Considering Manchester United had drawn up a list of 804 right-backs before settling on signing Aaron Wan-Bissaka in the summer of 2019, they would have hoped that the former Crystal Palace man would have justified their selection.
But less than three years on from his arrival at Old Trafford, his future at the club is already in doubt. He has struggled to nail down a starting berth under Ralf Rangnick, starting just six of the German's opening 20 games in charge, and Diogo Dalot has leapfrogged him in the pecking order.
The Portuguese ace has started 13 times under Rangnick and has more often than not been given the nod because he is better going forward than his right-back counterpart. Wan-Bissaka is reasonably solid defensively but struggles to offer United any kind of outlet when venturing into the final third.
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Nowadays, modern-day full-backs are expected to produce the same kind of qualities as wingers - assists and goals. For example, Chelsea ace Reece James and Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold produce far superior numbers in an attacking sense to what Wan-Bissaka does.
It is why strengthening the right-back berth ought to be amongst United's leading priorities this summer, in a transfer window that is expected to give the club a very different look ahead of the start of next season. Wan-Bissaka has failed to justify his £50million transfer fee and has failed to kick-on, whilst Dalot, despite raising his game in recent months, is not the long-term answer.
Considering Dalot has shown glimpses of what he can offer from right-back, even without registering a single assist this season, it is clear that United need to invest in a right-back that is comfortable bombing forward, capable of supplying crosses and boasting a genuine threat at the top end of the pitch out wide. Therefore, they should look no further than trying to lure Inter Milan right-back Denzel Dumfries to Old Trafford.
The Netherlands international, who was exceptional at the European Championship last summer, scoring two goals along the way, offers everything that you could wish for in a modern-day full-back, so much so that he has spent much of this season playing that high up the pitch he has often been deployed as a right-midfielder. In his debut season for Inter, he has scored four goals and grabbed six assists, meaning he has registered just two fewer direct goal contributions this season alone than what Wan-Bissaka has managed in his entire United career.
Dumfries joined Inter last summer after impressing at the Euros and for PSV Eindhoven over a three-year period. He established himself as the best right-back in the Eredivisie during that time and he raised his game on the international stage last summer.
Signed for just €12.5million, it seemed like a bargain-buy at the time and even more so now with the numbers he has produced in his maiden season in Italy. The chances of United signing him for a similarly-modest fee are slim.
As soon as a Premier League club expresses an interest in a player, particularly one of the bigger clubs, the fee immediately increases. But as long as Inter don't get into the realms of demanding silly figures, he is a signing that United ought to seriously consider, as he would be a certain upgrade on their current right-back options and he would provide the threat from right-back they have been longing for.
Furthermore, if Erik ten Hag is to be installed as United's next permanent manager, his knowledge and past experience of watching Dumfries, whilst the latter played in the Netherlands, could be a factor. Although Dumfries never played for Ajax, Ten Hag will have been acutely aware of the qualities that the 25-year-old brings to the table, not least his power and pace.
His time at PSV saw him rack up 36 direct goal contributions in 124 games, which is a terrific return for a right-back. Depending on Inter's demands, United should not need much convincing to turn to him to solve their right-back conundrum after failing with their £50m gamble.
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