If there is one underlying positive to take from Manchester United's pre-season progress under Erik ten Hag, then that is 'trust.'
United took somewhat of an educated risk with the appointment of Ten Hag back in April, given his sizeable success was limited to Dutch football, and his managerial accolades were often met with the caveat of the stage on which they were achieved.
Time will tell if Ten Hag really is a success at Old Trafford, but one thing is for sure: he will only be able to do that if he is backed by the club.
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So far, the signs are promising. The Dutchman was allowed to bring in Tyrell Malacia, Christian Eriksen and Lisandro Martinez while the club is still pursuing a move for Frenkie de Jong on the manager's recommendation.
Ten Hag has also been backed by his handling of the Cristiano Ronaldo saga and has restored authority to the managerial role with his no-nonsense and disciplined approach.
This faith in the new manager, blind or not, needs to remain in place for the rest of the summer at least, and it could come in handy as he looks to reinforce his forward line with at least one new recruit before deadline day.
United are in the market for a versatile forward to add an extra threat to their attack and are also keen on signing a younger centre-forward to help offset the loss of Edinson Cavani and the over-reliance on Ronaldo.
In an ideal world, both positions would be strengthened, though this summer has already proven that things are far from straightforward in the prolonged De Jong pursuit, Jurrien Timber's doubts about a move and Ajax's hefty price-tag for Antony.
Very few transfers are as straightforward as they appear to be in video games, but this summer, United have one that does appear to be rather easy to pull off.
Hakim Ziyech is available for transfer, and reports suggest Chelsea are only asking for £8million if anyone wants to take him off their hands.
Of course, there is a reason why the asking price is so low. Ziyech has been restricted to just 29 league starts in his two full seasons at Stamford Bridge and is way down the pecking order after struggling to find his best form at the club. The Moroccan rose to stardom with 49 goals and 80 assists during four years at Ajax, but has only managed 14 goals and 10 assists in his time at Chelsea.
Ziyech, 29, has acted as further proof of the caution needed when signing a player from the Dutch top-flight, but he has shown enough glimpses of raw ability to suggest that he could still offer something for United next season.
Part of the reason why he struggled was because he came to a new league where he had to earn the trust of the manager and the backing of the fans. He would at least know what was expected of him under Ten Hag if he were to make the move to Old Trafford.
Another issue was the transfer fee. Ziyech has not performed anywhere near what was expected of him after signing for €40million two years ago, but if he were to arrive at United for a fee of £8m then the expectations would be far lower on him to deliver the goods.
It is also worth noting that the forward left Ajax for England in the same summer that Van de Beek did, and the duo both struggled to settle into their new lifestyles amid a global pandemic that restricted socialising, saw a limited pre-season and was ahead of a debut campaign with packed fixtures and little time to adjust to their new side's style of play.
Ziyech has been making up for lost time ever since he moved to Chelsea, and after two stagnant seasons, it seems best for both him and the club if he is allowed to move on this summer.
He might not be the same sizzling sensation he was billed to be when he moved to the Premier League, but with United only in need of a back-up option this summer, he doesn't need to be either.
A low transfer fee and low expectations could both work in his favour, and a possible reunion with the manager who got the best out of him at Ajax seems like a sensible shot at redemption.
United have already shown their faith in Ten Hag this summer, and if he wants to move for Ziyech, then they need to trust him again.
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