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I think like everything its optics. I want us to become better sellers, identify when to sell at peak and use this to bring us forward not sure tonali at 26 will ever be worth more than he is now should we get 90-100m It's been a bad season relatively speaking , we have blown a big load of cash and that gamble has led to the need to sell. Who we would like to sell isnt going to cut it but "needing" to sell a mainstay player from our starting 11 having done so already just doesn't seem a good look really especially with lack of incomings yet despite how early it is in the window.

It's coming from the mail but dont think its from No Hope

I am not against spending a good chunk on something that either works with who we plan to go forward with in midfield (so might not be a like for like Tonali replacement) or spending a good chunk of the money on that new signing. A hot prospect at that sort of fee sounds like a big gamble but as I keep saying the fee may be a load of shite if he was sub 40m you could make a case as it feels like these days 30/40m is the new/old 10/15m punts used to be back in the day its not financially restrictive for a lot of clubs now meaning more competition.

Even if we got 90/100m for Tonali I cannot see us spending that much on a non striker. Might turn out to be a false economy if he's class but my guess is the Tonali fee gets us 2 or maybe even 3 players in. Could of course be either a load of shite or the fee is more modest. It could also mean we return to the young prospects we were rumoured to be looking at in the Jan I think the other one No Hope mentioned was Kevin Danois?

unfortunately I wish I had your confidence the hype may have died down since Jan and from what you are saying hes not continued his form into the second part of the season but "hot prospects" are what many will still be willing to pay a premium for which will drive up the price. You know as soon as we try a 35/40m bid its going to either be loudly declined or advertised as an opening offer looking to attract other interested parties.

They go on to mention a fee of 60m unless that's based on jan window hype would surely be too much for us at that sort of fee.

while the ownership (other than Amanda having her ownership diluted and absorbed) hasn't changed those at the top running the club day to day have. We haven't had a team in place constantly and while you may be of the opinion the owners pick the aims and objectives how we get there and how we operate and what rules we bend and how far we bend them come from our executive team assembled they have all come and gone (the shifting rules and landscape haven't helped and the on field success beyond what likely was expected is a pleasure and a curse at the same time). I guess when new hires come in they put their own spin on things the fact that they have been poor communicators hasn't helped matters new stadium stay or go was a feasibility study with an apparent end date that came and went and stretched on way longer had nothing been communicated it may have been for the better in hindsight knowing that a decision was going to take years. Change in approaches have now happened Silverstone leaving but while here talking about sponsors need to be carefully selected so we don't get locked into poor ones has been thrown out with the message we need commercial growth (something is better than nothing). I guess with these matters they cant win say too much and we show our hands too much, say too little and the void of information gets filled in with the bits and pieces you have to make guesses on.

I suspect based on nothing in particular that we will get more signings than what we imagine beyond the bare minimum but some will be more in there young/limited first team experience/need time to bed/ cheaper players to fill the squad while it may not immediately raise the quality of the first 11 if we can phase them in slowly over the next 12 months it would allow us to spread our budget wider into more key areas. I know squad padding isn't something we want as we want to raise the quality of our first 11 based on last seasons sub par performance I just think if we throw all our money into say 2 big fees and leave nothing for the rest of the squad it will do more harm than good. The downside of this approach is should we get a major first teamer injured you may be relying on someone a little raw and not quite "howe ready" to step up.

yeah sorry I didnt read the part where you said minimum. Willock getting an extension (not sure he would be willing to anyway) would be a mistake in my mind he's not good enough and we need to just cut our losses to get a fee but then again we cant afford a 27 year old walk for nothing.... I agree the lad that went to brighton made sense with Murphy 31 and in his final year (we gave him better terms recently but didn't extend which I found interesting). My comment was more if we had to list key areas and priorities purely based on the fact we have 2 bodies in that area (however bad you believe them to be) and on the assumption of a limited budget this summer it didn't make sense to target RW first when we have other areas with no depth in currently. I also agree with you re CB's not that I am happy about it Botman is yet to prove his long term ability to stay fit I know nothing of our youth prospects waiting in the wings so will assume there are none so come next summer we will be either extending BDB and Schar again or needing 2 CBs in one window which doesn't sound like good planning in the long term.

Likely the rest may depend on other sales willock may trigger a young midfielder coming in possibly. Do find it strange unless purely opportunistic we went for that RW that went to Brighton first. With the contract and age situation of two of the CB I would like someone to come in there too but probably expecting too much. RB/LB cover may sign someone who can do CB too when asked.

Like a glutton for punishment I am in the Eddie has done it before he can do it again camp with a big dollop of cover all bases worry its a step too far for him to stop the rot completely We need to see change this summer and part of that starts with saying bye to a few Eddie may historically have argued to keep. Bringing in new, hungry and keen to develop players who will compliment who we either do get to or have to retain. Fear with 3 or 4 first teamers going its set for another season of ups and downs rather than recapturing the early takeover era spark.

Not really no was a slog of a season then straight into the WC felt like no break in football to miss it. If we can sell some of our shite and bring in enough fresh faces to make it seem we are trying to fix our issues and evolve/adapt/improve then that can change quickly Yup am fickle as fuck

Aye true it can be done its likely not sustainable as a sole approach. I think my point was big clubs dont need to concern themselves with the "punts" they were either not in need of the player or shopping in the market of that player 2 or 3 years further along established and proven and worth considerably more but the fees are less of an issue for other clubs.

The data and resources available to clubs now mean hidden gems are rare you have to bank on "bigger " clubs being stacked in that position or that there are multiple options in the position not just 1 stand out. End of the day the clubs who let you have the player know they have the financials to just get them from you later on when they more expensive yes but now tested in the league/more developed.

I hear you the sales pitch is stronger and easier for them than us. Not saying I know any better or that we definitely not already doing this but we have to act decisive with speed and strong offer from the get go and try and keep leaks to a minimum. Appreciate its easier said than done. Part of the issue last year supposedly was lack of a team meant only 1 deal at a time. We need to be juggling multiple. Unfortunately we have alot of work to do before sales already the fact that we need sales to do it leaves us vulnerable. I dont blame anyone for worrying.