Following the recent capture of Mason Mount, Manchester United's focus appears to have shifted toward the signing of a new striker and a new goalkeeper, with Erik ten Hag seemingly intent on strengthening the spine of his time this summer.
With a £50m bid for Atalanta marksman, Rasmus Hojlund believed to be in the works, United are also currently in negotiations with Inter Milan to try and strike a deal for Cameroonian stopper, Andre Onana, having seemingly made an offer of around €50m (£43m) for the 27-year-old.
With doubts remaining over the future of long-serving number one, David De Gea, it would appear that Onana is being lined up to replace the experienced Spaniard in the sticks, having previously worked under Ten Hag at Ajax.
Having been part of the Inter side that reached the Champions League final last season, the 6 foot 3 ace has particularly impressed due to his quality on the ball, having been branded "exceptional" in that regard by Manchester City boss, Pep Guardiola ahead of that European showpiece.
That ball-playing brilliance is evidenced by the fact that the towering gem ranks in the top 11% among his European peers for touches made as a sign of just how comfortable he is in possession, with De Gea, by contrast, ranking in just the bottom 30% in that regard.
The introduction of the Serie A star to Ten Hag's side would then allow the Red Devils to begin to properly play out from the back next term, with club legend Paul Scholes previously stating that De Gea "makes the whole team nervous" when attempting to use his feet.
Onana will, however, need players ahead of him who are also comfortable in possession, hence why the signing of Monaco's Axel Disasi - who is a reported target for the Premier League outfit this summer - could prove to be a perfect fit at the heart of the defence.
How good is Axel Disasi?
The 6 foot 3 centre-back could represent a big upgrade on club captain, Harry Maguire in Ten Hag's defensive ranks, with the latter man having been branded "a walking disaster" by journalist Samuel Luckhurst in recent times, having also been restricted to just eight league starts last term.
The 30-year-old Englishman - who has been linked with a move away from the Theatre of Dreams - has looked rather uncomfortable when attempting to play out of late, notably turning into trouble in the grim Europa League defeat to Sevilla earlier this year.
Disasi, however, should have no such trouble in that regard, with the impressive "hidden gem" - as lauded by talent scout Jacek Kulig - ranking in the top 4% among those in his position in Europe's top five leagues for both progressive passes and progressive carries, showcasing his willingness to initiate attacks from deep.
That is in stark contrast to Maguire's record across the last 365 days, as per FBref, with the former Leicester City man ranking in just the bottom 47% for progressive passes and only in the top 19% for progressive carries, having looked ill-suited at times to a more progressive style of play.
Disasi would also offer a benefit to both Onana and United as a whole due to his ability to sniff out danger, showcased by the fact that the Frenchman ranks in the top 14% for interceptions made, while Maguire ranks in just the top 38% for that same metric.
That would suggest that the signing of the 25-year-old - who has been valued at around €50m (£43m) - could be a perfect solution for Ten Hag ahead of next season, helping to hasten the transition towards a more free-flowing style of play.
[footballfancast]