tbf to Brands though I very much agree on Sangare his club Toulouse issued a very uncompromising hands-off, not for sale warning so any attempt to prise him away would inevitably require a massive overpay and it is clear money is tight given our refusal to meet Lille price on Gabriel & Napoli price on Allan so far.
It is frustrating but given the money wasted by Koeman/Walsh/Allardyce locking in on targets & over-paying (Gylfi, Klaassen, Tosun most egregiously) & Brands repeating that with the last minute panic Iwobi deal (strongly lobbied for by Moshiri) I would rather have the haggling.
Whatever we think of the players Brands did ultimately get Digne, Gomes, Mina for pretty reasonable fees for their profile with his patient refusal to get strong-armed into over-paying so we may just have to grit our teeth, be patient and let it play out.