This.
My belief is that he presents a list of players from the wonderful now to potential star and then at that point it's up to Charnely to get the deal done. Llambeezy before him. He sometimes wins when we sign a Cisse, then sometimes we don't when fail to grab Grenier or Lacazette. He's got Ashley's ear when Ashley wants to listen. There were times we got Cabaye done, or Sissoko or MYM. But those days are gone IMO, the manner in which the deal man (Lee or Derek) pissed off so many clubs they simply don't want to the deal.