Always find a slight element of BS around the idea every signing is a gamble.
Hellander, signed from Seria A, didn't feel like a gamble.
Defoe, didn't feel like a gamble.
McGregor, didn't feel like a gamble.
Jelavic, didn't feel like a gamble
Prso, Boumsong, Ferguson and his return, they didn't feel like gambles, Kamara, Aribo and Goldson didn't feel like a gamble.
Clubs very often sign players and you have a decent enough idea it is going to be a pretty smart move and upgrade a team
Clearly I am not saying this will happen at all, for a second, it is an example reference only, but if by some miracle we were able to take a player like say Jota from Liverpool on loan this window, that wouldn't feel like any kind of gamble, it would seem a really sensible decision.