So why were we pursuing Fekir then and was Shaqiri the backup signing to Fekir?
A lot of factors go into buying a player. (At least they should). A players ability, his preferred role, his adaptability, his potential or real impact on squad chemistry, the other players we already have, and yes, his asking price and wage demands. any one of these can throw off a transfer happening , as can health issues.
Fekir's health ended the deal for us. There are other players who might be good, but who don't fit because one or more of the other factors listed . On here you can look at players in a vacuum - "X is a good player so therefore we MUST sign him" - but a good manager will look at them in context. That is what JĆ¼rgen does.
New signings are like a crack pipe, i get it. Why do I know many details about a 16-year old we've brought in who can't sign a pro contract until April? Because he's new. But if you look at it from the long perspective, signings should supplement development, not the other way around. We've signed plenty, for this window at least, there are other avenues from which to get better.
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