Football Dynasty-Chapter 185: Sudden Offer from United

November and December were expected to be smooth sailing after the Millwall match.

Most of City’s upcoming opponents were struggling near the bottom of the table—with the exception of Leicester City, who were currently holding a strong sixth place in the First Division.

"We have six matches in the First Division, two in the League Cup, and one in the FA Cup second round — which means we’ve got nine matches in the span of two months," Richard said, tapping his finger on the fixture list.

He looked around the room, eyes settling on each member of the staff.

"That’s a lot of football. And if we want to come out of this stretch with our momentum intact, we need to manage it smartly — squad rotation, injury prevention, recovery sessions, all of it."

As the chairman who brought the vision to develop Manchester City through a modern high-performance team led by Fevre and Schlumberger, Richard had no choice — it fell on him to act as the bridge between them and O’Neill’s coaching staff.

It wasn’t an ideal setup. The concept itself was foreign, and O’Neill, along with his staff, likely felt that their authority was being threatened by the involvement of outside parties in managing the team.

Thankfully, for now, adjustments had gone smoothly. There were no clashes — and Richard sighed in relief because of it.

Fixture 19: Charlton Athletic vs Manchester City (The Valley Stadium)

Buoyed by their recent 3–0 win over Millwall, City played with confidence. They pressed hard, turned every challenge into a physical battle, and slowed the tempo whenever possible. If they couldn’t beat Charlton, they’d make sure Charlton suffered for every inch of space.

For the first 30 minutes, it worked.

Charlton’s midfield stayed compact, forcing Roberto Carlos and Cafu to recycle possession while relentlessly bombarding the flanks. Even Matt Jackson, the on-loan player from Premier League side Everton, was overwhelmed by their constant overlapping runs.

The deadlock broke in the 34th minute — and it was Roberto Carlos who finished the job.

A free-kick, 25 yards out, just slightly left of center.

Roberto Carlos stood over the ball, his gaze sharp, focused like a sniper aiming for the top corner. The stadium held its breath.

PHWEEE!

The whistle blew.

He took a measured step back, then approached with a fluid run-up. His powerful left foot connected perfectly, sending the ball soaring with an impossible curve.

It curled over the wall — a solid barrier of outstretched arms and tense muscles — before dipping suddenly, as if guided by a magnetic force.

The goalkeeper leapt, fingertips brushing the ball, but it was too late.

The net bulged.

The roar from the City fans was deafening.

Roberto Carlos had just turned the game on its head.

For the rest of the match, O’Neill instructed the team to take it easy, knowing they had another tough game just three days later.

Still, City’s players didn’t let up completely. They stayed disciplined, maintained control of the ball, and finally broke through in the 44th minute before halftime.

Every time Charlton tried to push forward, Ferdinand and Gallas were there like shadows, cutting off every passing lane and shutting down their options.

Van Bommel, reading the hesitation in Charlton’s midfield as they prepared to launch another long pass, seized the moment. He stole the ball just as the midfielder, unaware of his surroundings, prepared to pass.

With the crowd roaring behind him, Van Bommel’s momentum carried him into a slight shove against his opponent—making Richard in the stands gasp at the unnecessary push. But luckily, the referee let play continue.

Van Bommel surged forward, scanning for teammates making runs ahead. His vision was sharp—he spotted a perfectly timed short pass to Roberto Carlos charging down the left flank.

Receiving the ball, Roberto Carlos didn’t hesitate. With precision, he delivered a perfectly weighted through ball, threading it between two defenders and slicing Charlton’s backline wide open.

Ahead, Ronaldo was already making a ruthless run, exploiting the space as Charlton’s right-back was distracted by Roberto Carlos.

One-on-one with the keeper, Ronaldo showed no doubt.

Low, precise, and ruthless — the ball hit the back of the net.

Ronaldo finished the job.

Another win. Another clean sheet.

Full-time: Charlton Athletic 0 – 2 Manchester City

For the next three matches, City will face Sheffield United and Norwich City, followed by a League Cup tie against Peterborough United.

In the 20th fixture against Sheffield United, O’Neill chose to rest Roberto Carlos and Cafu, replacing them with Richard Jobson and Steve Finnan.

The game may have lacked the usual flair and excitement, but City got the job done.

With a solid, no-nonsense performance, they secured all three points with a narrow 1–0 victory — and once again, it was Ronaldo who made the difference.

Even without the usual firepower of Roberto Carlos and Cafu, Ronaldo shouldered the responsibility with ease. He dropped deep when needed, ran at defenders with menace, and created chances seemingly out of nothing.

His goal — a low, driven shot into the bottom corner after dancing past two defenders — was a moment of brilliance in an otherwise cagey affair.

By full-time, there was no debate — Ronaldo had once again stolen the spotlight, claiming his eleventh Man of the Match award with yet another commanding performance.

In the 21st fixture, City unexpectedly drew 0-0 with Norwich City, who clearly parked the bus, frustrating City’s players throughout the match.

This result allowed Sunderland to close the gap, now just two point behind City at the top of the table.

Leaving Carrow Road in frustration, City promised to bounce back in their next match.

Sure enough, Peterborough United’s London Road Stadium became the stage for City’s fierce response.

0-6!

City completely dominated Peterborough United on their own turf.

In this match, O’Neill deployed Larsson and Shevchenko up front, and both delivered brilliantly, each scoring two goals.

In the second half, Solskjær and Trezeguet came on as substitutes for Larsson and Shevchenko, and unexpectedly, they also left their mark in the final minutes of the match.

Solskjær scored with a header, followed by Trezeguet!

The Frenchman finally made his mark for City!

The credit definitely cannot be taken away from Steve Finnan, who in this match rotated in for Cafu. His style of play was probably influenced by Cafu—he was basically a nightmare for Peterborough’s left-back.

A burst of acceleration, a drop of the shoulder, and he was gone—slicing through Peterborough’s flank like a blade through silk. Finnan then raced to the byline with purpose before whipping in a pinpoint cross to the far post.

There, lurking between the center-backs, was David Trezeguet.

He didn’t need to look—his movement was instinctive. He rose with perfect timing, meeting the ball with a firm, glancing header that left the goalkeeper rooted to the spot.

A simple finish.

Trezeguet had arrived. A goal crafted with intelligence and precision—a striker’s finish from a player finally stamping his name on the scoresheet.

League Cup: Peterborough United 0 - 6 Manchester City

Following the emphatic victory over Peterborough United, City finally entered a brief period of rest.

That’s because, in the final week before entering December, there was a scheduled friendly match between England and the Republic of Ireland in Dublin as part of the preparations for Euro 1996.

During this break period, when Richard arrived at Maine Road, he was taken aback to see Rio Ferdinand already there—an hour early, before training had even begun.

Out of all 25 players in the current main squad, there were certainly a few with a strong work ethic—players who made a habit of showing up early. But Ferdinand? Never.

This was a first. And as Richard slowly realized why, he could only sigh helplessly.

Even though City had been dominating week after week, Rio still couldn’t break into the England squad.

Terry Venables continued to favor established names like Sol Campbell, Steve Bould, John Scales, Steve Howey, Neil Ruddock, Gary Pallister, and Gareth Southgate.

Richard decided not to disturb Rio Ferdinand, who was probably not in the best of moods.

The friendly match between England and the Republic of Ireland did not affect City much, as they continued their activities as usual.

City then shifted their focus to the fixture list moving into December.

This month, they will face Scunthorpe United in the FA Cup, followed by Leicester City, Huddersfield Town, and Portsmouth in the First Division. However, before we dive into City’s matches, something unexpected happened.

Unexpectedly, on the day of the match, just moments before the much-anticipated friendly between England and the Republic of Ireland was set to kick off in Dublin, shocking news broke: the match had been abandoned.

The reason? A disturbing outbreak of violence in the stands, triggered by a small group of English supporters—many believed to be affiliated with far-right extremist groups.

Officials had no choice but to call off the match for the safety of everyone involved.

What was meant to be a celebration of football and friendly international relations had devolved into an ugly reminder of the darker elements that sometimes follow the game.

Back in England, the FA and public figures swiftly condemned the actions, and investigations were launched into how these groups had gained access to the stadium in the first place.

Richard didn’t react much upon reading the news in the newspaper. However, just as he was about to put the paper down, the fax machine in his office suddenly rang.

When he read the fax, he was stumped. His eyes narrowed as he scanned the details.

[

Sender: Club Secretary

Subject: Official Bid Received – Ole Gunnar Solskjær

Club: Manchester United (England – English Premier League)

Bid: £2.5 million + add-ons

Contract Proposal: Four-year deal, rotation-team role

]

Richard let out a slow breath. Now that was a serious club knocking at the door. He’d expected some interest in Solskjær, but figured it’d come after the season wrapped up. Right?

Historically, Ole was always meant to join United, and honestly, Richard didn’t mind the idea of selling him there... unless—

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

Someone knocked at the door. It was Marina Granovskaia, holding the exact same fax.

Marina pulled a chair up to the desk and immediately asked Richard, "What do you think about it?"

Richard leaned back, tapping his fingers on the desk. "Do you know why Manchester United is suddenly targeting Ole? There’s no way they’d make a bid on their city rival unless they were desperate. Do you know why?"

Hearing Richard say "city rival," Marina thought he was joking. But seeing his serious expression, she decided to bring him back to reality.

She shook her head. "There’s no need to consider us rivals just yet—not while we’re still in the First Division and they’re in the Premier League."

Richard was silent for a moment.

Well... she was right.

She continued, "As for why they’re targeting our players, look at this." She handed Richard a newspaper, which featured the latest rumors for the upcoming winter transfer window.

The headline caught Richard’s eye immediately: it was about striker Alan Shearer, who had just joined Newcastle United for a world-record £15 million.

Richard’s eyes jumped instantly.

Why were all the world-record transfers that were supposed to happen in next summer’s transfer market suddenly happening right now?

"So basically, it’s an offer for Ole as a backup to Eric Cantona and Andy Cole, with only occasional first-team opportunities, am I right? What does Ole say about this? And what’s O’Neill’s response?"

Marina shook her head at Richard’s question. "You forgot one thing," she said. "Eric Cantona is still banned from playing, which means he’s not eligible to appear in their League Cup, FA Cup and UEFA Cup campaigns."

That’s because the one who punished Cantona for his kung-fu kick was the FA. And since the Premier League has now separated from the English FA, they no longer have control over it. For the Premier League, Cantona’s kung-fu kick was exposure, so they allowed him, while the FA banned him

Richard rubbed his chin.

Which meant—if Ole joined United...

Only then did Richard realize it.

"Does that mean Ole already has the intention to leave?" Richard couldn’t help but ask.

Marina nodded. "I’ve already spoken to him. He wishes to leave. Right now at City, he can’t break past Ronaldo and Larsson."

Richard opened his mouth, wanting to say something about the situation—but in the end, he remained silent.

Indeed, with Trezeguet recently scoring, competition at City was becoming even more intense.

United, on the other hand, currently had only two reliable strikers—Eric Cantona and Andy Cole—which meant that if Ole joined them, his chances would be wide open, especially with the added temptation of playing in the UEFA Cup while Cantona was definitely absent.

’Do they really want to make him a first-team player?’ Richard couldn’t help but mutter in his heart.

Because deep down, he knew the answer. How could he explain to Solskjær that whether he stayed at City or moved to United, at the end of the day, he’d still be a super-sub... and nothing would really change?

"Do you want to intervene in it?" Marina asked, and Richard shook his head.

"What about O’Neill?" He then asked.

"I was just about to reach out to him."

"Hmmm." Richard fell silent again, lost in thought.

The offer was tempting, to be honest. But £2.5 million? Hah.

Richard knew that if United were really making a move for a player from Manchester City, then the only person driving the transfer was Alex Ferguson himself. Which meant that unless the price was truly unreasonable, they wouldn’t back down.

That’s how Manchester United operated—their ego was still too big, especially after just being humiliated by Newcastle in the race to sign Alan Shearer.

So, Richard wasn’t ready to let Ole go. Not yet.

"On hold," Richard said. "Let O’Neill try to persuade Solskjær to stay first."

And sell him next season with a more fantastic price. Well, if United are truly desperate for Solskjær, Richard didn’t mind to ripped their wallet.