£75.15m before performance related add-ons
Cavani
Telles
Van De Beek
Diallo
Pellistri
Bit of optimism perhaps?
Great post and I wholeheartedly agree with you. People keep banging on that we haven't improved the first 11 and we should have signed a CB and a defensive midfielder. Also a right winger. Here is my 2 cent worth:
1. CB, who did people want us to sign here? Honestly, who is or was available that is better that what we already have? Nathan Ake? That 30 year old that Napoli want 80m for? There was nobody better than what we currently have that was available as far as I know, unless someone can tell me otherwise?
2. Defensive midfielder. We have Matic, Pogba, Fred, DVB for two positions. More than adequate as far as I am concerned. Perhaps we could have sold Pogba and bought Partey, that would have been a good move in my view.
3. Right winger, 100% agree that ready made player was needed, ideally that would have been Sancho but once Dortmund insisted on an inflated pre covid price we should have walked away. Anybody who doesnt understand this should look at barca and Madrid's spending this window. Also as a stark illustration of the economic meltdown that is currently underway and to which many on here seem to be oblivious to for reasons unknown to me, there is a shipping port in Turkey which is currently booming as they are dismantling most of the luxury cruise ships from around Europe which are now being turned into scrap metal, cruise ships having been empty for the last 6 months and for how long more is anybody's guess. I know I am rambling a bit but the Glazers were 100% right not to spend 120m Eur at this point in time on the guy who misses training as he has 'sleeping issues'.
So what should we have done instead? Bale, Perisic or Costa were all available and I blame Ole for not signing any of them, Perisic or Costa would have been ideal for 12 month loan. Cavani is a gamble but at least it's only a 12 month contract and not 4 years.
Overall, the squad has been much improved in my view, January window is just around the corner and if Ole cant manage at least 80 points with this squad then he needs to go.