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(A/N: Don't forget to give those power stones to Skyrim everyone!)
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A young player experiencing the first real spotlight of his career and judging by the smiles around the room, it wouldn't be the last time.
The following morning felt completely different from the previous few days.
For once, there was no alarm demanding an early arrival at London Colney.
No tactical meeting waiting.
No recovery session scheduled.
No analysis room.
No training drills.
No preparation.
At least not today.
After Arsenal's victory over Chelsea and qualification for the Carabao Cup Final, Arsène Wenger had made a rare decision.
The squad would receive a day off.
Not because standards had dropped.
Not because the work was finished.
But because experienced managers understood something important.
Sometimes recovery wasn't physical.
Sometimes players needed a chance to breathe.
To reset.
To enjoy what they had achieved before chasing the next objective.
And Arsenal had earned that opportunity.
Outside, London remained cold.
Gray clouds drifted lazily across the winter sky.
The city moved at its usual pace.
Busy.
Noisy.
Unpredictable.
Inside Francesco's Richmond home, however, the atmosphere was considerably more relaxed.
For the first time in weeks, he had nowhere to be.
No schedule dictating every hour of the day.
No coach waiting.
No reporter asking questions.
No defenders trying to kick him.
Just peace.
A luxury footballers rarely experienced during the season.
The living room was quiet except for the television.
Leah sat comfortably beside him on the sofa, wrapped beneath a blanket with a cup of coffee resting on the table nearby.
The Arsenal women's star looked considerably more relaxed than she had during her own busy schedule.
Days off were precious for both of them.
Neither took them for granted.
The television cycled through the morning sports coverage.
Premier League discussions.
Transfer rumors.
Manager interviews.
The usual endless football conversation that somehow continued twenty-four hours a day.
Then suddenly the familiar Sky Sports breaking news graphic appeared.
Red banners.
Music.
Urgent headlines.
The universal language of football television.
Leah immediately looked toward the screen.
"That's never good."
Francesco laughed.
"Or it's transfer season."
"Which is basically the same thing."
The presenter appeared moments later.
Looking unusually excited.
The sort of excitement broadcasters reserved for major football stories.
And judging by the smile on his face, this qualified.
"Breaking news this morning from Arsenal Football Club."
Immediately Francesco sat up slightly.
Leah noticed.
"Interesting."
The presenter continued.
"Arsenal forward Alexis Sánchez has officially signed a new contract extension."
The screen changed.
A photograph of Sánchez appeared.
Then another.
Then footage from Arsenal training.
A large graphic filled the television.
ALEXIS SÁNCHEZ SIGNS NEW TWO-YEAR CONTRACT
REPORTED SALARY: £200,000 PER WEEK
For a second Francesco simply stared.
Then a grin spread across his face.
A genuine one.
The kind that couldn't be hidden.
Leah saw it immediately.
"Oh, you're happy."
"Very."
The presenter continued discussing the details.
Experts began appearing.
Statistics appeared.
Goals.
Assists.
Appearances.
Everything.
The television coverage quickly transformed into a full-scale discussion.
Because this wasn't just another contract extension.
This was Alexis Sánchez.
One of Arsenal's biggest stars.
One of the most important players in the squad.
A footballer countless clubs would have loved to sign.
And now he was staying.
The timing couldn't have been better.
Not after weeks of speculation.
Not after endless rumors.
Not after journalists spent months pretending they knew exactly what would happen.
Francesco leaned back against the sofa.
Still smiling.
Leah nudged him gently.
"That's a huge deal."
"It is."
"You knew?"
He shook his head.
"No."
"Not officially."
"You suspected?"
"A little."
"But nothing's certain until the contract is signed."
The television now showed footage of Arsenal supporters reacting outside the Emirates.
Several fans were already celebrating.
Laughing.
Taking photos.
Sharing the news.
The reactions looked overwhelmingly positive.
And understandably so.
Keeping elite players mattered.
Especially when those players could decide matches on their own.
Alexis belonged in that category.
Leah smiled.
"He must be relieved."
"Probably."
"And you?"
Francesco looked back toward the television.
The image of Sánchez remained on screen.
Wearing an Arsenal shirt.
Smiling.
Looking happy.
"Honestly?"
"Yeah."
"I'm just glad he's staying."
Because he meant it.
Football squads weren't built solely on talent.
They were built on relationships.
Trust.
Shared experiences.
Memories.
Victories.
Defeats.
Alexis had been part of all of it.
The Chilean had fought beside them for years.
And now he would continue doing so.
That mattered.
A lot.
The moment the Sky Sports segment ended, Francesco reached for his phone.
Leah immediately smirked.
"Calling him?"
"Obviously."
"You couldn't wait five minutes?"
"No."
"Fair enough."
The phone rang several times.
Then connected.
Almost immediately.
"Hola."
Alexis sounded unusually cheerful.
Which wasn't surprising.
The Chilean had just secured his future.
"Congratulations."
A laugh came through the phone.
"Thank you."
"Took you long enough."
"I literally saw it on television two minutes ago."
"That's still late."
Francesco shook his head.
"Unbelievable."
Alexis laughed again.
The familiar laugh teammates heard regularly.
A sound that usually meant trouble.
Or mischief.
Or both.
"You happy?"
Francesco asked.
"Very."
The answer came instantly.
No hesitation.
No media-trained response.
Just honesty.
"Good."
A brief silence followed.
Comfortable silence.
The sort that existed between teammates who had shared hundreds of matches together.
Then Francesco spoke again.
"So."
"So?"
"Now we win everything."
Alexis immediately laughed.
Everything.
That word carried weight.
Because Arsenal were still competing on multiple fronts.
The Premier League.
The Champions League.
The FA Cup.
The Carabao Cup.
The dream scenario.
The impossible scenario.
The scenario supporters always talked about.
The quadruple.
Few clubs achieved it.
Almost none.
Which was exactly why it fascinated people.
Francesco grinned.
"This season."
"We go for all four."
Alexis didn't answer immediately.
Not because he disagreed.
Because he was thinking.
Then eventually:
"Good."
"That's what I wanted to hear."
His voice carried complete confidence.
Not arrogance.
Belief.
The belief elite players always possessed.
"If we're staying together," Alexis continued, "then we should aim for everything."
"Exactly."
"No excuses."
"No excuses."
"We have the squad."
"Yes."
"We have the manager."
"Yes."
"We have momentum."
"Yes."
Alexis laughed.
"You sound like you're giving a speech."
"Maybe I am."
"Please don't start singing."
"I wasn't going to."
"You were thinking about it."
"Maybe."
The conversation dissolved into laughter.
Eventually they spoke a little longer.
About the Chelsea match.
About Saka's goal.
About Wembley.
About everything happening around the club.
Then finally the call ended.
"See you tomorrow."
"See you."
The line disconnected.
Francesco set his phone down.
Still smiling.
Leah looked amused.
"So?"
"So what?"
"Did you convince him to win four trophies?"
"He was already convinced."
"That sounds dangerous."
"It probably is."
She laughed.
And honestly?
She wasn't wrong.
Because confidence was spreading through Arsenal.
Not reckless confidence.
Not arrogance.
Belief.
There was a difference.
A very important difference.
And right now, belief was everywhere.
A few hours later, the story became even bigger.
Much bigger.
Because Arsenal officially announced the extension across every club platform.
Photos appeared.
Videos appeared.
Interviews appeared.
The announcement graphics looked polished and dramatic.
Exactly the way modern football clubs preferred.
And within minutes the internet exploded.
Absolutely exploded.
The official Arsenal social media announcement spread across football communities at incredible speed.
Supporters shared it.
Commented on it.
Celebrated it.
Memes appeared almost instantly.
As they always did.
One graphic showing Sánchez signing his contract collected thousands upon thousands of interactions.
Then hundreds of thousands.
Then even more.
The comments flooded in.
Many from Arsenal supporters.
Most of them ecstatic.
"Best signing of the season."
"Let's go!"
"Alexis staying and Saka scoring. What a week."
"The title race is on."
"Now announce the quadruple."
That last comment appeared far more often than anyone expected.
Supporters were having fun.
Dreaming.
Allowing themselves to imagine possibilities.
Football fans always did.
Not everyone was celebrating, however.
Other supporters had their own reactions.
And many of them weren't particularly happy.
Especially fans of clubs who had spent months convincing themselves Alexis might leave.
The disappointment was obvious.
Television panels discussed it.
Radio stations discussed it.
Internet forums discussed it.
Everyone seemed to have an opinion.
One pundit declared:
"Keeping Sánchez may be Arsenal's most important piece of business all season."
Another agreed.
"Forget transfers."
"Sometimes keeping elite players is more valuable."
The debate continued all day.
And all afternoon.
And well into the evening.
Back at home, Francesco found himself scrolling through reactions while Leah watched with growing amusement.
"You enjoy this too much."
"I really don't."
"You absolutely do."
He looked guilty.
Which was basically a confession.
Leah pointed toward the phone.
"What are they saying now?"
Francesco laughed.
"Somebody says we're winning the Champions League."
"And?"
"Somebody else says we're winning the Premier League."
"And?"
"Somebody else says we're winning all four trophies."
Leah raised an eyebrow.
"Reasonable."
"Very reasonable."
They both laughed.
Because football supporters were wonderfully predictable.
One good result and everything felt possible.
One bad result and the world was ending.
The emotional extremes were part of the sport's charm.
Then lunch came and went in the comfortable, unhurried way that only a genuine day off allowed.
No nutritionist hovering nearby.
No recovery timetable waiting on a phone.
No coach reminding players where they needed to be next.
Just a quiet afternoon.
A normal afternoon.
Something footballers rarely experienced during the season.
The winter sunlight filtering through the windows had begun to soften as Francesco and Leah finished eating.
Nothing elaborate.
Just lunch together.
Conversation drifting naturally between football and everything else.
The sort of conversation that became harder to find once the schedule became crowded again.
Because despite what supporters often imagined, elite footballers didn't spend every waking moment discussing football.
Sometimes they talked about movies.
Sometimes family.
Sometimes future plans.
Sometimes absolutely nothing important at all.
And those moments mattered.
After helping clear the table, Francesco eventually made his way back toward the living room.
Leah remained in the kitchen for a few moments, organizing a few things before joining him.
The television was still running quietly in the background.
Sky Sports, naturally.
The channel seemed permanently active in footballers' homes.
Partly out of habit.
Partly because football never stopped generating news.
No matter the hour.
No matter the day.
No matter the season.
Francesco settled comfortably into the sofa and reached for a book resting on the coffee table.
A book he had started reading several weeks earlier.
One that had gradually become one of his favorites.
It wasn't about football.
At least not directly.
It was about leadership.
About responsibility.
About decision-making.
About how people inspired others.
The title wasn't particularly flashy.
The cover wasn't particularly exciting.
Yet the contents fascinated him.
Because over the previous few years something had changed.
He wasn't simply a talented young player anymore.
He wasn't simply Arsenal's star forward.
He wasn't simply a goalscorer.
Whether he wanted it or not, people now looked toward him.
Young players watched him.
Academy prospects studied him.
Supporters listened to him.
Teammates trusted him.
Leadership wasn't something you suddenly received.
It was something you developed.
Something you earned.
Something you learned.
And Francesco had become increasingly aware of that reality.
Leah entered the room carrying a mug of tea.
She immediately noticed the book.
Again.
"You really like that thing."
Francesco smiled without looking up.
"It's good."
"You've said that about six times."
"It's still true."
She sat beside him.
"Learning how to become a good captain?"
"Maybe."
That answer earned an amused look.
"Subtle."
"I'm serious."
"I know."
And she did.
Because anyone who knew Francesco understood something important.
For all the headlines.
For all the goals.
For all the awards.
He was constantly trying to improve.
Not just as a footballer.
As a person.
As a teammate.
As a leader.
The book disappeared back into his hands.
The television continued talking quietly in the background.
For a while, neither paid much attention.
Just occasional glances.
Occasional headlines.
Nothing particularly dramatic.
Until suddenly another familiar phrase appeared.
BREAKING NEWS.
Leah immediately looked toward the screen.
Again.
"Oh look."
Francesco laughed.
"More football."
"Your favorite thing."
"I have hobbies."
"Football isn't a hobby."
"Fair."
The Sky Sports presenter appeared moments later.
Looking significantly more energized than he had only minutes earlier.
Which usually meant transfer news.
And sure enough…
The giant graphic behind him confirmed exactly that.
ARSENAL TRANSFER UPDATE
Immediately Francesco lowered the book slightly.
Not because he was worried.
Simply curious.
Transfer windows fascinated footballers too.
Even when they pretended otherwise.
The presenter began.
"Arsenal have officially completed the signing of highly-rated Greek defender Konstantinos Mavropanos."
A photograph immediately appeared.
Young.
Tall.
Confident-looking.
Wearing Arsenal colors.
The accompanying graphic followed quickly.
TRANSFER CONFIRMED
KONSTANTINOS MAVROPANOS
£1.9 MILLION
The presenter continued discussing the deal.
Scouting reports appeared.
Highlight footage appeared.
Analysts discussed his potential.
His physicality.
His age.
His future.
Everything.
Francesco listened carefully.
Every new signing mattered.
Every addition changed squad dynamics.
Not dramatically.
But noticeably.
The analyst on screen looked impressed.
"Arsenal believe they've secured one of Greece's brightest young defensive talents."
Another nodded.
"It's a relatively small fee in today's market."
"Very small."
"But potentially huge value."
Francesco smiled slightly.
That sounded like Wenger.
Very Wenger.
Finding talent before everyone else noticed.
Developing potential.
Building players.
The manager had built an entire career doing exactly that.
Leah glanced toward him.
"What do you think?"
"He looks promising."
"You've never met him."
"I know."
"Then how do you know?"
"I don't."
"Exactly."
They both laughed.
Because footballers were guilty of the same thing supporters did.
Watching a few highlights and suddenly becoming amateur scouts.
The coverage continued.
Then another headline appeared.
A much bigger one.
The presenter's expression changed slightly.
More serious.
More reflective.
Because this story carried emotion.
Especially for Arsenal supporters.
THEO WALCOTT JOINS EVERTON
REPORTED FEE: £35 MILLION PLUS ADD-ONS
The living room grew quieter.
Not because the move was shocking.
Rumors had circulated for weeks.
Everyone had expected it.
But expectation didn't always remove emotion.
A photograph of Walcott filled the screen.
Then highlights.
Goals.
Celebrations.
Memories.
Years of Arsenal history condensed into a few minutes.
Francesco slowly closed the book.
Watching.
Listening.
Remembering.
The presenter spoke respectfully.
"Theo Walcott's Arsenal career officially comes to an end."
"An important player."
"A loyal servant."
"A player who experienced highs, lows, injuries, trophies, and unforgettable moments."
The footage continued rolling.
Young Theo.
Fast Theo.
Goals against rivals.
Cup finals.
League matches.
Champions League nights.
A career.
An era.
Leah noticed Francesco watching quietly.
"You okay?"
"Yeah."
He nodded.
"Just strange."
Because it was.
Football moved fast.
One day a player felt permanent.
The next day he was gone.
That reality never became normal.
Not completely.
Theo had been part of Arsenal for years.
Part of the dressing room.
Part of the culture.
Part of the family.
Now he would be wearing blue.
Playing somewhere else.
Building a different chapter.
The analyst on Sky Sports summarized it perfectly.
"Sometimes transfers aren't about football ability."
"Sometimes they're about opportunities."
"At Everton he'll play more."
"He'll have a fresh challenge."
"He deserves credit for everything he contributed at Arsenal."
Francesco nodded slightly.
Agreed completely.
Theo deserved that respect.
No question.
A few moments later his phone buzzed.
One message.
Then another.
Then several more.
The Arsenal group chat had clearly noticed the news coverage.
Predictably.
The messages were already chaotic.
Walker:
Theo's gone and somehow I'm emotional.
Robertson:
That's because you're emotional about everything.
Walker:
Not true.
Ramsey:
You cried during Toy Story.
Walker:
That cowboy was going through a lot.
The responses immediately exploded.
Francesco laughed.
Leah looked over.
"What happened?"
"Kyle's defending himself."
"Oh."
"Yeah."
"That sounds impossible."
"Pretty much."
The laughter helped.
Because departures were always bittersweet.
Footballers understood that.
Sometimes humor made it easier.
The television coverage eventually moved toward another Arsenal topic.
This one considerably more exciting for supporters.
A photograph of Bukayo Saka appeared on screen.
Immediately Leah smiled.
"Here we go."
Francesco already knew where this was heading.
The presenter spoke enthusiastically.
"Following his breakthrough performance against Chelsea, reports suggest Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger intends to increase Bukayo Saka's involvement with the first team."
More footage appeared.
Saka's goal.
The celebration.
The smile.
The moment.
The analyst continued.
"Sources close to Arsenal believe Wenger views Saka as an important long-term project."
"Someone with enormous potential."
Another pundit nodded immediately.
"I completely understand why."
"The talent is obvious."
"The composure for the goal was exceptional."
"But beyond that…"
He paused.
"He looked comfortable."
"That's what impressed me."
"He didn't look overwhelmed by the occasion."
The discussion continued.
Then a quote from Wenger appeared on screen.
The Frenchman's words instantly grabbed attention.
"Bukayo has a bright future."
Simple.
Direct.
Classic Wenger.
Yet anyone familiar with the manager understood how significant those words were.
Because Wenger didn't hand out praise carelessly.
Especially not to young players.
When he publicly backed someone, it meant something.
The analyst recognized that immediately.
"When Arsène Wenger says a player has a bright future, people should listen."
"He has a decent track record."
That generated laughter in the studio.
Because "decent" might have been the understatement of the century.
Wenger's history with young talent was legendary.
Francesco leaned back into the sofa.
Still looking toward the television.
A small smile appearing again.
Leah noticed.
"Saka?"
"Yeah."
"You're happy for him."
"Of course."
Because he genuinely was.
Football needed moments like that.
Academy players breaking through.
Young talents succeeding.
Dreams becoming reality.
And Saka had earned his opportunity.
Nobody inside Arsenal doubted that.
The teenager worked relentlessly.
Listened constantly.
Learned quickly.
Those qualities mattered.
Possibly more than talent itself.
Leah sipped her tea.
"You know what's about to happen."
"What?"
"He's going to get bullied."
Francesco laughed immediately.
"That's definitely happening."
"Walker?"
"Mostly Walker."
"Poor kid."
Neither could keep a straight face.
Because they both knew exactly how the dressing room worked.
The moment Saka walked into training tomorrow, somebody would mention the goal.
Then somebody else.
Then everybody.
The youngster would never hear the end of it.
At least for a few weeks.
Possibly longer.
The afternoon slowly drifted toward evening.
Transfer discussions continued.
Football debates continued.
Social media continued exploding over every Arsenal headline imaginable.
Alexis staying.
Walcott leaving.
Mavropanos arriving.
Saka rising.
The news cycle felt endless.
Yet underneath all the excitement sat something more important.
A sense of movement.
A sense of progress.
A sense that Arsenal were building something.
Not just for this season.
For the future.
Experienced stars remained.
Young talents emerged.
New players arrived.
The squad evolved.
As it always did.
As every successful club eventually had to.
And sitting there with a leadership book resting on his lap, Francesco couldn't help thinking about that future.
About responsibility.
About standards.
About helping younger players grow.
Because one day Saka wouldn't be the nervous academy player sitting in a press conference.
One day he might become one of the leaders himself.
The same was true for Smith Rowe.
For Nketiah.
For others still waiting for their chance.
Football generations changed quickly.
Much quicker than people realized.
And leaders had a responsibility to help that transition happen.
The book on his lap suddenly seemed even more relevant.
Outside, the winter evening continued settling over London.
Inside, Arsenal's future felt brighter than it had in a long time.
Alexis Sánchez had committed his future.
A promising defender had arrived.
A respected veteran had begun a new chapter elsewhere.
And a teenager named Bukayo Saka had just taken his first real step toward becoming part of Arsenal's next generation.
For supporters, it was simply another day of football news.
For those inside the club, it felt like something more.
The end of one chapter.
The beginning of another.
And with Wembley, the Premier League title race, the FA Cup, and the Champions League still ahead, Arsenal's story was far from finished.
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Name : Francesco Lee
Age : 19 (2017)
Birthplace : London, England
Football Club : Arsenal First Team
Championship History : 2014/2015 Premier League, 2014/2015 FA Cup, 2015/2016 Community Shield, 2016/2017 Premier League, 2015/2016 Champions League, Euro 2016, Premier League Champion 2016/2017, and 2016/2017 Champions League.
Season 17/18 stats:
Arsenal:
Match: 35
Goal: 42
Assist: 2
MOTM: 5
POTM: 0
England:
Match: 2
Goal: 2
Assist: 0
MOTM: 0
Season 16/17 stats:
Arsenal:
Match: 55
Goal: 87
Assist: 5
MOTM: 14
POTM: 1
England:
Match: 1
Goal: 1
Assist: 0
MOTM: 0
Season 15/16 stats:
Arsenal:
Match Played: 60
Goal: 82
Assist: 10
MOTM: 9
POTM: 1
England:
Match Played: 2
Goal: 4
Assist: 0
Euro 2016
Match Played: 6
Goal: 13
Assist: 4
MOTM: 6
Season 14/15 stats:
Match Played: 35
Goal: 45
Assist: 12
MOTM: 9