There was competition for Ndombele. We got it done. Betis and Fulham want 20-30M over the Transfermarkt valuations. There is no one else offering the amounts the clubs are asking. Same goes for Fernandez - worth 50 odd M Euros, Sporting want 75M. Had either or all of Fulham, Real Betis or Sporting agreed to reasonable valuations, the deals would have been done. Further, ITK suggests GLC has already been agreed several times only for the goal posts to be moved.
There are consequences to paying over the odds. Buy Lo Celso for 88M and you have to pay him like he is an 88M player. He just isn't. Looks dynamic, great feet, a nose for goal and great vision. He has a long way to go though.
It is also worth noting that Lo Celso and Sessegnon only just returned from international duty and, if info is correct, Sessegnon is still recovering from a hamstring injury. So I am unsure what getting them in here last week would have done to speed things up 3-4 months. Sessegnon, once recovered, will be fine as he played in the PL last season. Lo Celso, Ndombele and Fernandez will all take time, as is always the case (Moura took 3 months to get his feet under him).
We did get Clarke done (he looks to be kicking on),along with Solberg, Etete, so it's not like we have done nothing.
It is never just about one person. Harry wanted Defoe, Keane and Crouch after we had let them go because they no longer met Spurs needs. Would have been cheaper to sign any and all of Suarez, Dzecko and Falcao. They have a list, with valuations and they go down the list and will not pay over the valuations (on transfer fee and or wages). It has been the same every year. The whole "it's just Levy" thing is nonsense. He does, however, make certain that we stick to the list and not let panic or emotions force us down paths we cannot manage. Few could do the job he does. To suggest that the scouts and coaches and DOF's (in the past) have no input is just not true.
United's Turnover was 590M GBP in 2017/2018. Ours was 381 (Everton, one of our comparables with Villa when Levy came in is 200M behind us). United can buy their way out of mistakes. City and Chelsea use Monopoly money. Mistakes, especially on wages, are far more costly to us. Critical to Pompey, Birmingham and so many more. We have been creeping slowly closer to Arsenal and Liverpool. Finish ahead of Arsenal again and have them again out of the CL and they will be feeling the pinch.
Will I be disappointed if Lo Celso and or Fernadez and Sessegnon don't join Ndombele? Absolutely. Still 2 and a half days to go. Levy has been here before. He will come through, if reason prevails.
I think its the constant media "putting it out there" that does everyones head in.Honestly,before may,I had never really heard of lo celso,fernandes,this napoli right back whatever he is called,and probably if every paper,sky,twitteratti,ITK wasnt giving it the big un,we would would all be a lot saner.
I myself dont care about line ups,who we buy,tactics (all with in reason OFC),I cant control it consequently I dont let it do my nut in.But plenty do.Having seen Parrott,Skipp and Tanganga look part of it pre-season,I do question why we love "the one of our owns" but are so beguiled as to wanting to go buy players from foreign leagues,who will take time,be hit and miss and not trust what we have coming through.There is a balance,and the standard of those 3 has to fill us with hope?and yet all the shouting is about signing,not signing players we never really cared a jot about 2 month ago.
Regardless,having no Poch pre-season,these lads wont fully feature until the autumn anyway even if signed,Ndombele looks shagged out already,he`s clearly not used to the physical demand Poch places on players,the fitness our coaches demand isnt something accomplished in 4 weeks to be their satisfaction.Honestly if we got sessegnon,that makes most sense to me,and if eriksen goes,so be it even without a replacement.Buying a chancey £60m player is mostly a placebo for the fans,almost every signing midfield or attacking has taken time to integrate,be that Son,moura,sissoko.
Basically,I think what we have now,is what we`ll get come aug,sept,oct even if we throw another £100m at 2 signings.We need to accept what we have as a 25 man squad,and look upwards.What else can we do,moan,call levy names,call poch a puppet,slag off aurier,foyth,kwp,eriksen??,cos that really helps.
