awooga83
Historically, our best signings have largely been hand me downs. Bergkamp, Henry, Vieira, Cesc, Sanchez, Ozil etc.
So that's a strategy that works but it's obviously not one we can rely on - so we do need to take more risks in trying to find players who could step up to becoming world class, i.e. more Pepe's and Saliba's. The problem nowadays is that the big clubs are all going straight to the source whether that be in Brazil or France, so you no longer get world class talent still playing at a Dutch club at 21.
I don't envy the transfer teams as it's such a minefield.
I had a look across the board and the failure to sign players in key positions was a consistent theme across Europe.
Barcelona needed a striker - they bought Gabriel Jesus.
Real Madrid still need a midfield dictator (not the Mbappe kind) after they lost out on Rodri. They signed no alternative.
Man Utd couldn't prize Lewis Hall from Newcastle. They signed no alternative, so Luke Shaw is now entering his 14th (?) season.
Liverpool needed a defensive midfielder to break transitions and some solid defenders. They didn't sign a midfielder and brought in Ronald Araujo who was rubbish last season. Jacquet looks decent but is still young. Their fullbacks are still the same and Gravenberch is not a DM.
Man City sold their only backup to Haaland and didn't sign a replacement.
Chelsea sold Enzo and Cucurella and didn't replace them.
It's a pattern across the board that clubs are likely to not address all the issues as the market doesn't have a big enough pool of viable talent to pick from.
