Lewis Holtby was a player thrust upon AVB by committee. That's something you should both know and acknowledge. In fact, had AVB been able to sign who he really wanted (as we all know, Moutinho at that time, Willian during this past summer) then I'll wager that Holtby might not have been bought or might well be getting sold right now anyway.
I absolutely, 100% understand why we would not necessarily keep him when we have Eriksen, Sigurdsson, Dembele, Sandro, Paulinho, Lennon, Townsend and Bentaleb all in there. In fact, I'd say the only reason Carroll wasn't recalled is because Sherwood has not been able to make the room. And frankly? I'd rather Carroll than Lewis.
Love Holtby's attitude and all that, but he has not shown me enough. In fact, far from being a VdV wannabe, he struck me as the modern Steffen Freund with a better shot.
I think you would have to admit that selling Lewis Holtby in this window could not, by ANY description, be called 'vandalising the foundations of what we've been building'…tell you what, you can even throw the potential sale of Capoue in there and it wouldn't make that statement any closer to the truth. Paulinho, Soldado? If those two were sold, then I'd see your gripe, but seriously my friend, selling Lewis Holtby will not make a difference to us (IMO)...