Chapter 189: Marina Granovskaia vs Jim Solbakken

December 31st—New Year’s Eve and the final day of 1995.

It also marked the last fixture of Manchester City’s calendar year, with an away match against Portsmouth set to close out the season.

But even before a ball was kicked, the noise had already begun.

Following O’Neill’s abrupt exit from the previous press conference, the media wasted no time stirring controversy.

Speculation ran wild. Reporters filled column inches and airtime with half-truths and reckless guesses, fueling the fire around Solskjær’s potential departure and the unrest within the club.

[...O’Neill Opposes Board’s Decision to Sell Solskjær—Clash with Maddox Looms...]

[...City in Crisis? O’Neill at Odds with Club Hierarchy Over Solskjær Sale...]

[...Not My Decision!" — O’Neill Distances Himself from Solskjær Transfer Talks...]

[...Fans Back O’Neill as Solskjær Saga Sparks Rift with City Board...]

Neither Manchester City nor O’Neill gave any response regarding the rumors, and in the pre-match press conference ahead of the Portsmouth game, O’Neill refused to answer any questions related to the Solskjær situation.

PHWEEEE!

The match kicked off at Fratton Park, the home ground of Portsmouth.

In this match, it was Andriy Shevchenko who took center stage early on. With clinical precision, he netted both the first and second goals for Manchester City, silencing the home crowd and giving the visitors a commanding lead.

Then came the third—a beautifully worked team move finished off by David Trezeguet, who slotted it home just before halftime. City were in control, cruising 3–0 at Fratton Park.

But the most emotional moment of the night wasn’t a goal. It came in the second half.

When the fourth official raised his board and the number "20" lit up in red, a wave of noise surged from the away end.

"Oleee... Oleee... Oleee!"

Solskjær jogged onto the pitch, his expression focused, but his eyes betraying a flicker of emotion. He heard them. He always heard them.

And this time, their chants weren’t just admiration—they were pleas.

"Don’t leave!"

"Stay with us, Ole!"

"You’re one of us!"

Then came the bitterness from some corners—

"Traitor!"

"Don’t sell our soul!"

It was a mix of love, heartbreak, and confusion—every kind of emotion echoing from the stands. The supporters were torn. Many adored him, idolized him. Others, stung by rumors of his departure, felt betrayed.

Solskjær didn’t react. Not with gestures or words. But the way he moved, the way he played in those final minutes—it said everything.

O’Neill watched from the touchline, arms crossed.

In the second half, from the moment the whistle blew until the final whistle, Solskjær played exceptionally well—especially in the closing minutes. He scored the fourth goal in the 85th minute and then added his fifth in the 90th!

With this brace, Solskjær officially surpassed Shevchenko to become City’s third-highest goalscorer, even though most of his time on the pitch came as a substitute. He now has 9 goals!

From November to December:

Nine matches. A relentless schedule. Different tactical battles. Some teams tried to outplay them. Others sat deep, frustrated, wasted time, and waited for a lucky moment.

City handled them all—with only one draw. They didn’t just win—they dominated. They controlled matches, adapted to every scenario, and found different ways to break teams down

Some games were dominant, free-flowing performances where City overwhelmed their opponents. Others were hard-fought victories—matches where they had to be patient, grind through resistance, and seize their chances when they came.

No matter the challenge, the result was always the same:

Three points. Another win. Another step closer to promotion.

The message was clear—no one could stop them.

1️⃣ Manchester City – 58 pts | GD: +49

2️⃣ Sunderland – 55 pts | GD: +33

3️⃣ West Brom – 54 pts | GD: +31

4️⃣ Derby County – 51 pts. | GD: +25

5️⃣ Ipswich Town – 49 pts. | GD: +24

49 goals in half a season.

That’s not just impressive—it’s dominant.

Manchester City have played roughly 24 matches and scored 49 goals, averaging approximately 2.04 goals per game.

What’s even more remarkable is that Ronaldo alone has contributed 17 of those goals, proving himself to be a vital force in the team’s attacking firepower. The second-highest scorer is Larsson with 10, followed by Ole Gunnar Solskjær with 9 goals

The moment the match ended, back at Maine Road in the CEO’s office, a steady stream of faxes began arriving.

Marina Granovskaia and Miss Heysen, who had recently stepped in for Richard, immediately started sorting through them.

Whether it was Larsson, Ronaldo, or Solskjær, their recent goal-scoring form had sparked interest from abroad—but Marina, following Richard’s orders and O’Neill’s wishes, rejected all offers for Ronaldo and Larsson, focusing only on the one for Solskjær, who wanted to leave.

Hamburg from Germany and the Italian club Cagliari had submitted bids of £2.5 million and £2.8 million, respectively, for Solskjær.

Unsure of what to do, Marina picked up the phone to call Richard.

"Hmmm," Richard said, falling silent for a moment. "What does Ole say about this?" he asked.

"His agent already mentioned he still wants the deal with Manchester United," Marina replied.

Richard paused at this.

"...How about we sell him to them instead? After all, if we get promoted to the Premier League, we’ll be facing United again anyway."

"..."

On the other end of the line, Richard still paused before finally responding.

"Reject United’s offer," Richard said firmly. "If they really want Solskjær, they’ll need to raise their bid. The gap between £2.8 million and £3 million is too small to matter. Tell them we’ve accepted Cagliari’s offer instead."

The difference in figures was marginal—but this was about more than money. It was United, trying to poach a rising star from City. Let them feel the pressure. And even if the decision seemed biased, few would question it.

Marina hesitated for a moment but then nodded, understanding the delicate game they were about to play.

Sure enough, the moment news broke that City had accepted Cagliari’s offer, Solbakken couldn’t sit still, as Cagliari’s representatives quickly reached out to him.

After all, he had already struck a deal with Martin Edwards, who had personally witnessed Solskjær’s performance firsthand!

Jim Solbakken, Solskjær’s agent, immediately set off for Maine Road after informing the club of his intention to visit the stadium.

"What’s your asking price?" he asked the elegant woman in front of him.

This is how his negotiation tactics worked: make a strong first impression, then take control of the negotiation’s direction. But this time, he ran into a steel wall—the Russian Iron Lady was ready to face him head-on.

"Our asking price? I’ll tell you directly: eight million pounds," Marina said decisively.

"Are you joking?"

"Joking? How many goals has Andy Cole scored this season for the six million pounds United spent on him? Three goals. And how many has Solskjær scored for City this season? nine goals! Do you really think I’m joking?"

"But you can’t compare the First Division with the Premier League!"

"It doesn’t matter. We’ve already defeated two Premier League clubs—QPR and, don’t forget, Blackburn, the previous Premier League champions."

Miss Granovskaia’s reasoning shut down whatever Solbakken was about to say. Deep down, he knew he was also helpless in this matter.

After all, Solskjær was still under a long-term contract with City. If his client’s contract had only a year or two left, perhaps he could have used some underhanded tactics—but he couldn’t take that risk now, not with his client’s long-term future at stake.

"Wait for a moment, I need to make a call," Solbakken said as he rose from his seat.

In the end, no deal was reached.

For now.

The match against Portsmouth marked the end of the year.

For the players, it was a satisfying close to a strong run of form. For the club’s employees—those who worked tirelessly behind the scenes—it wasn’t just the end of the year, but also the moment they could finally celebrate New Year’s with their friends and families.

In the staff lounge at Maine Road, festive music hummed softly in the background as the club’s upper management, coaching staff, kit staff, groundskeepers, and youth coaches gathered for a small year-end celebration. They were also allowed to bring their families.

Due to the Boxing Day fixture on December 26, City hadn’t been able to properly celebrate Christmas. But with no matches scheduled for the next two days, they finally had their chance to relax and enjoy the festivities.

This year, each Manchester City employee received a classic wicker hamper filled with Manchester City-branded scarves and gloves to help them face the cold, rainy Manchester winter, along with a year-end bonus equivalent to one week’s salary in recognition of their dedication throughout the year.

For a club still climbing back to its rightful place in English football, the gesture wasn’t lavish—but it was heartfelt. And as the staff headed home to their families, hampers under their arms and scarves around their necks, they knew they were appreciated.

On the other situation, Richard stayed in the United States while his family held their traditional New Year’s party.

His absence left everyone deeply disappointed. In a heartfelt attempt to bring him home, the family came up with a plan—sending little Jessica Rowling to persuade him over the phone.

"Brotherrr," Jessica said with a tiny pout he could practically hear through the line, "Why aren’t you coming? Mom says we’re supposed to be together for New Year’s and Christmas!"

Richard sighed helplessly. How could she understand that her brother was fighting to secure one billion dollars to go into his account?!

After coaxing little Jessica a little bit, Richard chuckled and gently said, "Jessica, can you pass the phone to your mom? I want to ask her something... please?"

Obediently, Jessica handed the phone over to her mother—Miss Joanne Rowling—as Richard prepared to ask about the progress of her latest manuscript.

"A little bit of editing and it’s done," Joanne replied.

To be honest, her Harry Potter manuscript had been ready for some time, but she was still hesitant. She wanted to review it once more, to make sure everything was perfect before moving forward.

"Whenever you’re ready, I’m sure it will be amazing."

Joanne chuckled. "Thanks. And by the way, I hope you can make it home soon—for more than just calls. Your mother and father are very disappointed with your absence."

Richard also regretted it deeply. But thanks to this year, even though he wasn’t there, there was still Harry and his sister-in-law, Miss J.K. Rowling and her daughter, and the people in the Wilmington Square Garden apartment—so at least this New Year wasn’t lonely.

After reassuring his mother and exchanging quick hellos with his father, brother, and sister-in-law, Richard hung up the phone and let out a deep sigh.

The Netscape IPO was already underway but had been slightly delayed due to some technical issues caused by NCSA.

Without wasting a moment, Richard grabbed his phone and called Adam Lewis.

"Alright, let’s schedule it for tomorrow," he said decisively.