Nine years on from Sir Alex Ferugson 's retirement and Manchester United face yet another huge summer.
This time though, the Red Devils have more work to do than ever. After they hope to pip Arsenal to Champions League qualification by finishing fourth in the Premier League, the Old Trafford hierarchy must appoint a new manager to replace interim boss Ralf Rangnick and lead United in their next era.
And then, with the help of Rangnick in a consultancy role with the club, newly-appointed chief executive Richard Arnold must start to deliver on his promise and navigate a seismic summer transfer window alongside football director John Murtough and technical director Darren Fletcher. Succeeding in all of those tasks will no-doubt be a tough ask, but one the self-proclaimed biggest club in the world should relish, as they bid to begin their ascent back to the top of world football.
But who'll be their next manager? Who will they sign? It's all undecided, as the March international break commences after a weekend of FA Cup action which United weren't a part of. With those biggest questions burning away at Old Trafford, here's Mirror Football 's blueprint the Red Devils' big rebuild.
New manager
There's only one place to start: the dugout. For four months now, United have known they'll need a new manager by June 1, having sacked club legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is November - but there's been no decision made yet. Mauricio Pochettino was the early frontrunner, with his work at Tottenham Hotspur his primary plus point. Then international coaches, Roberto Mancini and Luis Enrique came on the radar, before the chaos at Chelsea thrust Thomas Tuchel onto the shortlist.
But according to recent reports, Rangnick's preferred choice - other than himself - is Ajax 's Erik ten Hag. The 52-year-old's route to the elite category of coaches has been one under the Red Devils's radar, perhaps symptomatic of their current predicament. Spells with Go Ahead Eagles, Bayern Munich 's reserves and Utrecht lead him to Amsterdam and he's not looked back since.
Two Eredivisie titles and a Champions League semi-final later, Ten Hag has become the face of one of Europe's most famous clubs, maintaining Ajax's status as a ball-dominant, forward-thinking team with dedication to trusting young players. Sound familiar? Following their exit from this season's Champions League and the controversy that led to director of football Marc Overmars quitting, all signs point to a one-way flight from the Dutch capital to Manchester.
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Certainly an appointment for the longer term, Ten Hag would be tasked with implementing his contemporary philosophy on a group of players who look lost - not unlike the brief Rangnick was given in December. If he's given the tools and time to do so though, Ten Hag would stand much more of a chance than the acclaimed Germain coach. But more importantly, United can't afford to miss out on what many believe to be the next truly great manager, just as they let Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp pass them by.
Outgoings
As anyone who's watched the Red Devils for more than a half of football lately, a new boss won't solve anything without the squad being shaken up. And before anyone can be signed, United need to sanction some exits. First up is the club's record signing Paul Pogba , who looks almost certain to be seeing out his contract and ending his second spell with the club after failing to win a major trophy.
Similarly, fellow academy graduate Jesse Lingard's 22-year association with the Red Devils is set to come to an end on a similarly sour note to pal Pogba's. Edinson Cavani 's time is also up, with his deal expiring on the same date. Joining the trio is fourth-choice goalkeeper Lee Grant and loyal servant Juan Mata , who will undoubtedly be warmly remembered for his contributions on and off the pitch.
Then comes those who could be axed from their current deals, with a whole host in danger of the chop. Starting from the back, Dean Henderson's hopes of becoming England's No.1 are a pipe dream if he remains back-up to David de Gea, surely prompting a summer move. The fit-again Phil Jones would still benefit from a fresh start, having been close to joining Bordeaux in the January transfer window and Eric Bailly is another who looks set for pastures new, linked with a reunion with Jose Mourinho at Roma.
Then comes Axel Tuanzebe , who looks in dire need of a change of scenery amid what looks like a failed loan move to Napoli. And while Victor Lindelof and his fellow defenders - barring Raphael Varane - are often criticised by supporters, it's hard to imagine more of a clearout at the back.
It also remains to be seen whether or not Brandon Williams and Donny van de Beek's respective loan moves to Norwich City and Everton will see them in demand. Ten Hag's arrival would surely be a boost for Van de Beek, who emerged as a star under the Dutch coach. Speaking of midfielders, Nemanja Matic's experience - albeit superb - seems to be the only thing keeping him around, while Andreas Pereira wants to return to Brazil on a permanent basis after enjoying a decent time with homeland giants Flamengo.
Anthony Martial is another who would surely prefer to stay away unless a new manager was bold enough to give him a go, having failed to deliver on his £36million price tag after an electric start to life at Old Trafford. So, with all those potential outgoings leaving the squad light in almost every department, the Red Devils will once again delve into the transfer market in search of salvation.
New signings
For all the doom and gloom of the above, this is where it gets exciting. Like any manager charged with rebuilding a big club, Ten Hag will need a transfer kitty and top-level scouting team behind him. Only the former has been true in recent years, but with Rangnick's eye for a player and the directing duo of Murtough and Fletcher having another year under their belt's, there's a glimmer of hope that recruitment will be improved this time around.
Right-back is an area in need of an upgrade, with neither Aaron Wan-Bissaka or Diogo Dalot convincing during their respective Old Trafford careers. Ten Hag could link up with out-of-contract Ajax ace Noussair Mazraoui, but he looks set for Barcelona or Bayern Munich and as a result, Brighton's Tariq Lamptey has emerged as many supporters' pick.
Eagerly awaiting a first senior England call-up, the 21-year-old has established himself as one of the Premier League's brightest defensive talents since ending his 12-year association with Chelsea in January 2020. While injury derailed his first full season on the south coast, the right-back has been on form this term and shown his attacking prowess in Graham Potter's fluid, easy-on-the-eye system.
Lamptey is certainly playing the type of football United fans want to see, often playing a wing-back role which showcases his forward thinking, as demonstrated by 1.35 key passes per-game in the Premier League. While there is room for improvement defensively like even some of the best full-backs on the planet, the Chelsea product would be a savvy signing.
Adding to a core of young English talents, Declan Rice is widely regarded as the ideal fit for the Red Devils' most problematic position - defensive midfield. Although his game at West Ham has developed beyond simply screening the back line, the England stalwart is nothing short of a midfield colossus and already possesses the demeanour of a future Three Lions captain on and off the pitch.
Dominant and determined, Rice's days at the London Stadium look to be coming to an end, with David Moyes' side slipping away from Champions League contention in spite of their terrific Europa League run. Although it would take more than £100million to prise him away, Chelsea's financial issues and the fact Manchester City's transfer priorities are elsewhere mean that it's time for United to strike - not to mention Rice loves playing at the Theatre of Dreams
"I think every time I come to Old Trafford, I've always said it's one of my favourite places to play," he told Sky Sports after West Ham's 1-0 loss there in January. "It's an amazing stadium and you're playing against top opposition. The history of this stadium, you always want to do well and you always want to play well when you come here."
It's not only in a defensive sense the Red Devils need to improve their midfield, but going forward too. With the likes of Pogba, Mata and Lingard all heading out, even the return of loanees Van de Beek and James Garner would leave them light in the centre of the park. As Ajax's Ryan Gravenberch appears to have snubbed a move in favour of joining Bayern, Ten Hag could call on Rangnick for advice and bring in RB Leipzig dynamo Amadou Haidara .
The Mali international looks ready for the step up to the Premier League and has already been signed by United's interim manager twice, when he was the sporting director of Red Bull's football setup. Rangy and with an eye for goal, 24-year-old Haidara would be ideal alongside Rice in the big games and put simply, link up to be a better version of Scott McTominay and Fred.
Finally, the Red Devils are in desperate need of a new striker. While Erling Haaland would be a dream pick-up and Harry Kane is a more than proven marksman, it would take serious cash to take either of them from their clubs, especially when they'll be jostling for a place with Ronaldo - so long as he stays too.
With the future and present in mind, United would do well to turn to Portugal, where a number of their bitter rivals' star players made their names before moving to England. While Liverpool boast two of Porto's best exports, Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota, Manchester City have shown that Benfica is a goldmine for elite-level talents. Boasting four of their products, the next on the conveyor belt is Darwin Nunez , who looks destined for a move to Europe's top-five divisions this summer.
The Uruguayan has scored 20 league goals this campaign - more than Ronaldo, Rashford, Cavani and Martial combined - and boasts a goals-per-game ratio standing at almost double the rate of United's No.7. Not only that, but Nunez can engineer opportunities for others from his central position, with an average 1.4 chances created per-90 minutes and 1.9 dribbles.
Ten Hag knows all about the 22-year-old's qualities too, having scored the winning goal to dump Ajax out of the Champions League at the round-of-16. Still in the bracket of one for the future, the Red Devils can't waste time in finding Ronaldo's successor - or even an upgrade.
Conclusively, United's recruitment in recent years has been starkly under par, ending up with the most expensive squad ever assembled without a single medal to boast about. The reset button has already been pushed after Solskjaer's departure, but will the new direction be any better? Or could they even avoid going 10 years without a league title by winning one next time out? We'll just have to wait and see.
