That net spend figure is warped with the sale of Ronaldo, which was not an everyday transfer, but a most extra-ordinary world record transfer.
This.
You spent 17 million on De Gea ffs
Yes, it is not an everyday transfer but you would think that most other clubs without the financial constraints would spend available money where needed. Especially a club that is (normally) competitive in a lot of different competitions which can put pressure on the squad. We could have done with at least one more first team midfielder this season.
Since 2005 Chelsea's net spend is 245mil, City's 426mil and Utd's is 58mil.
Sure, the week we got knocked out of the Champions League, the in-form Carrick was suspended, and Cleverly and Anderson were injured, and Fletcher is still unfit so the squad looks thin in midfield and we play 2 wingers there. How many centre-midfielders should we have on the pay-roll? Is that the best way to run a club, to buy a new player everytime somebody gets injured for 3 months? let's say we bought Goetzhe from Dortmund, then Cleverly, Morrison and Tunicliffe would never get a game, and I don't want that. This club is built on 125 years of local lads getting their chance. It might not be until next season that we see Morrison and Tunicliffe but we should wait rather than spend $20 million now to plug a gap.
Anyone remember 2005? We were terrible and plenty of people were calling for Fergie's head and saying the team needed an overhaul. We went on to win 3 titles in a row and a Champions League in Moscow. In the words of the great Sir Alex Ferguson "you's are all f**kin idiots"