Buying youth players isn't enough though.
I like Appelt, but where will he be in 5 years? That's the biggest struggle with developing your own players, and Italian clubs don't have a reserve league or B teams.
Did I say it was enough?
Considering Marchisio, Marrone, De Ceglie & Giovinco are former youth players should say a lot.
Appelt, Pogba, Boyake, Buoy, etc...these are all ones with hopes for a bright future and all bought very inexpensively. Marotta is fusing the two together. First team setup without buying at astronomical prices along with future talent through scouting.
It's about time if you ask me. He and Paratici (spelling?) are doing well I think.
Vidal is a world class CM for only 10m, Barzagli was a frickin' revelation, Licht, Caceres, Asa, Isla...basically the most expensive player he has bought for the CURRENT set up is Bonucci and he is obviously a gamble that looks like it might start paying off in the next year or 2. He hasn't gone over the top since Martinez (lol), so I think now with Conte in charge there is a different method to the madness and Marotta is deliving the goods Conte is asking for.
Now, the fact that B81 and others are gearing up to criticize him if he doesn't bring a "top" player isn't fair. It just isn't. How do we know that Agnelli isn't telling him not to spend over a certain amount of the budget on one single player, or Conte isn't crazy about "certain" targets because others are just too expensive? Marotta has put together an undefeated team and that alone deserve a lot of do credit. A top striker that fits our system, has a personality that Conte demands and doesn't carry an inflated price tag isn't as easy as heading down the milk isle in a grocery store.