No, you're right. We've got a limited window in which we can keep our best players such as Bruno and Botman and add to the first team with players of a similar or better quality during which we've got to make progress to show them they were right to come here.

For what it's worth, I think we will. For starters, we've already attracted that quality of player because they can see what we're trying to do and that's not going to change. And, as we bring in that calibre of player in more and more positions, we'll start to be more of a consistent threat at the top of the table.

We are, as you say, a long way behind the very top clubs and if, say, Real Madrid set their heart on Bruno and flexed their muscles, I think he'd go. But, window by window, we're going to close the gap a little bit more. The owners have stated what their plans for the club are, they've got the money to do it (eventually) and they're going to provide Eddie Howe with the tools to do the job.

And therein lies the only slight potential fly in the ointment. i think Howe is a very loyal manager to his players and won't want to disrupt the 'group' too much. Unfortunately, the 'group' is stacked with a lot of players who need to move on and i think the owners will want to get quite a bit of business done in the Summer.

Be an nteresting Summer, that's for sure.