I know I just flippently plucked it out of thin air and was exaggerated, I think we were rumoured 25m last year anyways.
Problem is the only time we have immediately found a fix in recent times was when we signed Rom. Before and after that we have gone for the cheaper option a little rough around the edges and as such nothing has happened.
So many people fearing EL qualification this year cos we are just "not quite ready", in 12 months time we'll most likely be in the same position with a good-ish striker and it'll be the same concerns. Hard to see another option other than splurging the cash on something certain (albeit not long term) to get us up to that level above we need to be at for European football.
That's where we disagree. I don't believe we will be in the same position with the same concerns. I think we will finish between 5th and 7th next year and qualify for the Europa, provided we sign Zouma and Gomes this summer.
Brands has done an exceptional job so far in refreshing the squad. The players he has brought in are significantly younger (Digne turns 26 in July, as does Gomes; Mina will be 25 in September, Zouma turns 25 in October; Richarlison will be 22 in May and Bernard turns 27 in September. Of the remaining starting eleven, Pickford is only just 25, Keane isn't 27 until next year, Gylfi and Gana both turn 30 in September and Coleman will be 31 in October. Schneiderlin is 30 in November, and DCL is only just 22.
On the bench, Davies is 20. Lookman is 21. OK, Stek (36) and Walcott (30) are both long in the tooth, but Tosun is only 27, and pretty much everyone else is on the way out this summer (Bolasie, Mirallas, Besic, McCarthy, Martina, Niasse, Williams, Ramirez, Tarashaj, Garbutt etc)
Where there ARE age concerns, insofar as age is starting to affect performance (Coleman), we have possible options to come in and split time with the current player: JJK is only 22, as is Holgate.
Almost every player in the starting XI can reasonably be expected to IMPROVE with age over the next 12 to 15 months (with the exceptions of Gylfi and Gana, who are probably at their peaks), so we won't be panicking about replacing a raft of players coming into the twilight of their careers. Compare that to a year ago with Baines, Williams, Jagielka and Rooney in the starting lineup. Or a year or two before that, with Kone and Barry, or Howard, Osman, Pienaar and Hibbert?
My point is, we have almost NOBODY in the starting eleven who needs replacing due to age.
We don't need to panic-buy a "proven" striker right now, because the vast majority of the supporting cast aren't even in their prime yet. They are ALL going to get better next season, including DCL, and we will become more consistent and successful as a consequence.
We can go get a guy who's 23 or 24 and maybe needs a year or two to develop, safe in the knowledge that we can give him a bit of time with continuity around him and allow him to build up an understanding with his wingers, his 10 and his midfield. Alternatively, we can go out and get an older guy to split time with DCL for now, if we believe DCL is going to make it at prem level.
And that's BEFORE we offload Niasse, Tosun, McCarthy, Bolasie, Martina and Ramirez, and reinvest the funds / wages.
