Finding a striker has not been easy. We started with Jovetic as our main target, but he very soon became uninterested. Next my focus shifted to semi-FM legend Vaclav Kadlec, but unfortunately I don't think he's good enough yet, and I need a striker that can take defenses on by himself in the Champions League. In the midst of this, the World Cup was going on and my best scout (Brazilian, so perfect for this World Cup) spotted a Mexican kid named Erick Torres
Would have been perfect, but Liverpool already had an accepted bid when I learned of him. We acted fast and got to the negotiating table with him, but I was a bit naive and drove a bit of a hard bargain. The terms we offered were acceptable to him, but evidently not as good as Liverpool's. He ended up winning the Best Young Player Award at the World Cup. If ever there was a time to reload, this was probably the time. "El Cubo" would not be coming.
At this point I had my scouts criscrossing the world scouting any striker I hadn't heard of, and also many I have. The next idea was to try and sign Mario Balotelli who is transfer listed. He spent last season on loan at Marseilles helping them get to the Champions League Final. We had an offer accepted, but Balotelli had obscene contract demands and would not even listen to our offer of ~75k/week, which incidentally would have completely shattered our wage scale.
We were getting desperate now, but I still didn't want to sign someone who would be a let down. This player had to be the perfect signing, especially since we would almost certainly be smashing our club record fee of 7m paid 18 months ago for Ljalic.
In the end it came down to two players: The first, 6'8'' Ivorian Lucina Traore. Big, strong, fast, and a good finisher. Very little wrong with his game.
The other, a tiny little Scot who doesn't even have striker listed as a natural position. However, technically and mentally he is a superior player, and also is more than competent as a striker. Wouldn't get to many headers, but is fast and deft, and would really up the style.
Traore's inability to play his teammates into the game was considered decisive (also he's not as good of a dribbler and not as composed). John Fleck would be the new focal point of the Gladbach attack. He would be playing a position he hasn't played for several years.