Chapter 809: Nassim Boujellab’s Departure

Unfortunately, transfer windows were not always sunshine and flowers. No, bad news also came so quickly, storming into the team like they owned everything.

The first bad news came a few days later, when Higo had just woken up from his comfortable sleep. He felt like his phone was buzzing, and after narrowing his eyes to get a better look at who was calling him so early in the morning, the boy was taken aback when he saw the name there.

"Nassim? How are you doing? I haven’t seen you in the training session at all!" He greeted the man on the other side of the call enthusiastically.

Yeah, the man who had just called him was Nassim Boujellab, the talented Moroccan winger who had been a great addition to the team during the lockdown period last season. Somehow, Higo forgot about his lack of presence in the training session, but now that the boy called, he could feel that something was wrong here.

"...Nassim? You okay?" Higo asked cautiously, especially when all the answer that he received was a series of heavy breaths.

"Yes, I am okay, Ryusuke, thanks. I was just back from a little run outside." Higo finally could hear the man’s voice, which sent relief upon him immediately.

"Good, God... You scared the shit out of me for a moment, Nassim." Higo laughed a little. "Still, what is going on? I haven’t heard anything about you from the others, as if you have just disappeared out of thin air. Is there something going on at your home? Do you need my help?" He offered genuinely.

Besides Fabian and Morita, Nassim was probably the closest person to Higo on the team. Those four all climbed from the second team, fighting tooth and nail to ensure that they got a spot in the main team.

While Higo didn’t know about the others, at least, this journey was enough for him to consider those three his closest friends here, and that was why the boy didn’t hesitate to offer help here.

Nassim didn’t answer immediately, and while Higo didn’t know what bothered his friend, he still didn’t say anything, letting the Moroccan boy take his time slowly.

In the end, another long sigh escaped, and Nassim finally said in a solemn tone, "Ryusuke... I will not be with the team next year."

"Um?!" Higo widened his eyes, taken aback by this sudden news. "What do you mean not being with the team?!" He asked immediately, feeling like his brain had short-circuited in just a second.

"It is exactly what I said... I will move to the other team next season." Nassim’s tone was heavy, as if he had just delivered the news that Higo’s mother had just died. "Eintracht Frankfurt offers me a good deal, and my family is also there... You know that my sister is ill, and my parents are old already. Someone has to take care of home, and this is my chance to repay my debttoward them. I cannot miss it, you know?"

At the end, Higo could hear his friend choking, as if the man was holding back his cry. The boy himself couldn’t utter anything right now, feeling like his stomach had just fallen out of nowhere.

He didn’t know Nassim that well, but at least Higo had heard that his little sister had a serious illness affecting the immune system that prevented her from acting like a normal teenager. Frankfurt was also the city with the largest Moroccan community in this country, and Nassim had told him so many times in the past that it would be a good idea if he could play there.

"I... Am so happy for you, Nassim." Higo laughed a little, trying to hide the heaviness in his tone. "That is everything that you hope for, right? Damn! You are going to be close with your family, and Frankfurt is also a competitive team playing in the European League! Show some mercy when you face me in the future, okay?"

"...Hah! As if you need one! If anything, it should be me who said that!" Nassim laughed as well, but this time, a little sob escaped through the call. "Anyway, I am just here to say goodbye! You might not know this, but you are the closest friend I have on the team! I am so grateful to have a chance to fight alongside you, and I hope that you will be bigger and better in the future!"

Higo couldn’t help it right now. He was weeping like a little child, snorts escaping from his nose as he wiped the tears from his face. "Hah! You too, Nassim! You are a crazy bastard, I tell you that! Good luck in the future!"

Honestly, this was the first time Higo experienced a separation from his close friend in professional football. Well... He and Hakodate Nishi could be considered one, but it wasn’t as emotional as this.

However, the news wasn’t the worst one of the day.

No, a few hours later, before the training session began, Frohling gathered all the players for a quick meeting. Higo was still preoccupied with his call with Nassim earlier in the morning, so he didn’t pay attention, but the atmosphere was quite somber inside the locker room.

It seemed that the head coach was here to bring more bad news for the team.

"Well, it is settled already." The man let out a deep sigh. "Our boy Nassim will be transferred to Eintracht Frankfurt for 1.1 million Euros. Not only him, though, but this morning, Liverpool has just sent their official offer to Ozan Kabak, and the boy is determined to accept it. We will lose two more of our main players, so get ready for a difficult season, okay?"

BOOM!

This came out of nowhere; Higo could even feel his jaw drop out of shock. Not just him, but the rest of the players were in the same boat, as no one expected the Turkish defender would leave them like this.

Still, if there was one thing for sure, they all knew that the head coach was right here.

’Fuck! Just when I am so excited about two new vets, all of our main players are gone already?! This is going to be a hellish season, for Fuck’s sake!’