That's an enormous fee for someone so unproven. He better be a top talent.
I'm still confused as to why we couldn't meet the Sancho valuation when we're so free depending on general.
But if this is happening then good luck to this kid.
Maybe with each target we have an idea in mind of what range of fees represent an acceptable degree of potential value/risk and are unwilling to go beyond that range? That would seem a fairly logical way of assessing potential purchases and I'd be surprised if some sort of metrics-based assessment like that doesn't take place in a multi-million pound deal.
So in this case this guy might offer better potential value as he's cheaper and (if he turns out well) has the potential to be sold on for more, or (if he flops) can be sold at less of a loss? Whereas with Sancho you'd be buying at the top end, which means less potential profit and greater potential loss?
In other words it's less about the total amount we have to spend and more about whether each individual deal is deemed to be value in and of itself.