'What if...': All-star Manchester United XI linked but not signed in the Solskjaer era

But, as Rayan Cherki joins Manchester City for £34m, Manchester United supporters can be forgiven for feeling a touch envious, as the French maestro was on their wishlist as long ago as 2019, when he was a raw 15-year-old.

And Cherki is not the only top European talent who was not pinned down to sign for the Old Trafford side.

Then manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was an outspoken advocate of adding youth to his teams - and explicitly singled out Cherki as a prospect for the future. Having managed Erling Haaland at Molde, where he cut his managerial teeth, he also knew that striker would go on to be a generational talent. Again, United missed out.

Here’s a very decent first 11 - also including England talisman Jude Bellingham - of players that United were linked to in the Solskjaer era. It may be a bit short of width, but there’s talent running through every position. United fans are entitled to look at the line-up and think: “What if.....”