Chapter 390: Chapter 63: The Red Devils
The prompter displayed the script: "Hi, I’m Demien Walter, and I’m delighted to have joined Manchester United."
Simple. Direct. Multiple takes to get clean delivery without stumbling over words.
Take one felt stiff and Sarah asked him to relax his shoulders and smile more naturally, and take two was better but his hand gesture looked awkward, and take three finally captured the right combination of professionalism and genuine enthusiasm.
"Perfect," Sarah confirmed. "That’s the one we’ll use."
Longer sit-down interview followed and James conducted it from off-camera while Tom filmed Demien’s responses, and the questions were standard new signing material designed to produce clean soundbites for multiple platforms.
"How does it feel to sign for Manchester United?"
Demien’s answer came after a brief pause to collect his thoughts. "It’s an incredible feeling. Manchester United is one of the biggest clubs in the world with such a rich history and passionate supporters. To be part of that now is something I’m very proud of and excited about."
"What convinced you to join United?"
"The conversation with Erik ten Hag was really important," Demien said, and he kept his tone even and professional. "He has a clear vision for how he wants the team to play and where I fit into that system. The opportunity to develop under him and contribute to this project was something I couldn’t turn down."
"What can fans expect from you?"
"Hard work and commitment every time I wear this shirt. I like to get forward and contribute goals from midfield but I’ll also work defensively and do whatever the team needs. I’m here to help Manchester United win and compete for trophies."
"What are your goals for the season?"
"Personally, to establish myself in this team and keep improving every day. For the team, we want to compete for trophies and qualify for the Champions League. Those are the standards at Manchester United and everyone here is committed to achieving that."
The interview wrapped after twenty-five minutes and James confirmed they had sufficient content for the announcement rollout, and at three fifteen Erik ten Hag arrived in his training gear and greeted Demien with a firm handshake before they moved to the final photoshoot together.
The images were professional and staged—handshake with both looking at camera, both holding the United shirt together with Demien’s name visible, tactical discussion over a clipboard while standing beside a tactics board—and the dynamic between them felt natural despite the manufactured setting because Ten Hag’s presence commanded respect without requiring performance.
"See you tomorrow morning," Ten Hag said when the photos finished. "Nine AM at Carrington. We train at ten. Don’t be late."
Direct. Clear. No excess words.
The communications team confirmed all media duties were complete by three forty-five and the announcement would go live at four PM sharp, and Demien changed back into his street clothes while Sarah uploaded content to United’s servers and James prepared the social media rollout.
4:00 PM BST — Announcement Goes Live
Manchester United’s official Twitter account posted at exactly four PM and Demien watched it happen from the media suite where the team had a monitor displaying their feed.
@ManUtd:
Welcome to Manchester United, @DemienWalter9! 🔴 #MUFC
The video played automatically—slick production with Demien’s face morphing into the United kit, highlights from Atalanta matches and England performances cut together with dramatic music, ending with him holding up the number fourteen shirt at Old Trafford while the caption appeared: WALTER | #14.
Engagement numbers climbed immediately. One thousand likes in the first minute. Five thousand by minute two. Comments flooding in faster than the feed could display them.
Instagram post followed seconds later with a carousel of official photos—Demien in kit looking at camera, action pose mid-strike, portrait with Old Trafford behind him, handshake with Ten Hag—and the caption read: "Welcome to the Theatre of Dreams, Demien Walter. 🔴⚫ #MUFC"
United’s website published simultaneously with the full announcement article: "OFFICIAL: MANCHESTER UNITED SIGN DEMIEN WALTER" and the text included contract details, interview excerpts, stats graphics showing his Atalanta and England performances, and a photo gallery from today’s media session.
Sky Sports News broke the story within thirty seconds.
Breaking News Banner: "OFFICIAL: MANCHESTER UNITED COMPLETE SIGNING OF DEMIEN WALTER"
Kaveh Solhekol appeared on screen at the news desk and his voice carried the measured delivery that major transfer announcements required. "Manchester United have confirmed the signing of nineteen-year-old midfielder Demien Walter from Atalanta. The deal is worth sixty-two million euros and the England international has signed a five-year contract."
The broadcast cut to footage from Old Trafford before returning to Kaveh.
"Walter passed his medical at Carrington this morning and completed media duties this afternoon. He’ll join up with the squad tomorrow ahead of their pre-season tour to the United States which begins Wednesday. Erik ten Hag has moved quickly to strengthen his midfield after signing Mason Mount from Chelsea earlier this summer."
Social media reaction exploded across multiple platforms and Demien watched it unfold on his phone while sitting in the media suite.
Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano):
🚨 OFFICIAL! Demien Walter joins Manchester United from Atalanta. €62m deal, five-year contract. Medical completed this morning, announcement NOW. Here we go confirmed. ✅🔴 #MUFC
Thirty-seven thousand likes in three minutes.
David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein):
OFFICIAL: Demien Walter is a Manchester United player. Medical passed, contract signed, number 14 shirt. Starts training tomorrow at Carrington before joining pre-season tour. #MUFC
Gary Neville (@GNev2):
Welcome to Manchester United @DemienWalter9! Exciting signing for the club. Young midfielder with quality on the ball and an eye for goal. Exactly what we needed. Looking forward to seeing him develop under Erik. 🔴
Rio Ferdinand (@rioferdy5):
OFFICIAL! @DemienWalter9 welcome to the biggest club in the world mate! Watched you at the euros qualifiers and you’ve got special quality. Can’t wait to see you at Old Trafford doing your thing! Big season ahead! 💪🔴 #MUFC
Paul Scholes (via Sky Sports interview):
"It’s a good signing. He’s got proper quality in midfield—can create, can score, works hard defensively. Reminds me of players who could do everything in the middle of the park. If he adapts quickly to the Premier League, United have got themselves a very good player for the next decade."
Jamie Carragher (@Carra23):
Fair play to United, they’ve beaten Liverpool and Chelsea to a top young talent. Walter’s technically very good and has the mentality for the big stage based on what I saw against North Macedonia. Will be interesting to see how ten Hag uses him.
Roy Keane (via Sky Sports):
"He’s got talent, no question. Scored goals for Atalanta, did well for England. But Manchester United is a different animal entirely. The pressure, the expectations, the scrutiny—it’s relentless. Let’s see if he’s got the character to handle it because talent alone won’t be enough."
Fan Account (@UtdFaithfuls):
IT’S OFFICIAL! DEMIEN WALTER IS A RED! 🔴⚪⚫ Number 14 shirt! Five-year deal! Medical passed! Joins training tomorrow! THE REBUILD CONTINUES! Welcome to the Theatre of Dreams! #MUFC #WalterIsRed
Fan Account (@UnitedStandMUFC):
Finally official! Watched the announcement video five times already. Walter looks quality. Humble in the interview, says all the right things, ready to work. Ten Hag’s building something special here. Can’t wait for the season! #MUFC
Italian Football (@SerieANewsEN):
OFFICIAL: Demien Walter leaves Atalanta for Manchester United. €62m transfer. Just 18 Serie A appearances but made massive impact. Gasperini loses another talented player to Premier League. Buona fortuna, Demien!
Atalanta BC (@Atalanta_BC):
Grazie e buona fortuna, @DemienWalter9! 💙🖤 Thank you for your contribution to Atalanta and best wishes for your future at Manchester United. Once Nerazzurro, always Nerazzurro. 🙏
Demien set his phone face-down because more was coming faster than he could read and dwelling on reactions wouldn’t change tomorrow.
Personal messages mattered more.
Sophia: You look good in red. Proud of you. Call me tonight.
Isabella: Mi hijo. Manchester United. Your father would be so proud. Te amo.
Luca: Official now. Go show them.
Marco: Done. Medical cleared, media finished, announcement live. Tomorrow the real work starts. Rest tonight.
Marco appeared in the hotel room twenty minutes later with a folder.
"Training schedule," he said, and handed it over. "Nine AM tomorrow at Carrington sharp. Ten Hag doesn’t do late."
"I know."
"Good." Marco moved toward the door and stopped. "You did well today. Medical clean, media professional. Now it’s about football."
He left and Demien sat on the bed looking at the schedule—nine AM arrival, meet squad, train at ten, tactical session after—and through the window the River Irwell moved while Manchester prepared for evening.
Blue text appeared one final time.
「TRANSFER COMPLETE」
「Status: Official Manchester United Player」
「Squad Integration: Begins July 11, 2023」
「Jersey Number: 14」
「Next Objective: Training Session Day 1 — Meet Squad」
He ordered room service at seven—grilled salmon with vegetables and rice because proper nutrition mattered before his first training session—and he ate while watching television without really processing what was on because his mind was already moving toward tomorrow.
Nine AM arrival. Meet the squad. Train at ten. Show Ten Hag he’d made the right choice.
Sleep came easier than expected when he finally tried at ten PM and dreams were minimal and fragmented without narrative weight, and when the alarm went at seven the next morning his first thought was that today he’d train with Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford and Casemiro.
The real work was about to begin.
