hypochondriac

That's one off the list. Let's hope for Bournemouth to keep Solanke and Palace to go elsewhere then maybe we will be onto something.

So not the same as selling someone who has already made significant contributions to the first team this season at all then...

Yes but neither of them have been this year yet. Sulemana going will be a blow because unlike some of the others, we have sold our most promising winger who has already had an impact this year.

Not this year he wasn't.

Had Leicester just lost their first choice full back and then sold Castagne, I'd expect them to be slightly more concerned. Our defence was shite last year so us losing anyone at CB shouldn't be a cause for concern (I'd still like to keep kwp though even if it isn't likely.)

We will be losing ABK. He would be nice to have this year but he was always going. Sulemana going will be a blow but only because we've also lost Tella who has actually weakened us this year.

Yep. Doesn't weaken them this season at all. Essentially it's the same as us losing ABK.

I made the post on the assumption that that is what Stephens has done.

By all accounts he's been very accident prone and poor playing for Everton at CB since Ancelotti.

I note that Iwobi is wanted by Fulham. If he goes then you coukd see them trying again for Sulemana on loan.

I'm not sure why that warrants a confused response. The last time Holgate played in the championship it was at rb. If Stephens is out longer term then it's sensible to get someone else rather than playing players out of position.

Assuming ABK leaves in the next few days, I wonder if we will go for a couple of cbs following Stephens and his injury. I'm not sure I'd want to rely on Holgate as a cb longer term (or at least he isn't proven in that position I'd prefer him at rb). Woods, Bednarek and Charles as backup is OK but it'd like another.

According to Wikipedia, he signed a 5 year contract with celta vigo yesterday.

Loads of teams he coukd join before the end of the window: Palace Bournemouth Brentford Fulham

I'd like us to have the best chance possible of going up. That means smart and possibly cheap or free signings, smart loans and investing some cash in the right quality. Statistically that will give us the best shot and luckily I think that is the route we are looking to go down.

Boo.

It's almost always the case that those who spend the most are near the top of the table. There is the odd exception from time to time, but it's not very common.

Where did I say its impossible to do it without? Of course it can be done, it's just much less likely.

I think you missed my earlier post about a loan. In general though, if you want the best championship talent you need to combine loans with a decent amount of money spent. There's no obsession with spending, just that in general, the teams who spend the most tend to be the most successful.

Yep. A total spend of 50 million is entirely reasonable.

Martin has already said we are getting a Tella replacement. If that's the case then we should be spending to make it happen.

I do think there's a number of posters on here who are retroactively justifying the clubs actions. We absolutely should not be looking to spend loads of money, but unless we can get a top quality loan in, I will be disappointed if we haven't spent a decent amount of money for this level on the three key positions of cb, winger and striker (assuming Adams goes.)

I'd rather have him over Adams in the prem.

It's all for naught if we don't effectively replace our attack.

Brilliantly is very premature. The same was said last year and look how that turned out.