Even Arsenal that do not usually spend big offered to buy Suarez for £40,000,001.Manchester City already invested close to £M100, Chelsea already spent too, so also Tottenham. For the money we already spent, if they are quality no problem.Why we seems to be cautious of the 'financial fair play rules' others do not seem to care that much. Do we have the money to spend or we are being prudent?.
from the things I have read it seems there is money for transfers about and even money for large wages but the management is most concerned with making sure the highest paid players are the highest impact players and in general the philosophy is to pay less wages initially but reward success. based on this I think we are not a club who would use large wages to lure players in the first place, though we would be willing to pay the same large wages after they have proven themselves and extended their contract.
We've strengthened the squad and spent nothing, so far so good but we are still short of getting at least fourth.
I think we have money to spend, but the owners need convincing that we are spending it wisely. Can't blame them after they came in new to English football, and got screwed over by "that summer". Seems that we're willing to make big offers for players (Micky Ryan & Costa) but aren't going to be held to ransom and aren't just going to bring players in for the sake of it.
Have we strengthened the squad? Reina, Carroll, Downing, Spearing and Shelvey among others all have left. Mignolet is a straight swap, Toure replaces Carra, Alberto could be an upgrade on Shelvey and Aspas could be an upgrade on Carroll, so we're a Downing down. I know it doesn't work like that but our management claims our squad is thin and so far we've only thinned it out more? I do think there's money available, but only to be spent at the right price.. Now it's a case of finding some one for the right price.
That's one way but another is. We swapped first team keeper for 1st team (Mignolet / Reina) 1st team defender for 1st team (Carragher / Toure) back up/occasional midfielder for same (Shelvey / Alberto) Back up/not needed forward for 1st team (Carroll / Aspas) Which leaves Downing who was first team but we know should have been back up and apparently looking to replace him according to BR (potentially Willian). If that was to go through then we'd have the same in/out in terms of numbers, but would have replaced back up for 1st team which is strengthening
We're still after two more signings irrespective of who leaves; one will be a wide forward (Downing's replacement) and another is the LB (probably a loan deal if possible). So that's one up overall. We've also promoted Ibe as another forward option. Given we're not in Europe so haven't got as many games, I think expecting more than 2-3 new players further to what we have is unrealistic. We've replaced unused players, crap players or those who don't fit the style with better, cheaper, more suited and younger ones. That's a good summer window so far.
I think we have a bit but not a lot. 40-50 mill in a window as opposed to 60-80 of those above us. I'm semi happy atm. Pleased we're not getting Costa though as a good friend of mine says he's a cart horse! They keep avoiding the big cost in the stadium though which worries me.
I agree with B4F I wish we had a brand new stadium like the emirates or the city of Manchester stadium . I'm sure we could fill 60k
How are we going to fund it? Paying for the Emirates is a major cause of Arsenal's toothlessness in the transfer market over the last few years- City are filthy rich and fluked the Etihad anyway. Also, City's ground doesn't hold much more than ours anyway.
IT's not about filling a 60K stadium. Nobody doubts that we could do that. It is about the cost of building a new stadium and the effect that it would have upon the club's ability to service that cost and develop the squad that has always been the problem. John Henry wrote last year that financially the price per extra seat did not make sense and that the re-furb option made much more sense. It has been the Council and its processes that have slowed any movement here.
All the top clubs have 60+. Until we do that by any means, be it a refurb and extension, we will stay behind. Unless you get bankrolled every year which we don't.
