Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has been working relentlessly to get a deal over the line for a midfielder.
Mason Mount was his first port of call which seemed to be easy enough at first as the Reds managed to agree personal terms with minimal fuss. What was not anticipated was Chelsea's reluctance to agree a suitable fee for a player they rate highly.
So far United has seen three bids rejected by the Blues for Mount and the Reds are now contemplating pulling out of the deal altogether. Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo is now on United's target list.
It is understood a fee of £80m may be needed to persuade the Seagulls to part ways with their man. While at 21 the Ecuadorian is seen as a player worth spending big on, it may not be viable for United to splash this much cash when there are other areas of the squad which need strengthening too - chief among which is the forward line followed closely by a new first-choice goalkeeper.
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MEN Sport understands United were considering reigniting their interest in Adrien Rabiot but this option has now fallen through thanks to the Frenchman signing a one-year contract extension with Juventus on Tuesday. With options running out, Ten Hag could revert to an option which has been right under his nose this whole time. Marcel Sabitzer.
Until his untimely injury, Sabitzer was one of United's stronger performers in the second half of the campaign. His arrival on loan from Bayern Munich on deadline day added much-needed reinforcement but he was more than just a body to make up the numbers in Christian Eriksen's absence.
His performance in the first leg of the Europa League quarter-final against Sevilla was top-notch and proved he could play the advanced midfield role. Speaking to Premier League Productions via the club's official website in May, the Austrian outlined how versatile he can be.
"I think I can play [as a] six, as an eight, [and] as a ten. I played it here - I started as a six when Casemiro was suspended," he explained. "I had to adapt quickly and I think I did quite well. And yeah, in a few matches I played like an eight, like a ten.
"I try to help the team in the best way I can and I think I did it. So yeah, it's no problem for me. I cannot say 100 per cent [which is my favourite] because I played a lot of positions in my whole career and I cannot say I'm enjoying it the most as the number ten. So it depends on the game."
Clearly, Sabitzer is the right character to have around the club and the fact Bayern were happy to let him leave on loan suggests he would not cost a huge amount to bring on board either.
If Ten Hag is looking for a cost-effective solution to his midfield situation this summer, he would not go far wrong by targeting Sabitzer.
