Is it just me or is Ashley's fist even tighter than normal this window? We've just sold Mitro for £20m plus, but can't afford to spend off the back of it?
Frustrating isn't it?
I know there are going to be some (well one) that defend it but it's ridiculous.
We have affectively swapped keepers at no cost.
Made a profit on the Mbemba Schar "swap"
profit on the Merino Ki "swap"
profit on Mitro Muto "swap"
Kennedy in for nowt (I appreciate fees are involved)
Also got hot of Haidara and Colback so those wages are gone.
I'm not hung up on what a player costs and whether Ashley makes a profit, made the point on the old 606 that if he "spent £100M on players but sold Ameobi for £101M then I'd be the first to say 'well played sir'" but this feels different.
"made" £25M+ so far if we are assuming Muto is coming.
Again, not fussed that he has made a profit but it does get my goat when he is doing so at the expense of a proper squad and he is again gambling that he has given the manager enough to do his job.
Yes, the squad possibly looks better than it was, the manager has players he actually wants, if not his first choice, and we have shot of players he wasn't going to use anyway.
However it is clear to anyone that we need a number 10 and a proper goalscorer. I'm not writing Muto off before he has even played and we may well get Rondon yet but we have £25M in dealings so far plus money that should have been available to the boss before all that so get a decent striker and or no10.
Ideally we want a DM and full back cover too. Again we seem to have some money and yet seem reluctant to spend it.
How with the money he has made this window and money that should be available to a premier league club we cannot sign the LB we desire as genuine competition/cover. A decent RB, proper DM, proper playmaker and a proven goalscorer?
Even using some of the figures mooted we should be able to get Bryan or Tagliafico £6-8M, Maia (loan) that's 2 positions sorted and £18M left from sales. You also factor in Hayden leaving and you are back up to £25M to sort out the RB cover/competition, number 10 and a proper striker BEFORE Ashley has used any of the money a premier league club should have available.
I will eat humble pie if by the end of this window we have a squad similar to
Dubravka/ Elliot/ Woodman - try to sell Darlow
Yedlin/ A N other who is better than Manquillo
Lascelles, Schar, Clarke + a loan to cover Lejeune
Dummet/ Bryan or Tagliafico
Shelvey/Ki
Diame/Maia
Kennedy/ Atsu or better if Atsu goes
Ritchie and Murphy
Perez and a proper number 10
Muto/ Rondon (or Gayle) and proven goalscorer
If we get that then I'd be over the moon and I don't think I'm being unreasonable to hope for that especially given there could be further sales in the form of Atsu, Darlow and Hayden on top of the money made so far and the money a premier league team should have available.
At the moment though we are a fair amount from that squad in that we don't have the LB, RB, DM, CB cover for Lejeune, no 10 or proven goalscorer.
It's so frustrating that some of those positions can be sorted with little outlay but we are doing things half arsed and gambling again
