Honestly prefer that approach to be honest. Would love to see us do something similar within the next 2 seasons, a starting lineup with 4 or 5 players promoted from the academy.
Probably don't have to be from this years academy but we have a lot of players on loan e.g. McAtee, Callum Doyle, that could be drafted in to bolster the squad.I don't think too many are ready to be promoted from the academy for next season, maybe the season after. This is not the best group of EDS players.
Couto or Kabore, although not our academy players, would cost us nothing but are surely good enough to take some of the pressure off the " regular starters " in the domestic cups and some of lower premier league teams.
The worst scenario is that they are proved not good enough at our level but can still be sold on for a decent fee.