[funkdoctorspock]

Here's the thing though.

Its Stoke. Players wont' flock there and unless Stoke's coaching staff are good, managers aren't going to be keen to send their prized youngsters there for experience.

I had the opportunity to watch Sunday's Match of The Day. A point was brought up which definitely relates to Stoke and for the other newly promoted sides.

If top 4 teams are spending 40+ million a season to win, how much do newly promoted teams have to spend to just stay up?

Teams vying to get into the top four will have to spend as much, if not more. And it trickles down. I'm willing to bet that transfer spending will be up a lot from last year. Part of it will be to player valuation, but a lot will have to do with trying to one up the competition.

Stoke would be wise to get talent from the Championship and abroad. 15 Million won't cut it.