We have placed ourselves in really difficult situations with our players on the basis that we need to pay them loads or someone else might come and bid for them.
McCarthy and Mirallas were given bumper pay packets because Spurs were rumoured to be interested. Garbutt was given a ridiculous contract due to the fear that he may get better elsewhere. Pickford is now on 90k a week to fend off non-existent interest in him.
If a player is doing well and attracting interest from other clubs, then we should actually wait for a bid from them before we start offering the world to fend off non-existent bids.
Putting Pickford on 90k a week is going to prove a major headache. Mainly because we will be stuck with him for years to come, but also because I think he would throw his dummy out and become very petulant should he be benched in favour of a far cheaper and much less dodgy superior goalkeeper.