Mercedes-Benz, Milan Streets

3:45 PM

The Mercedes slowed to a stop outside a bright glass building alive with art and energy, and Demien recognized the three-stripe logo immediately.

Adidas headquarters.

He gathered his thoughts, pushed Adriano from his mind, and focused on what came next.

This meeting would be different.

This time, he knew exactly what he wanted.

Adidas European Headquarters, Milan

4:02 PM

The reception area was modern and vibrant with athlete photos covering the walls, and Demien spotted images of Messi, Benzema, Pogba, and dozens of others who'd built their brands alongside the three stripes.

A woman in her mid-thirties approached with a warm smile, and she extended her hand professionally.

"Demien Walter? I'm Lara Battaglia, Head of Athlete Partnerships. Welcome to Adidas."

Her handshake was firm and confident.

"Thank you for having us," Demien replied, and Marco stepped forward to introduce himself.

Two more executives appeared from a conference room down the hall.

"James Trafford, Lead Creative Strategist," said a British man in his forties with styled hair and designer glasses.

"Kate Wilkins, Director of Brand Communications," added a sharp-eyed woman carrying a tablet.

They led Demien and Marco through the building toward a conference room that felt completely different from Nike's setup, and the energy here was more artistic and creative with urban art pieces decorating the walls and music playing softly from hidden speakers.

"Please, sit," Lara said while gesturing to comfortable chairs around a large table.

Once everyone was settled, Lara started the presentation with confidence that felt inviting rather than pushy.

"Demien, Adidas is excited about your potential. We're launching the 'Shape the Game' campaign next quarter, spotlighting athletes who embody authenticity and creativity. We want you at its forefront."

James took over smoothly, and a screen behind him came to life with vivid visuals: urban murals inspired by football culture, interactive AR experiences for fans, and clips of athletes co-creating new product lines.

"This isn't just a sponsorship," James explained while gesturing to the images. "It's a collaborative journey. Your voice and style will shape our brand narrative globally."

Kate chimed in with enthusiasm. "We've planned multiple digital campaign launches, pop-up events, and exclusive design workshops where you'll work directly with designers. Plus, a spot at the upcoming global urban art festival."

Demien leaned forward slightly, and his interest was genuine because this felt different from Nike's polish.

This felt personal.

"What does that look like practically?" he asked.

James smiled like he'd been waiting for the question. "You'll sit down with our design team quarterly. Discuss what you want in a boot. Colors, materials, feel. We prototype it, you test it, we refine it together. The final product becomes part of our limited-edition line with your branding."

"And the campaign shoots?" Marco asked while making notes.

"You have creative input," Kate said firmly. "We don't just put you in front of a camera and tell you to smile. You collaborate on concepts, suggest ideas, help shape how you're presented to the world."

Demien felt something shift in his chest.

This was what he'd wanted from Nike but hadn't quite gotten despite the negotiation wins.

True collaboration.

True creative control.

Lara pulled out a folder and slid it across the table. "Let's talk numbers. We propose a base salary of one hundred thousand euros annually, with a thirty thousand euro performance bonus based on milestones such as social media engagement and match impact."

The Agent Negotiation Perk activated immediately, and recommendations surfaced in Demien's mind with the clarity of someone who'd done this a thousand times.

「TRAIT ACTIVATED: AGENT NEGOTIATION PERK」

「CONTRACT ANALYSIS:

• Base Salary: €100,000 - STRONG opening (35% above Nike's initial offer)

• Performance Bonus: €30,000 - CONDITIONAL (need specific triggers)

• Creative Input: ALREADY INCLUDED (major advantage over Nike)

• MISSING: Signing bonus, injury protection, renewal options, product exclusivity

NEGOTIATION STRATEGY:

• Counter: €125,000 base (reasonable 25% increase from strong opening)

• Add: €20,000 signing bonus (standard for first-year deals)

• Specify: Performance bonus triggers (goals, assists, appearances, social metrics)

• Request: Injury protection clause (75% salary continuation if sidelined 3+ months)

• Include: Exclusive signature product line clause

• Add: Renewal option with escalators tied to performance

LEVERAGE: Competing offers (Nike/Puma), creative collaboration already offered, young athlete with high ceiling」

The panel faded, but the insights remained crystal clear.

Demien glanced at Marco, who gave a subtle nod that meant your call.

"Thank you for this generous offer," Demien said, his voice measured and professional. "I believe my potential and the upcoming tournaments justify a base closer to one hundred twenty-five thousand with a signing bonus."

Lara's eyebrow raised, but her smile didn't fade. "Go on."

"I'd like creative input on my own signature sneaker design," Demien continued, "and an injury clause protecting my earnings if things don't go as planned on the pitch. Seventy-five percent salary continuation if I'm sidelined three months or longer."

James leaned back with an expression that mixed surprise and respect. "Fair requests."

"The creative input is important to us," Kate added quickly. "Having your voice in design will make this campaign authentic."

Lara made notes on her tablet before looking up. "The injury protection is reasonable. We can structure that. What about the performance bonus triggers?"

"Specific and achievable," Demien said, and he laid it out clearly. "Five thousand for every five Serie A goals. Three thousand for every five assists. Ten thousand for international youth team appearances. Twenty thousand for senior national team call-ups. And I want social media metrics tied to engagement rate, not just follower count."

"Why engagement over followers?" James asked, genuinely curious.

"Because followers can be bought or inflated," Demien replied. "Engagement shows real connection with fans. That's what brands actually want."

Kate nodded approvingly. "Smart thinking."

Lara and James exchanged glances, and some silent conversation happened between them that Demien couldn't read.

"Let's take fifteen minutes," Lara said. "Discuss internally and see what we can do. There's coffee and water in the lounge if you want to stretch your legs."

"Sounds good," Marco said.

They stepped out of the conference room, and once they were in the hallway, Marco turned to Demien with an expression that was half pride and half disbelief.

"You just restructured an Adidas contract offer like you've been doing this and you dont even allow me talk," he said quietly. "Maybe i will just take you with me anytime i want to discus contract deals haha?"

Demien Laughed.

"Clearly." Marco smiled. "And the injury clause was brilliant. Most young players never think about that until it's too late."

They walked to the lounge, and Demien poured himself water while his mind stayed focused.

The meeting was going well.

Better than Nike, if he was honest, because Adidas seemed genuinely interested in collaboration rather than just slapping their logo on another young player.

Fifteen minutes passed quickly, and Lara appeared in the doorway.

"We're ready," she said.

Back in the conference room, all three executives wore expressions that suggested good news.

Lara spoke first. "One hundred fifteen thousand base. Twenty thousand signing bonus. Injury protection structured as you requested. Performance bonuses with your specific triggers, and we'll add a clause about engagement rate metrics for social media."

She slid a revised summary across the table.

"Creative input on signature design is guaranteed," Kate added. "You'll work directly with our innovation team starting this fall."

James leaned forward. "And we're committing to feature you prominently in the Shape the Game campaign launch. Multiple markets, significant exposure."

Marco studied the summary carefully before looking at Demien.

Demien read through the numbers twice.

Base salary: €115,000

Signing bonus: €20,000

Performance structure: Clear triggers

Injury protection: 75% continuation for 3+ month absences

Creative collaboration: Guaranteed signature line development

It was better than Nike's revised offer even before he'd walked away.

And more importantly, it came with genuine creative control and no ghost from his past attached to the brand.

"This works," Demien said, and he extended his hand to Lara.

Lara's smile was genuine as she shook his hand. "Excellent. We'll have legal draft the full contract with these terms and send it over by end of week."

James and Kate both stood to shake hands as well, and the energy in the room felt positive.

"We'll review the paperwork thoroughly," Marco said while gathering the summary, "but assuming everything matches what we discussed, I think we have a deal."

"Perfect," Lara said. "We're looking forward to working with you, Demien."

Outside in the parking garage, Marco was practically buzzing with energy.

"That was perfect," he said as they reached the car. "Better offer than Nike, creative control built in, and they actually seem interested in developing you as a person, not just a product."

Demien leaned against the car door.

"One more meeting," he said.

"Puma," Marco confirmed while checking his watch. "We've got forty minutes. Want to grab something to eat first?"

"Yeah." Demien leaned back against the car. "Let's do that."

Marco started the engine, and they pulled out of the parking garage into Milan's afternoon traffic.

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