I'd get rid of Rodwell (if there was interest) for £15m and use the money to buy a playmaker. We have two all round defenders in Gibson and Fellaini, and next season i expect Barkley to be at a stage where he will be used more regularly, even if it's only as a back up.
Take away £10m for the cost of a good creative midfielder and that leaves you with £5m plus whatever we get for Bily (£5m ??). I would try and use that to get a good striker.
Move Coleman to RB, and continue to give Duffy appearances in the first team. Give Distin a 1 year contract extension while Shane gets to grips with being a first 11 player. You then have three relatively young defenders in Coleman, Baines, and Duffy, with Heitinga on the bench and Jags leading the back line.
This is obviously Football manager mode talking and most people would go mad at the thought of selling Rodwell when he's only 20 and for any less than £20m, but i honestly think the money we would get would allow the team to be improved far more than if he was playing for us regularly. We're at the point where the team is living season by season, we can't bank on Rodwell becoming a top top player in 3 years, because it may be too late.
Depressing isn't it ?
(Of course this is in a world where the board aren't a bunch of tits who steal all the transfer money)
Realistically i'd sign Pienaar back, he's the best we'll get for the £5m or so we will have to spend. I would also try and get Donovan to stay, but i just don't see us being able to afford the transfer fee at all.
