Chapter 470: Chapter 126: Marching into the Final! Wembley, Here We Come! New Contract Signed! Wenger’s Memories!

Perhaps Wenger really valued him, broke many precedents for him, and has always been trying everything to bridge the gap between them.

After more than ten minutes, he saw a Mercedes SUV parked in the distance, and Wenger rolled down the window to smile at him.

Ma’el smiled and walked forward, sitting in the front passenger seat, and at the periphery of his vision, he observed the handsome old man driving, feeling a unique sense of wonder.

"I have a proposal."

Wenger smiled while looking ahead, and said, "Last time we signed a new contract at the Emirates Stadium, why not go to Highbury Stadium this time? There are many of our memories there, and I want to show you."

"Sure," Ma’el readily agreed, buckled his seatbelt, and set off with Wenger.

Was this merely a simple trip, a straightforward history lesson of the team?

Wenger drove smoothly, and after more than twenty minutes, they arrived near Highbury Stadium and drove all the way to the stadium’s parking area.

It wasn’t the first time Ma’el had seen this stadium; on the contrary, he almost saw it every week.

It’s about 500 meters in a straight line from the new Emirates Stadium, and the club bus often passes by here on its way to the Emirates Stadium.

"Let’s go."

After parking the car, Wenger waved at Ma’el with a smile, saying, "Let’s go inside and have a look, you haven’t been here before."

Ma’el followed him and quickly entered the stadium, witnessing this stadium that represents Arsenal’s glorious history, first noticing the grass and the stands.

In person, it doesn’t look as desolate as in the photos.

Especially under today’s sunny sky, it gives off a feeling that if the pitch were just restored, it could be used immediately.

But compared to the brand-new and grand Emirates Stadium, this place pales in comparison; it’s like comparing heaven and earth.

Wenger stood beside him, looking up at the stadium, slightly squinting his eyes, as if reminiscing about the past.

"Three Premier League titles."

Ma’el could tell, assisting his memory, "Four FA Cup titles, four Community Shield Cup titles, three Manager of the Year awards, all were won here."

Wenger glanced at him and smiled, "Yes, we really won a lot here.

"You might find it old, but it was beautiful once too. Would you like to see?"

Like an eager child proving something to others, he took out his phone and started searching through the treasured photos in his album.

Ma’el leaned over, and coming here with Wenger, he could feel a weighty presence and became more curious about everything that was once here.

"This one."

"Beautiful, isn’t it? I really like the gaps between the four stands."

While holding the phone to show Ma’el, Wenger pointed around, "On those sides, you could see the sky, on those sides, you could see the residential buildings, haha... people often watched our games from the rooftops back then.

"Those were truly happy days, and thinking back now makes one nostalgic."

Ma’el nodded, seeing the beauty of this open stadium in the photos, unlike the Emirates Stadium which is wrapped from all sides.

Wenger and Ma’el walked around the field for a while, reminiscing before pointing to a place, "Let’s go to my office, it’s over there, the desk and photos are still there."

Ma’el followed him, treating it as a visit to this great team’s historical past.

Upon entering the office, the first thing he saw were several framed photos on the wall, including a team photo from a championship win and a snapshot of Tony Adams and Vieira together.

He could somewhat feel the emotions Wenger had while working here during that time... full of hope, full of vitality.

"There’s also a photo here, secretly taken by Perez, whom you might consider Philip’s predecessor. Unfortunately, he passed away two years ago."

Wenger took a photo frame from beneath the table, and his expression showed slight regret before restoring its usual form.

Ma’el took the frame, seeing a photo of Wenger working here.

In the picture, he was wearing a sky-blue shirt, with the two photos now hanging on the wall behind him to his right; back then, his hair wasn’t fully gray, and although he looked serious, he appeared full of energy.

"Very handsome."

Ma’el sincerely complimented, handing the frame back.

Wenger took it, glanced at it with appreciation, and raised an eyebrow with a smile, "I don’t know why my hand was like that, perhaps I noticed Perez taking the picture and pretended not to know, acting all busy, haha..."

Ma’el laughed alongside him, finding the old professor surprisingly charming at times.

Wenger stepped forward, sat back down in his seat, closed his eyes to savor the moment, and then said, "Actually, I’ve been prepared for this for a while, let’s finalize the signing here, there’s something I want to tell you."

Ma’el nodded in agreement and then asked, "What is it?"

He looked at Wenger’s face, observing the transition from laughter to worry, mixed with hints of embarrassment and fear, "I want to tell you why the team doesn’t have money, and when we will."

He was still afraid he might leave, afraid he might do what Fabregas and Nasri did...

Ma’el guessed the reason, sitting across from Mr. Wenger.

Actually, if you just listen, the later years of Wenger’s coaching career, the struggles after building the new stadium, selling the captain every year, suffering betrayals, being misunderstood by fans, publicly criticized by former players, being made the scapegoat for the upper management, etc.