Thats true, I mean these players like Branthwaite and the apparent bid we made for the Italian 17 year old left back are similar to the DCL, Holgate, Stones and suchlike sub £3mil punts.
We should really have been looking at Baines and Colemans ages at full back and bringing through 2 full backs from the u23s or signing a couple of top prospects last summer to compete for a place.
Likewise we could have looked at Schneiderlin, Sigurdsson and Delph and thought a 'Lookman type' fee for Jude Bellingham at Birmingham was worthwhile (as united have done).
In any case, we should be actively looking to add these players in as (like you say) just one or two coming off covers the cost of several transfers.
Instead of say Iwobi coming in I think it would have made more sense to bring in a couple of top rated prospects.
I think there is an argument each way.
For every Galloway and Garbutt there is a Stones, DCL and Holgate. Its about good judgement and pathways.
Take Lewis Gibson that is a situation under a different regime that probably would have seen him leave on a free like Gosling. But after being reassured of a development pathway he has stayed, signed a new deal and hopefully will be an asset - id credit Brands there.
On Baines as i said yesterday to much controversy, we dropped a clanger on Robinson, if we could have done a Lewis Gibson on him, loaned him to Wigan instead of giving 34 year old legend Baines a new deal, it would have been good work - id be critical of Brands there.
I suppose no one is perfect and you cant win them all.
As i have said before i think we are bit sluggish in the domestic market at lower levels, i dont think Brands has the network or domestic contracts yet, the way Steve Walsh arguably had, which in a way is understandable given his career has been largely outside this country. Thats not saying Walsh was brilliant and Brands crap, just an observation, Walsh as we know wasnt great at international signings, were Brands is better. Not that Brands wont develop this and Braithwaite looks a positive step, but its just my take and opinion.