The players we are after, high profile across Europe, not quite superstars but established internationals with CL credentials have multiple options. Our strategy to date has been to out bid competing clubs in terms of the transfer fee and to be competitive (ie in line with market rates with a moderate premium) on wages. Wages are our biggest issue because of STCC. Now the clubs are attracted to selling to us because we are offering more than others. The players on the other hand know (or their agents know to be more accurate) that as the window closure approaches it becomes a sellers market - ie is loaded in favour of the players.
That's the market we are operating in. Until the club becomes attractive in its own right by winning trophies and qualifying for the CL on a regular basis that's going to be an issue. It is perhaps one of the reasons Walsh has been brought in to work his magic in lesser known markets. However for this window this is where we are. We were slightly unlucky in that Witsel so very nearly joined before introducing different demands, and in the case of one other target, the selling club changing its mind.
