The day after Manchester City's title parade through the city, the club officially announced the end of the season and everyone began their summer vacation.
But Gao Shen didn't slow down. Accompanied by Su Qing, Lucas, Borrell, Sarri, and others, he traveled to Leeds, a little over 60 kilometers away.
The British media truly lived up to their reputation, they were relentless. Some outlets even planted reporters outside Elland Road, just to catch a glimpse and confirm whether Gao Shen would appear.
All to prove that he was now tied to Leeds United.
Truthfully, that much was already obvious to insiders in the football world. Everyone could guess it, but Gao Shen still opted to keep a low profile.
In situations like this, it's better to let people speculate than to be seen taking action.
There are advantages to staying under the radar.
Leeds United was about to undergo a major overhaul. If Gao Shen got too directly involved, especially with public appearances, it would immediately draw attention. Once that happened, all the big clubs would begin circling like sharks, trying to poach his targets. What could he do then?
Instead, being secretive like this worked better.
Take Keylor Navas, for example.
Spanish media had reported that Leeds United was trying to poach the Costa Rican goalkeeper from Albacete. But did it matter?
Some reports even dragged Gao Shen's name into it, suggesting his involvement but who could confirm it?
Would clubs in need of a top keeper really take a gamble on an unproven name like Navas?
But if Gao Shen publicly endorsed him, the entire equation would change.
That's exactly why Gao Shen found his position so tricky.
So, he simply rented a house in Wetherby, a quiet town on the northern edge of Leeds, using it as a temporary base of operations.
The Thorp Arch training ground was undergoing renovation, so the house's location made it convenient for club staff to visit.
The area was surrounded by countryside, making it ideal for working in peace—no reporters cared enough to stake it out.
…
As Gao Shen's acquisition of Leeds United neared completion, work on assembling the club's new management team went into full swing.
On the administrative side, Su Qing took full control, personally overseeing all departments, including finance.
On the operational side, Fernando Lucas served as CEO, responsible for external matters like media, marketing, fan relations, and a wide array of club affairs.
One of Lucas' most critical tasks was building the club's entire competitive operation system.
The biggest difference between modern football and the past is how deeply professionalized it has become.
Many fans still view a club's success through a simplistic lens—digging for some legendary behind-the-scenes figure, as if one "genius" were solely responsible.
It's true that brilliant individuals exist.
But never forget—many good horses exist, but there are few great trainers.
No matter how capable someone is, they need the right platform to shine.
At Leeds United, Gao Shen's goal was clear: operate with cost-efficiency, buy low and sell high, and focus on player development.
That meant if he blindly tried to poach elite talent from top clubs, the chances of success were slim.
Likewise, fans often wonder: why doesn't Florentino Pérez just hire Monchi from Sevilla?
Sure, Monchi is one of the best football directors in Europe. But his specialty, buying low, selling high, identifying undervalued talent—is completely misaligned with Real Madrid's philosophy.
Florentino wants star power.
When those two ideologies clash, success is unlikely.
And even Monchi struggled after leaving Sevilla. His time at Roma wasn't exactly triumphant.
Same with Peter Kenyon, who moved from Manchester United to Chelsea and became CEO. Did it end in success?
This is why modern football emphasizes professional structure over individual stardom.
For a club, building a well-functioning system is far more valuable than relying on one "big name."
That's why Gao Shen chose Fernando Lucas as CEO and Rodolfo Borrell as technical director.
But they couldn't run the show alone.
For data analysis, Gao Shen appointed Victor Horta, a protégé of Lucas from Sevilla, as director of the newly established data center. Horta had done outstanding work in Spain.
Originally, Gao Shen had hoped to bring in Pablo Blanco, Sevilla's head scout—a man he personally knew and who boasted top-tier potential and judgment attributes in Football Manager.
Gao Shen even called him personally.
But Blanco remained loyal to Sevilla, where he had served both as player and staff. Despite Gao Shen's efforts, he declined.
That forced Gao Shen to abandon his hopes of replicating Sevilla's scouting model completely.
But Europe had no shortage of talent.
Gao Shen quickly pivoted.
His new target: Steve Walsh, assistant coach and chief scout at Championship side Hull City.
…
Steve Walsh was born into football.
His parents were Irish, and his uncle, Michael Walsh, had been a player and professional referee. His brother, Mickey Walsh, played for Blackpool, Everton, QPR, and Porto.
But Steve lacked his brother's playing talent.
So, like his uncle, he transitioned behind the scenes early on—becoming a coach.
He started out as a PE teacher in a church school. Through connections from his brother, he met the agent of Everton midfielder Robson, who also had links to Bury FC.
That opened the door for him to start part-time scouting.
For years, he juggled teaching and scouting.
Working directly with youth helped him develop a sharp eye for young talent—crucial for scouting roles. Eventually, he worked with several clubs, including Chelsea.
Back then, Chelsea was a mid-table side. But because Walsh was outstanding, they offered him his first full-time role as a scout.
In 1991, he officially became a full-time scout for Chelsea.
It didn't make headlines but he held that position for over a decade.
His big break came with the signing of Gianfranco Zola. Walsh had been sent to scout the Italian forward, and Zola's success elevated his standing.
After that, he was involved in scouting most of Chelsea's key players—Makelele, Cech, Robben, Drogba, Essien...
Scouting was a busy, thankless job, but rewarding.
It allowed Walsh to build a deep library of knowledge and expertise. In 2006, he moved to Newcastle United, where he advanced to assistant coach and chief scout.
There, he worked under Glenn Roeder, Sam Allardyce, Kevin Keegan, and Nigel Pearson. From Allardyce—the original "data football" manager in England—Walsh picked up an interest in analytics.
He also experienced Newcastle's chaotic internal politics.
In 2008, he followed Pearson to League One side Leicester City and helped guide the team to Championship promotion.
In 2010, he moved with Pearson again to Hull City.
To the outside world, Steve Walsh seemed unremarkable just another scout offering support, submitting reports, doing what all scouts do.
But his reports always stood out. They were sharper, more precise—better than anyone else's.
And Gao Shen knew that after following Pearson back to Leicester, Walsh would stay on after Pearson's departure and that's when his career would skyrocket.
He would become the man who discovered gems like Kante and Mahrez, transforming Leicester into title contenders and even earned Ferguson's personal recommendation to Manchester United.
…
For Steve Walsh, the call from Leeds United came out of nowhere.
Gao Shen personally phoned and spoke to him for over an hour.
Walsh had once considered trying for a head coach or permanent assistant role. But at 55, he was past that stage. He was still in the game mainly for the paycheck.
Now, Gao Shen offered him something different.
A chance to become Leeds United's head of scouting—responsible for building the entire scouting network.
It was unexpected.
But exciting.
He traveled from Hull to Manchester and had an in-depth conversation with Gao Shen. After hearing Gao Shen's vision for Leeds and his plans for the club's operational structure, Walsh's interest turned into determination.
He accepted the offer on the spot.
This visit to Leeds was Gao Shen's first high-level management meeting at the club.
Aside from Walsh, he also met U18 coach Francisco Javier García Pimienta and reserve team manager Luis Ramis for the first time.
Pimienta was a product of Barcelona's youth academy, recruited by Borrell. Ramis came from Real Madrid's youth system and had been recruited by Lucas. Both had exceptional records in player development.
Gao Shen had spoken with them both over the phone previously.
Now, the first Leeds United management meeting was held in Gao Shen's rented house on the outskirts of Wetherby.
The only issue: many departments were still understaffed.
Lucas was working to recruit a senior press officer. The marketing director role was still open, with several candidates under consideration.
Sarri was preparing to return to Italy in the next few days to assemble his coaching staff. Once that was in place, the picture would be more complete.
(To be continued.)