empty. We were waiting."

"Waiting for what?"

"For someone brave enough to wear it," Michael said.

Mateo smiled. It was a small mysterious smile.

"I like the number 10. And I like the rain. It makes the ball skid faster."

He extended his hand.

"I will come. I will be your Painter."

Two days later the deal was done.

BREAKING NEWS: BARNSLEY SIGN MATEO VEGA FOR RECORD FEE.

The football world was shocked. A player from Atletico Madrid moving to Barnsley? It was a statement. It proved that the Dynasty was not a joke.

Michael stood on the training pitch. The squad was slowly returning for pre season.

Diego Nunez arrived first. He was wearing a sombrero.

"Hola!" Diego shouted. "I speak Spanish now! Donde esta la biblioteca?"

"Hello Diego," Michael laughed. "Meet your new teammate."

Mateo Vega walked out. He was wearing the purple training kit. He looked tiny next to Diego.

Diego looked at him.

"You are small," Diego observed. "Are you the painter?"

"Yes," Mateo said. "I am El Pintor."

"Can you paint me?" Diego asked posing like a bodybuilder. "Make me look strong."

"I paint with the ball Diego," Mateo laughed.

"Show me," Diego demanded. "Here is a ball."

Diego kicked a ball at Mateo. It was a hard pass. A cannonball.

Most players would control it.

Mateo did not control it. He let the ball hit his heel. He spun. The ball popped up in the air over his shoulder. He caught it on his neck and balanced it there.

He looked at Diego.

"Is this good?" Mateo asked.

Diego mouth fell open.

"He is a seal!" Diego shouted. "A magic seal! Boss we bought a seal!"

Michael watched them.

Lukas Weber the Berlin Wall walked over. He watched Mateo balancing the ball.

"Inefficient use of energy," Lukas noted. "But highly skilled. His center of gravity is exceptional."

"He is the final piece Lukas," Michael said. "You bring the order. He brings the disorder."

Michael felt the vibration in his pocket. The System was waking up for the new season.

[SQUAD UPDATE DETECTED]

[NEW PLAYER: MATEO VEGA]

[ROLE: THE MAGICIAN]

[CREATIVITY: 20]

[DEFENSE: 3]

[TEAM CHEMISTRY: ADJUSTING...]

"Defense 3," Michael chuckled. "We will have to work on that."

Arthur Milton ran onto the pitch.

"Boss! More news! The phone will not stop ringing!"

"Who is it now Arthur? Real Madrid?" 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

"No," Arthur grinned. "It is Amazon Prime."

"Amazon?"

"They want to film a documentary," Arthur said. " All or Nothing: Barnsley. They want to be in the dressing room. They want to film Diego eating lunch. They want everything."

Michael looked at his team.

Diego was trying to balance the ball on his neck like Mateo and failing miserably.

Jean Luc was arguing with Lukas about the best type of cheese.

Amara was racing Jax Teller from the academy.

It was a madhouse.

"Let them film," Michael said. "If they want a show we will give them the greatest show on Earth."

Michael gathered the players.

"Welcome back," Michael said. "I hope you enjoyed the holiday. I hope you ate good food."

"I ate many tacos," Diego said rubbing his belly.

"Good. Now burn them off."

"We have a new friend. Mateo. Welcome him. Protect him. Give him the ball."

"And listen closely."

Michael voice turned serious.

"Last year we finished second. We won a cup. It was nice."

"This year nice is over. This year we have the Painter. We have the Wall. We have the Bull."

"We are in the Champions League. We are going to play the best teams in Europe. And we are going to make them regret the day they learned the name Barnsley."

"The target is simple."

He held up one finger.

"Number one. We want the Premier League. And we want the big ears trophy."

"The Champions League?" Arthur whispered. "Boss that is ambitious."

"We are greedy Arthur. Remember?"

Diego Nunez shouted.

"GREEDY BULLS!"

The team cheered.

The summer sun was shining. The squad was stronger. The bank account was empty because they spent it all on Mateo Vega.

But the dream was bigger than ever.

Michael Sterling looked at the empty goal.

Season Three was about to begin. And this time the Misfits were not just coming to participate. They were coming to conquer.