Leicester are the exception in recent years but all it takes is a Vardy leaving and a bad summer of recruitment to set a club like them back from fighting for 4th/5th to 9th/10th
Fair point, but when was the last time Leics had a year of bad recruitment? For me, they're the realistic gold standard of where we
should be right now: Europa leagues regulars(ish) who are not typically a million miles from Top 4.
They get Madison for £20m, we get Gyifi for £45m. They get Fofana for £20m, we get Keane for £30m. They get Tielmens, we get Gbamin. They get Daka, we get Rondon. And a dozen more examples. You make a solid point here, but if Leics can get their recruitment spot on year after year, there's no way we should be so bad at it.
We've definitely missed the boat on "doing a Leicester" that's for sure.