"PSG Wants to Sign Bastia Forward Julien De Rocca in Sumr Window, Willing to Offer 30 Million Euros"
L'Équipe reporter also wrote in the report: Paris Saint-Germain is prepared to develop De Rocca as a long-term core player and cornerstone of the team, and is willing to offer him a long-term contract with increntally increasing wages.
At the sa ti, they would sign Ibrahimović, Thiago Silva, Lucas Moura, Verratti and other players to strengthen the squad and further develop De Rocca.
These players as striker, defender, midfielder would essentially be building the team around De Rocca.
L'Équipe reported it as if it were fact. Regardless of whether this news was true or false, it made Bastia fans very angry.
To report such core transfer rumors before such an important match as the French Cup final—this was plain malicious intent, trying to disrupt Bastia's morale.
At the Sunset Café Bar, fans angrily condemned PSG's money-throwing behavior.
"PSG's behavior is destroying French football! They're trying to use money to build a powerful club, but those willing to go to Paris are nothing but rcenaries. No one will have any real identification with Paris Saint-Germain—Parisians support Paris FC instead!"
"When we won the championship in 1968, Parisians were still eating snails with silver spoons. Now that they have Qatari Oil money, they're suddenly poaching players across Europe."
"Their approach will make Ligue 1 boring like those of germans. PSG will dominate alone, and no Ligue 1 team will be their competitor."
"Yes, Lyon's seven consecutive Ligue 1 titles might beco history."
Listening to the fans' anger, Bertrand and others said nothing.
Even those indignant fans were only mocking PSG's crazy money football.
They didn't talk about De Rocca.
They didn't talk about the thirty million euro transfer fee.
They didn't dare.
They were afraid.
They knew the eventual outco, and they were willing to accept that outco. They were just angry.
Why did L'Équipe have to say this before the French Cup final?
Why did they have to say it so clearly, as if it were established fact?
If only they had seen nothing.
Bastia fans would still be willing to imrse themselves in anticipation of the French Cup championship.
Instead of now, counting how many days De Rocca had left at Bastia.
In this matter, the people of Bastia all seed to choose to bury their heads in the sand like ostriches.
Within the Bastia team, there weren't actually that many thoughts about this matter.
After all, De Rocca leaving Bastia was sothing they viewed as inevitable.
Instead, most people in the team hoped they could win this damn French Cup championship while Julien still belonged to Bastia!
When Châtaigner spoke privately with Julien, he even joked, "Do you want to go to Paris? I really hope their thirty million euros is real—that way the team would have money for signings next season in Ligue 1."
Regarding Châtaigner's words, Julien felt there was nothing to hide from him.
He said calmly, "If we win the French Cup, I don't want to leave for now."
"Huh?!!!"
The mont Châtaigner heard this answer, his pupils dilated in shock.
"Dieu! Mon Dieu!"
After several consecutive exclamations, Châtaigner's eyes sparkled as he stared directly at Julien's face almost touching his nose. "Really?!"
Julien took a step back and remained calm. "I have no reason to lie to you."
This decision was made after careful consideration.
At his current level, he definitely wouldn't be guaranteed a starting position at a top club. Playing in rotation would be too much of a waste of ti.
Instead, he was better suited to be a starter at mid-to-lower tier teams in the top five leagues which will be like constantly leveling up and help him increase his match experiences and build his stats.
And the amount of victory points earned, based on Julien's experience, depended on two important criteria—the strength gap between the teams and his performance in that particular match.
If he went to a top club now, he wouldn't have tactical preference, wouldn't have much individual playing space, and even if the team was stronger than opponents and he won by lying low, there wouldn't be many points.
Moreover, reduced playing ti would greatly affect his form.
Lyon midfielder Gourcuff, their French Cup opponent, was a cautionary tale of poor career planning.
When he most needed to develop, he went to AC Milan and remained in decline.
It was only after returning to Ligue 1 with Bordeaux, with more matches and more trust from the coach, that he had a brilliant season under Blanc.
So, all of this ant that Julien couldn't possibly level up at a top club.
Top clubs never give young players chances to develop.
Coaches and managent are under pressure.
One mistake by a player might an never getting another chance.
The main reasons for choosing to stay were two.
First, he was more familiar with Bastia. Rather than going to a new team and re-adapting to teammates, coaches, and tactics, he might as well stay at Bastia.
Here he had fan support and support from everyone in the team.
Second, if they could win the French Cup, Bastia would play in the Europa League next season!
European competition!
There he could wrestle with top tier teams and first tier teams from all over Europe.
This would definitely earn more victory points.
So as long as they could win the French Cup, staying for one season would be the optimal solution for him.
The rest would depend on how much he could grow in one season.
Châtaigner, having received Julien's promise, was excited for quite a while.
Then he found Hadzibegic and said with a serious expression, "I don't care what thod you use, you must win the French Cup! You have to win! This concerns Bastia's future!!"
Hadzibegic was dumbfounded.
At the beginning of the season, they said they would give up the French Cup, but kept changing their minds along the way. Now they were demanding he definitely win the French Cup championship.
Could championships be won just because you wanted them?
After studying Lyon's regular lineup, Hadzibegic felt it would be very difficult.
Their forwards Lacazette, Gomis, and Lisandro López were all players worth tens of millions.
In midfield, they had top Ligue 1 midfielder Källström and genius player Gourcuff.
Could Bastia hold them off?
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