Alessandro's handshake was firm and warm, and his smile reached his eyes as he stepped back to let them enter fully.

"Welcome, welcome," he said, gesturing down the hallway. "Follow me. We've got everything set up."

They walked through Nike's Milan office—sleek, modern, flooded with natural light from floor-to-ceiling windows. Photos of athletes lined the walls: Mbappé mid-sprint, Haaland celebrating, women's teams holding trophies. The swoosh logo appeared everywhere, subtle but omnipresent.

Alessandro led them to a meeting room at the end of the corridor. The space was intimate—glass walls on two sides, a polished table in the center, comfortable chairs, and a large screen mounted on the far wall. Soft lighting gave the room a warm glow despite the modern aesthetic.

"Please, sit," Alessandro said, motioning to the chairs. "Can I get you anything? Water? Coffee?"

"Water's fine," Marco said.

"Same," Demien added.

Alessandro stepped out briefly and returned with two bottles of San Pellegrino, setting them on the table before taking his seat across from them.

"Claudia will join us in just a moment," he explained. "She's finishing up another call."

As if on cue, the door opened and Claudia Rossi entered—mid-forties, professional attire, confident stride. She carried a tablet and smiled as she approached.

"Marco, Demien—pleasure to meet you both." She shook hands with each of them before settling into the chair beside Alessandro. "Sorry for the slight delay. Busy day."

"No problem," Marco replied.

Claudia set her tablet on the table and looked directly at Demien. "We've been following your progress closely. What you've done in two matches has caught a lot of attention—not just from us, but across the industry."

Alessandro nodded. "Which is why we wanted to meet today. We see real potential, and we move fast when we see something special."

He picked up a remote from the table and clicked it. The screen behind him came to life, displaying the Nike logo with "GENERATION NEXT" in bold letters beneath it.

"Let me show you what we're building," Alessandro said.

The screen transitioned to a montage of young players—teenagers and early-twenties athletes wearing Nike gear, training, competing, celebrating. The footage was slick, professionally shot, set to driving music that built momentum with each cut.

"Nike has always been about identifying talent early," Alessandro continued as the video played. "Michael Jordan wasn't the number one pick. Cristiano Ronaldo was eighteen when we signed him. Kylian Mbappé was seventeen. We don't wait for players to become superstars—we help create them."

The montage ended, replaced by a slide showing Nike's current football roster: Ronaldo, Mbappé, Haaland, Vinícius Júnior, Sam Kerr. Names and faces that dominated global football.

"These athletes didn't just sign contracts with us," Claudia said, leaning forward slightly. "They became part of a family. They got access to our innovation labs, our sports science teams, our marketing platform. We invested in them, and they invested in us."

Alessandro advanced to the next slide—a timeline showing Nike's history with young talent, from Jordan's rookie deal in 1984 through to Mbappé's signing in 2017.

"We take pride in nurturing legends," Alessandro said, and his voice carried genuine conviction. "And we want you to join us on this journey as our next ambassador."

Demien kept his expression neutral, but David Drinkwater's thirty-seven years of experience told him this was standard sales pitch—effective, polished, designed to make you feel special. Every brand had their version of this speech.

The screen changed again, showing campaign images: athletes in striking poses, Nike products prominently featured, taglines about greatness and determination.

"Being a Nike athlete means more than wearing the swoosh," Claudia said. "It means being part of cultural moments. Our campaigns reach millions. Our partnerships create opportunities beyond football—fashion, entertainment, business."

Alessandro set the remote down and looked directly at Demien. "So before we get into the specifics of our offer, I'm curious—are you a fan of Cristiano Ronaldo?"

The question landed oddly, almost too casual after the polished presentation. Demien blinked, processing it.

Why are they asking if I like one of the greatest players ever? Obviously I do. Everyone does.

But then the memory surfaced—not Demien's memory, but David Drinkwater's. Playing for Millwall against Manchester United in the FA Cup. Tracking Ronaldo's runs for ninety minutes, watching him move with precision and power, feeling completely outclassed by someone operating on a different level.

The beauty of his movement. The efficiency. The relentless drive.

"Yeah," Demien said, and the word came out genuine. "He was beautiful to watch. Can't even lie about that."

Claudia laughed, the sound warm and unforced. "Oh yeah, who wouldn't love Ronaldo? The man's a machine."

Alessandro smiled, pleased with the response. "You know, being associated with Ronaldo is a badge of honor for us. He's been with Nike since 2003—nineteen years of partnership. That's the kind of relationship we build. And it's part of why we want you on board."

The room felt lighter after the laughter, but Demien remained composed. Ronaldo's name was impressive, sure. The history was impressive. But names and history didn't pay contracts or guarantee fair terms.

Marco must have sensed his mindset because he gave a small approving nod.

Alessandro picked up the remote again and advanced to a new slide—this one showing a breakdown of Nike's offer in clean, professional formatting.

"Let's talk specifics," he said, and his tone shifted to business. "We're prepared to offer you a three-year endorsement deal with the following structure."

He gestured to the screen.

NIKE ENDORSEMENT PROPOSAL

Duration: 3 Years (2022-2025)

Base Salary: €65,000 per year

Performance Bonus: €35,000 (tied to milestones)

Product Allocation: Full Nike football kit (boots, apparel, training gear)

Marketing Obligations: 2 campaign shoots per year, social media content as agreed

"The base salary is sixty-five thousand euros annually," Alessandro explained. "Standard for promising young players at this stage of development. The thirty-five thousand euro bonus is tied to performance milestones over the season—appearances, goals, assists, team success."

He clicked to the next slide, showing a graph with escalating numbers.

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