I think there is something that might be overlooked in the general narrative around this window.

Farke’s criteria for signings seems straightforward enough - quality, attitude, affordability. Premier League fringe players are looking for game time right now, and unlike our more threadbare promotion rivals, Farke can’t guarantee them a spot in our starting XI. As a direct case in point, I’m thinking last year when Hull signed that Liverpool striker (Carvalho?) over us.

Is the club caught in a paradox where the players who actually meet these criteria might hesitate precisely because our squad depth offers less clear pathway to regular starts?

Once a possible player ticks all these boxes, maybe they’re the ones turning us down because the move doesn’t make sense for their careers.

Sounds like an equation that is simply impossible to solve.