Chapter Two: The One-Pound Auction

Over thirty meters, he was faster dribbling than his marker was chasing. Low cross. Assist. Five minutes later, he repeated the move. This time he stopped sharply past the center-back and finished into the far corner. Van der Veer finally appeared in the stand. “Three-month contract. Eight hundred euros a week,” he said. “The club holds a unilateral two-year extension.” Lu shook his head. “One year, twelve hundred. Twelve appearances trigger an extension, but the extended deal carries an eight-million release clause. I receive eight percent of future profit.” “You brought me an unemployed child and speak as though he were an international.” “I'm selling you the twenty seconds it took you to run down from the third floor.”