My point wasn't that we should have bought those players, not at all.
My point was that those clubs all scouted players well within their financial reach, where deals could be done, the players themselves were keen on the move, and they performed to the level expected of them. None of which are seemingly the case for the Damiao deal. You've also got to ask yourself, can you think of any other transfer saga as long-winded and farcical as this one? It must be four or five transfer windows now, same deal every time. Any other club would've had the sense to move on by now.
Interesting you bring up Le Fondre. If we had a striker who could score 10 goals in 25 appearances, 15 of those off the bench, we'd be creaming ourselves over him. I'd bet even more so if he was called Il Fondrinho.
How about a player called Let's Fondle?