Do you think the lack of a 20 goal striker is due to the club not trying or lack of budget?
We most definitely aren't in the 20 Premier League goal striker category, unless they can go against the entire DNA of the club and produce one through the ranks.
The club needs to have a focal striker - expensive as always.
The club needs to have a secondary striker - already got Maupay couldn't be more perfect.
The club needs a third competent striker - Seemingly not Connolly or Zeqiri but of that ilk.
I answered you first thing the morning.
It feels like too much emphasis has been put into the future without taking care of the here and now.
There's no point planning for long term Premier League top 10 status if one season there aren't 3 teams worse.
Seeing what the squad already has.
Seeing what the squad needs now.
To use your words, I don't think the clubs tries (spends) hard enough and prefers to budget for the future.
If the recruitment team see a striker and the reports back are all 'this is the one', which the rumours would have us believe they do and in fairness to them they are decisions that have merit going forward, then it really needs to take the plunge.