Manchester United stand on the precipice of another major crossroads in their recent history, with the process to hire a new permanent manager well underway.
Football director John Murtough, who will lead the search for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's long-term successor - has admitted that the ultimate target for the new man will not be top-four finishes, instead of aiming at bringing United back their position at the top of the European game.
"We know that consistency is key as we strive for a top-four finish this season," Murtough said. "I want to reiterate however that this is not the ultimate objective for Manchester United, and everyone at the club is focused on challenging for the top trophies.
"We are now conducting a thorough process for the appointment of a new permanent manager who will take charge this summer, with the objective to get us back to challenging for those domestic and European titles."
Whoever does take charge has a daunting task, with an ageing squad - including multiple stars set to be free agents this summer - miles behind their domestic and European rivals. Defeat to Atletico Madrid at Old Trafford on Tuesday confirmed their Champions League humiliation, ensuring that for the fifth season on the spin, they will finish without major honours.
It has been reported that United hope to complete their managerial search by the time the season ends, meaning they are in place for what could be a pivotal transfer window. But there is still some way to go before the new coach is pictured at Carrington with a United scarf aloft.
Along with John Murtough, technical director Darren Fletcher and interim manager Ralf Rangnick will have the final say on their next appointment, hoping for emphatically better results than recently departed chief executive Ed Woodward. But at a club like Manchester United there is always sure to be a string of current and former employees ready to share their opinion.
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The most prominent of those voices remains Sir Alex Ferguson, nine years on from his retirement, but his legacy is still stronger than ever. There has been much discussion over whether the legendary Scottish manager should still have a sway in the corridors of power at Old Trafford despite his own remarkable record in the job.
Rangnick himself stated that United should find a "new pathway", but reports have claimed the 80-year-old has put forward his own recommendation for the top job at the club. ESPN claim that Ferguson has been in contact with new CEO Richard Arnold suggesting that his close friend and current Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti should be under consideration.
The intervention went against Rangnick’s remarks in his opening press conference and also went against his own preferred candidate to replace him at the end of the season. Ajax manager Erik ten Hag is said to be one of the frontrunners, along with Mauricio Pochettino and the Dutchman was described as “one of the top coaches in Europe'' by Rangnick, hinting his decision had already been made.
Whoever does get the job will also be tasked with getting the best out of Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. The 37-year-old reportedly held reservations about the direction under Solskjaer and hasn’t enjoyed the kind of stunning return many had envisioned.
Ronaldo’s United contract is set to run until the summer of 2023, with speculation claiming he will remain at the club, regardless of whether they make the Champions League or not. And while his say won’t be the deciding one, listening to the club’s most iconic player would be a smart move.
And it is believed that his personal choice would be to bring in Spain manager Luis Enrique. Ronaldo knows all too well about Enrique’s talents, having been in LaLiga when the Spaniard guided Barcelona to the treble in 2015.
It remains to be seen in which direction Manchester United will go when it comes to the crunch, but three of the most influential figures at the club have very different ideas about which route they should take.
