Chapter 801: Record-Breaking! Blockbuster Transfer! Outrageous Factions! Goodbye, Henry! The Biggest Win in History!

Following Manchester City’s unexpected upset, losing 1-0 away to Everton, Arsenal’s lead at the top of the table extended to seven points.

This sent shockwaves throughout the United Kingdom!

Could it be that Arsenal, title-less for so many years, was finally rising again?

The morning after the match, major newspapers across the United Kingdom scrambled to report on this round of the Premier League. They analyzed Arsenal’s current favorable position, and the general consensus regarding the Gunners was quite optimistic.

Nineteen wins, two draws, and two losses earned them 59 points—the second-best record in Premier League history at this stage.

It was second only to the 2005-06 season under Mourinho’s Chelsea.

Back then, the Blue Army boasted 20 wins, two draws, and one loss, amassing 62 points.

Manchester United’s best historical record for the first 23 rounds of the Premier League was in the 2006-07 season, with 18 wins, three draws, and two losses, totaling 57 points.

Even during Arsenal’s “Invincibles” 2003-04 season, their record after the first 23 rounds was 16 wins and seven draws, totaling 55 points.

Therefore, no matter how one looked at it, the Gunners’ performance so far this season had been nothing short of stunning.

And Wang Shuo was Arsenal’s most important superstar!

Earlier in the season, when Wang Shuo had just joined, many people—not just in the United Kingdom but across Europe—questioned whether he could adapt to the Premier League. Some even claimed he would meet his Waterloo in England.

But after 23 rounds, everyone had to admit that he had not only adapted and integrated but had also become the best-performing player in the Premier League. He had practically dragged Arsenal to their current standing single-handedly.

In the 23 rounds played so far this season, how many matches had Wang Shuo saved Arsenal from trailing or drawing purely through his individual brilliance?

And in how many matches had Wang Shuo’s goals broken the deadlock on the pitch?

The Guardian Newspaper published an article the very next day declaring: “Wang Shuo secures Signing of the Season in advance!”

This authoritative outlet argued that although Wang Shuo’s transfer fee was exorbitant and Arsenal’s investment immense, based on his performance this season, it was all entirely worth it.

“Wang Shuo has brought the Gunners back to the center stage of the Premier League!”

However, Arsenal still had many issues.

For instance, the performance of backup striker Chamak was truly unsatisfactory, and Henry, having joined mid-season, had not met expected standards either.

Left-back Kieran Gibbs excelled in the attack, but his defense was unreliable.

Then there were the center-backs.

Koscielny’s performances fluctuated; he lacked consistency.

Vermaelen played well enough but was too prone to injuries.

The only reassuring presence was Subotic.

“And this player only joined Arsenal because of Wang Shuo’s strong recommendation!”

The Guardian Newspaper concluded that Arsenal’s current situation was a mixed bag—the prospects were bright, but numerous problems remained.

More importantly, on the very night after the 23rd round of the Premier League—January 31st—the Liverpool Echo revealed that Arsenal had withdrawn their bid for Everton left-back Leighton Baines.

The reason? The two sides couldn’t agree on a price!

Wang Shuo arrived at the Colney Training Base precisely at 8:00 AM as usual.

As he walked into the training building and passed by Sad Fossett’s office, he happened to overhear Wenger talking with Fossett inside.

“For the foreseeable future, no matter what, keep a close eye on Wang Shuo’s physical condition and report back to me at all times!”

Wenger sounded incredibly nervous and concerned as he spoke.

“Also, pay close attention to Hazard, De Bruyne, Walcott, Subotic, Alexandre Song, and the others. We cannot afford another severe injury.”

Hearing this, Wang Shuo’s heart skipped a beat.

After finishing his instructions, Wenger spotted Wang Shuo. He immediately stepped out and ushered him into the manager’s office.

“Sad Fossett just reported that Wilshere has reinjured himself during recovery training.”

“Is it serious?” Wang Shuo frowned slightly.

“It’s a stress fracture. It’s hard to say right now, but it’s possible he won’t be able to play for the rest of the season.”

Wenger sighed heavily. “Our medical team and specialists will reassess his injury over the next two weeks. We really can’t say for sure right now.”

Wilshere’s situation was quite dire.

He had originally injured his right ankle—a hairline fracture—at the beginning of the season. They thought it wasn’t a big deal and that he would recover after a short period of rest.

But by September, the injury worsened, forcing him to undergo surgery.

Even with the surgery, it wasn’t supposed to be a major issue. According to the initial plan, he should have been ready to play by February.

Previously, the injury reports Wang Shuo had seen indicated that his recovery was going well.

After Christmas, he began recovery training, and progress had been steady.

Wang Shuo saw him every day and knew how the kid was doing.

With the addition of players like Matuidi, Arteta, De Bruyne, and Pogba this season, coupled with the fact that Aaron Ramsey also played the same position, the competition among Arsenal’s midfielders was incredibly fierce.

As the season progressed and Wilshere got injured, Matuidi and Arteta—both instant impact players—had basically locked down their spots. That went without saying.

De Bruyne was now practically at the level of a regular starter, Pogba served as a backup, and Aaron Ramsey was part of the rotation.

The team was playing well, the players were performing brilliantly, and the young talents were showcasing impressive ability.

This had inadvertently placed immense pressure on Wilshere.

Since he started playing football, Wang Shuo had gained some understanding of these medical terms.