Major signings and departures at Manchester United

Major ins: Anthony Martial, Matteo Darmian, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Morgan Schneiderlin, Sergio Romero, Memphis Depay

Major outs: Angel Di Maria, Radamel Falcao, Tom Cleverley, Nani, Robin van Persie, Jonny Evans, Tyler Blackett, Adnan Januzaj, Javier Hernandez

It all started so well for Louis van Gaal. United rolled back the years to get business done early, landing Memphis Depay at the start of the summer and adding Matteo Darmian, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Morgan Schneiderlin, all of whom have improved their side

Since then, though, it’s been a hot mess. The David De Gea saga rumbled on interminably and while United eventually kept their man, there remains a sense things have been botched... and that’s before you even consider how United were played by Sergio Ramos.

Then there was the Pedro debacle, an error so colossal that no amount of PR spin can restore Ed Woodward’s standing among United fans. To top it all, United suddenly had a fire sale in the final days of the window, letting Adnan Januzaj and Javier Hernandez go despite the obvious need for firepower.

Anthony Martial is a good prospect, but the pricetag is absurd for a player with only a handful of first-team starts to his name. The season is barely a month old and Van Gaal is already on the back foot.