Wednesday, August 16, 2023 — Carrington Training Centre — 9:00 AM BST

The Wolves debut was already old news inside the training ground while fans and media still talked about his assist outside the gates, because the coaches had moved on to Tottenham preparation the moment recovery finished yesterday.

Demien noticed the difference immediately since nobody treated him like the hero of the Wolves match. Bruno joked once about the highlight reel before changing into his boots, Rashford gave him a nod across the dressing room, Casemiro stayed calm as usual while Ten Hag offered no special attention beyond what any squad member received.

The system appeared before training began.

「MISSION: TOTTENHAM PREP I」

「Tactical Preparation」

«Complete session»

«3 line-breaking passes in possession drills»

«Escape pressure 3 times without losing ball»

«+10 TP»

«+10 MP if outperform midfield competition»

Training began with possession-to-attack drills where Tottenham’s simulated press was faster plus more aggressive than Wolves’ setup, because the coaches wanted United moving the ball through midfield without panic against Postecoglu’s high-pressing style.

Demien was placed beside Casemiro and Bruno for one phase before being moved into the second group for another, which kept the tension alive since he was closer to the starting structure though not locked into it.

When the first pressing trap closed around him he didn’t panic.

「TRAIT ACTIVATED」

Press Resistant

His body shielded the ball through the contact while his first touch moved it into space, then he released into Eriksen before the second presser arrived.

He escaped pressure that way twice more during the drill, then dropped beside Casemiro to receive on the half-turn when the next phase began.

「LEGENDARY SKILL ACTIVATED」

Andrea Pirlo — Deep-Lying Playmaker

The passing lane opened in his mind so he threaded the ball between two markers into Bruno, and his third line-breaking pass found Rashford’s run forcing the defensive group to turn and recover.

In the final tactical drill Demien competed directly with Eriksen and McTominay for midfield influence, yet he didn’t dominate through flashy tricks because he won by making quicker decisions while creating better angles.

The system confirmed when the session ended.

「PREP COMPLETE」

«Line-breaking passes: 4»

«Press escapes: 3»

«Session completed»

«+10 TP»

«+10 MP (outperformed competition)»

«Balance: 563 TP | 336 SP | 783 MP»

Demien let the panel fade because he’d moved closer, yet Ten Hag still gave no hint about the starting eleven.

Wednesday Afternoon, August 16, 2023 — Manchester-Cheshire Area — 2:00 PM BST

After training plus recovery Demien met Marco with a club-recommended property liaison named Helen who specialized in housing footballers discreetly.

Marco laid out the plan while they climbed into Helen’s car. "Four places today and tomorrow. One central Manchester, one near Hale, one in Alderley Edge, one quieter spot closer to Carrington."

Demien wasn’t excited like a teenager buying luxury because he treated this like another career decision, and his requirements were practical rather than impressive.

Privacy. Security. Short distance to Carrington. Enough space for his mother to visit comfortably. A proper recovery and gym room. No unnecessary attention.

Marco noticed how practical the list was while they drove. "You’ve got money now. No interest in enjoying it a little?"

"I enjoy sleeping properly," Demien said. "And arriving at training without wasting an hour in traffic."

Marco shook his head though he didn’t argue because the logic was sound.

The first property was a luxury city apartment with a beautiful view across Manchester, strong security, easy access to restaurants below, yet Demien rejected it quickly.

"Too much building traffic," he said while walking back toward the lift. "Too many shared spaces. Not enough quiet."

Helen made a note without comment.

The second property was a large modern house built to impress—big gates, glass walls, expensive finishes throughout, a huge entertainment space with a bar that nobody would use.

The liaison clearly expected him to like it based on how she presented each feature.

Demien walked through it while feeling nothing because it looked like a place a footballer bought so other footballers would admire it rather than somewhere a person actually lived.

"No," he said simply.

Marco didn’t argue this time either because he’d watched Demien’s expression stay flat throughout the tour.

This wasn’t rejecting comfort—it was rejecting distraction.

Wednesday Evening, August 16, 2023 — Temporary Apartment — 8:00 PM BST

Demien returned to his apartment before Sophia messaged, then called when he saw her text.

"How was house hunting?" she asked.

"Most places felt like they were built for people who wanted to prove they had money."

Sophia laughed. "That sounds exactly like something you’d hate."

"How’s the company?"

"Long day," Sophia said. "Handled a supplier issue. Had to push back against people who assumed I’d fold because I’m young."

"Sounds like a win."

"Doesn’t feel like one yet," Sophia admitted. "Just feels like surviving."

Demien understood that immediately because the parallel was obvious. "Some wins feel like that at first. The result comes before the feeling catches up."

The conversation stayed warm though restrained—no heavy romance, just two people in different worlds dealing with pressure while trying not to lose themselves inside it.

Before hanging up Sophia asked the question that mattered. "Found a house you actually like?"

"Not yet."

"Don’t choose the place that looks best in photos," Sophia said. "Choose the one where you can breathe."

That line stayed with him after the call ended.

Thursday, August 17, 2023 — Carrington Training Centre — 9:00 AM BST

Thursday’s session was more serious as Tottenham preparation moved into match-specific structure. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

The system activated before training.

「MISSION: TOTTENHAM PREP II」

「Match-Specific Structure」

«Complete tactical session»

«4 defensive recoveries or interceptions»

«Maintain positional discipline in transitions»

«+10 TP»

«+5 SP if manager gives direct instruction»

Ten Hag started Demien in the mixed tactical group before later placing him in the first-team phase for a controlled drill beside Casemiro and Bruno.

This wasn’t confirmation he’d start—it was a test.

Tottenham’s simulated attacking pattern focused on quick wide switches with runners from midfield plus aggressive pressing after losing the ball, so Demien had to balance two roles: helping United progress the ball while protecting space when possession turned over.

He performed well early by recording two interceptions when he read the passing lane before the ball was played.

「LEGENDARY SKILL ACTIVATED」

N’Golo Kanté — Everywhere at Once

His defensive read sharpened when the opposition tried breaking through the inside channel, so he stepped across to cut out the pass before the attacker could receive it.

But midway through the drill Bruno jumped to press, and Demien almost followed too high before catching himself, then dropping back into the lane beside Casemiro.

Ten Hag noticed.

He stopped the drill anyway—not to criticize harshly but to make the lesson clear.