So time for an attempt at a balanced summary. Based on the squad at the end of last season we have brought 9 players in/back:
Gomes, Lima, Strand Larsen, Mosquera, Guedes, Cundle, Johnstone, Andre, Forbs (assuming his medical is OK).
Committed gross spend for this season inc. other players and youngsters circa £66m (excludes SL obligation, but includes Forbs)
5 have or will be going out:
Kilman, Neto, Bueno, Traore (injured), Sa (v likely as per LL).
Received this season inc. others not mentioned and youngsters circa £108m (Sa factored in at a guess of £10m and Bueno loan fee £1m)
Net profit pre obligation £42m
I'm ignoring kids who were only playing due to professional malpractice or who aren't real first team options now eg played 9 mins of professional football, but are included in the financials
Position split(ish) GK -. CH -, FB-, CM+1, CF +2, WF+1
Priorities at the start of the window (consensus on here). New GK, at least 1 new CH in addition to Mosquera, 1 and hopefully 2 CF's, a wide forward and a larger squad generally. This now goes into subjectivity:
GK - I think Johnstone is a marginal upgrade on Sa, some agree some don't. Time will tell.
FB Although the numbers are flat, we've added to the right and subtracted from the left. Much as Hobbs is making noises about having plenty of options there they are all imo sub optimal and not close stylistically to our first choice who in turn has been ropey defensively in the first 2 league games
CM There seems a general view that we are moving to a 433 formation so the Andre signing makes sense. I think we are missing a bit of variety, but the starting 3 with Doyle as first reserve and Bellegarde and Cundle to back up is pretty decent for where we are at as a club
CF The profile of SL and his performance on Sunday has cause for optimism. Guedes as back up is surprising to say the least. There's a big if, but IF he doesn't act the arse, wants to be here and isn't poison in the dressing room then that's better than I'd have expected. I still struggle to see him behaving if SL stays fit and come November all he's getting is 10 mins from the bench and cup games, but I guess we have to give the benefit of the doubt
WF Neto going was an inevitability, the profile of the players we've brought in is as expected. Both young, both relatively inexperienced, both reasonably priced. I hope they get a proper opportunity and don't end up behind Hwang, Sarabia and Bellegarde, as an injury to Cunha aside, there's only 1 starting place left. The Neto fee itself, before seeing the Mendes cut was decent given his injury history
CH It was widely expected we'd sign a starting calibre one during this window irrespective of the Kilman situation. To have sold him on 6th July and not done so is astounding really. We are left with 4 options all of which have obvious weaknesses and at least 3 of which couldn't play the manager's favoured style, which he's now going to have to compromise. This season and possibly our PL survival will ultimately come down to how effectively we mitigate against that obvious weakness. Dawson will need to play most games for his organisational skills in his age 35 season. I'm trying to be balanced so will avoid hyperbole, but that's an avoidable and potentially damaging situation to have put yourself in. In terms of Kilman himself, the fee we got was very good, he's not a £40m centre half, but him leaving does make us weaker in that area. I certainly don't think Toti is better and Mosquera is still work in progress.
Other thoughts on players.
Hwang has started the season as the offering nothing version of himself. I think we'll regret not taking that £20m as we will giving him the improved contract. The few hundred quid a game we make in ticket sales and club tat isn't going to cover it.
I also thought Sarabia would be off. GON has never seemed to be convinced by him and I'm surprised he'd want to hang around for a few minutes here and there.
In summary we've spent more than I expected we would although receipts are higher too. With the exception of Johnstone none have PL experience a key requirement for the manager and most are more about the future than today. We've spent time trying to do deals such as O'Shea and Ramsdale which were too rich for us, but achievable for promoted clubs and making enquires for the likes of Wissa for the sort of money we'd never pay for a player of that age profile and seem to have spent today scrabbling around for a centre half to no avail. The manager openly saying after a couple of games he's going to have to change the way we play because we haven't signed the profile of player he's looking for is pretty damning, but we actually signed a centre forward, the early signs of which are positive and got maximum value for our big sales. If I were grading it I'd say it's been a C+ window,
