Didnt read the thread, but of course players turn us down. Players want to go to huge clubs woth history but clubs that can also win trophies.
Just look at Serie A, nobody would turn down Milan in the late 80s and early 90s, Juventus too all the way through the 90s. Liverpool are a historical club but couldnt attract players as they werent in a good state to win trophies. Even French clubs like Marseille and Monaco were a huge pull as they are big clubs.
Bayern are always in the running for titles, the league doesnt offer huge competition and beyond Dortmund never really has.
There are only are only two clubs that always entice the best even in weaker spells and that is in Spain.
Regarding us, we never really went for huge world signings, we were hampered by the wage structure as well, I remembe rlots of links to playrs like Batisuta, we simply couldnt sign them because of the money in Serie A compared to here.
Veron and it was thi scentruy was the first big foreign signing we ever made and we have been turned down by plenty from then on. Its no surprise we are getting turned down by bigger targets that the biggest clubs are after, especially as we have struggled the last decade.
The only thing that HAS changed in that way for me, we always used to sign the best players in the premiership and young British players.....that hasnt been the case pretty much ever since Fergie retired, that is where we have lost out, Bellingham being an obvious recent example.
What I do find crazy and not sure if its quoted or rumours with DeJong, is when players turn down a clubg because "they arent in the champions league"....such a short sighted reason over one season in my opinion