Sorry, but neither your (a) or (b) will allow us to ever challenge the Big Six or Eight or whatever. We currently do both (a) and (b). We're slowly but surely being priced out of the top half of the top table. Rightly or wrongly, the only thing that will reverse that drift is a humungous...
That's the fatal flaw in the club's business model sadly. Say we were to unearth the next Rooney or Messi or Ronaldo. As soon as they hit the first team they're in the shop window and - assuming they're not a one-season-wonder - they'll be ripe for plucking. And the club will be powerless to do...