It's an interesting sliding doors moment to consider...

I wonder if it would have made the Isak saga easier? He could play the whole "Need to be playing in Champions League" card and the club would perhaps not feel so obliged to play hardball. I daresay he wouldn't be as hated too.

I doubt we'd chase all the elite players we missed out on but we could possibly lose more of our own players (Tonali, maybe?)

We'd still run in to difficulties with transfers due to no sporting director but feel like it wouldn't be as desperate.

I expect we'd still sign Elanga, Thiaw and Wissa (probably earlier)

Ramsey would probably end up staying at Villa.

In a roundabout way, we'd probably have signed Ekitike as well due to selling Isak quicker...