For the fifth time since Sir Alex Ferguson hung up his hairdryer and furiously chewed his gum into the sunset, Manchester United are on the lookout for a permanent manager.
Little more needs to be said about the reigns of David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, other than that they all failed to deliver the kind of sustained success Old Trafford bosses desire.
The end of this campaign will likely mark five years without winning a trophy, with the Europa League in 2017 their last major honour.
Ralf Rangnick's tenure as interim boss looks almost certain to conclude at the end of the season, at which point he will help with the transition of the new long-term manager.
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The process to hire the next head coach has begun in earnest, with Football Director John Murtough and Technical Director Darren Fletcher looking to right the wrongs that have contributed to a decade of relative mediocrity.
With that in mind, Mirror Football takes a look at the state of play with around three months until the end of the season and what could conceivably be, the start of a new United era.
Mauricio Pochettino
The former Tottenham boss has long been the favourite for the vacant role at Manchester United and appears to be right at the top of the list for the club's decision-makers.
Having impressed with both Southampton and Spurs in the Premier League, Pochettino is a proven commodity - even if his list of honours isn't quite as it should be.
Currently, under contract with Paris Saint-Germain, it is likely that any move back to England would only come if he were to leave the French giants.
Despite cantering the Ligue 1 title, the Argentine has yet to win over everybody at the Parc des Princes, with Zinedine Zidane a reported replacement should he leave.
At the end of last year, reports in L'Equipe claimed that PSG sporting director Leonardo held an emergency meeting with Pochettino to ascertain where his mindset lay on the eve of a Champions League clash with neighbours Man City.
Leonardo has recently suggested that the manager has no intention of leaving, which may force United to reshuffle their shortlist in the coming months.
Erik ten Hag
Having built an Ajax side considered as major players in the Champions League, Ten Hag has become one of the most sought after coaches in the game.
Now into his fourth full year in charge at Ajax, the 52-year-old has already won two Eredivisie titles and two Dutch cups.
Ten Hag was said to have been a strong contender for the Spurs boss last summer, with reports that a language barrier held back that appointment.
In a bid for history to not repeat itself, Mail Sport claims that the Dutchman is already taking English lessons with his heart set on a move to United.
Ajax bosses are said to be growing increasingly resigned to the fact that should United make a move, they would struggle to stand his way.
Luis Enrique
John Murtough confirmed that a track record of winning trophies was needed to take on the role and few have a better recent history than current Spain boss Enrique.
The 51-year-old guided Barcelona to an historic treble in 2015, a year where he was recognised as the FIFA World Coach of the Year.
Enrique’s reputation for playing attractive, successful football is a tantalising prospect for the United boardroom, as well as his ability to deal with the game’s biggest stars.
The main hurdle United would need to overcome is the fact that Enrique has no intention of leaving his post with Spain until their World Cup campaign is concluded at the end of this year.
He may be worth the wait, however, with reports claiming Cristiano Ronaldo has selected him as his preferred candidate, having seen first-hand evidence of his credentials during his time in La Liga.
Carlo Ancelotti
Although not currently a 'leading candidate', The Times report that United could turn to Ancelotti, should they fail to lure any of their top targets to Old Trafford.
Currently, with Real Madrid, Ancelotti ticks a lot of boxes when it comes to what United are looking for, with a long resume of success at the top of the European game.
ESPN claim that Sir Alex has personally recommended Ancelotti to new CEO Richard Arnold, having been asked for his advice on the club's next appointment.
It's likely a hire that would go down well with Ronaldo as well, having previously said he would like to work with the Italian again. With the iconic forward considering his future, whether that will become a factor, remains to be seen.
