God Of football

Chapter 355: Finding The Right Piece [Nameyelus Gifts too much]

Izan leaned back in the seat as the car hummed through Londonʼs streets. The city felt different at night—quieter, but never fully asleep.

He scrolled through his phone, skimming past clips from training, headlines speculating about his role, and the inevitable ”La Liga to the Prem” debates as well as transfer news about clubs finalizing their deals.

He replied with a thumbs-up and locked his phone, exhaling.

The first session was done. Now came the real work.

Back at his apartment, he went through his usual routine—shower, quick dinner, some stretching to keep his muscles from tightening.

His body was still adjusting to the new workload, but it wasnʼt anything he hadnʼt handled before.

He flicked through the TV, letting the background noise fill the space.

Most channels were covering transfers, preseason schedules, and upcoming fixtures.

Arsenalʼs first game was in five days.

That part was moving fast. No slow buildup—just straight into action.

He grabbed his phone and checked the itinerary again.

Some of which included, Arsenal vs. Bournemouth.

Then a trip to the U.S.—Bayer Leverkusen, Liverpool, Lyon.

They were big games, even if they were just friendlies.

He knew how these things went. Preseason wasnʼt just fitness—it was the first statement of the season.

A bad tour and the media would eat you alive. A strong showing, and suddenly expectations skyrocketed.

His eyes drifted to his boots by the door. Heʼd train again tomorrow, and probably push harder. Arteta made that clear.

Extra work. Extra sessions.

He picked up his phone.

Izan: What timeʼs the facility open in the morning?

A response came almost instantly—from one of the staff.

”6 AM, but the gymʼs open 24/7.”

Izan nodded to himself, tossing the phone onto the couch.

Early start, then.

....

Mikel Arteta walked into the training facility just after 7 AM, coffee in hand.

The staff had already set up for the day, and the usual morning routines were underway.

Groundskeepers checking the pitches, analysts in their offices, and a few physios moving between rooms.

As he passed by one of the fitness coaches, he casually asked, ”Players start coming in yet?”

The coach nodded. ”Most of them will be here soon. But Izanʼs been in the gym since before six.”

Artetaʼs brow lifted slightly. He had expected commitment, but this was earlier than even he had anticipated.

He changed direction, walking toward the gym.

Inside, he found Izan alone, locked in his own world. Sweat clung to his shirt as he moved through a series of core exercises—controlled, precise, fully engaged.

He wasnʼt just going through the motions; there was an intensity to it.

Arteta didnʼt say anything, just watched for a moment. Then, with the smallest shake of his head, he smiled.

Good.

Without interrupting, he turned and headed toward his office. There was work to do.

⸻

Arteta placed his coffee on the desk and opened his laptop.

The preseason schedule was aggressive—Bournemouth first, then the U.S. tour with Bayer Leverkusen, Lyon, and Liverpool.

Normally, heʼd stick to a set system for these games, treating them as controlled tests for the season.

But Izan changed things.

He pulled out his notepad and started sketching formations.

4-3-3? That was the base, but Izanʼs arrival shifted the balance.

Izan was exceptional as a winger but he wasnʼt a traditional winger, not in the way Martinelli or Saka were.

He drifted inside, operated between the lines, and thrived on freedom. From what he had seen with Izan at Valencia, opposing teams thrived less when Izan had more of the ball.

Arteta tapped his pen against the desk.

Maybe it wasnʼt about fitting Izan into the system. Maybe it was about adjusting the system to maximize him.

A 4-2-3-1? That gave him space as a roaming playmaker. But then, how would Ødegaardʼs role shift?

A fluid front three? Saka - Jesus - Izan?

Or something more aggressive, even unconventional?

Arteta leaned back in his chair, thinking.

Preseason was the perfect time to experiment. He had a world-class talent, no player, who was only going to get better.

The challenge was making it work while keeping the balance of the team intact.

He smirked slightly, closing the notepad.

Todayʼs session would be interesting.

...…

The gym had been quiet for the past hour, aside from the steady rhythm of Izanʼs workout.

But as the morning pushed on, the energy in the facility shifted.