It has been eight years since Louis Van Gaal prepared for his first season in charge at Manchester United.
It's fair to say the Dutchman immediately made his mark at Old Trafford in the summer upon his appointment.
Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra were all allowed to leave. Angel Di Maria, Luke Shaw, Ander Herrera, Marcos Rojo, Daley Blind and Radamel Falco were signed. Van Gaal -ball had officially arrived in Manchester and another era had started.
It was thought it couldn't much be much worse than the season under David Moyes.
But United lost their opening game of the Premier League campaign under Van Gaal against Swansea. Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Tyler Blackett started across the back three. It's also interesting to delve back and look at Van Gaal's team selections at random intervals of his tenure, like when United lost 2-1 to Bournemouth in December 2015, which was followed by defeats to Norwich and Stoke.
On the South Coast, as the hectic festive schedule began, Van Gaal started with Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, Blind, Paddy McNair and Guillermo Varela. Jones also made a late appearance from the bench. It is little wonder that United lost that game. With the benefit of hindsight, Blind is the only player from that bunch that was good enough to be starting a Premier League match for United.
Borthwick-Jackson is now at Burton, McNair at Middlesbrough and Varela at Dynamo Moscow. All three players have enjoyed more than respectable careers, achieving in their own right, but it's fair to conclude they are below what's required at United.
Vidic's and Ferdinand's powers were diminishing in the latter stages of their careers at United, but their exits were still symbolic in the summer of 2014. Both players had been world-class at Old Trafford. Both players won every major trophy possible under Sir Alex Ferguson, with the exception of the FA Cup.
Yet Van Gaal, perhaps understandably, felt it was time to rebuild and Vidic and Ferdinand leaving the club was key in that. The problem was those in power at United didn't realise it would take them seven years to find another world-class centre-back.
After Ferguson retired, mediocrity began to fester at United. The club sunk to depths some thought they would never see and Van Gaal's FA Cup win and Jose Mourinho's success in the League Cup and Europa League have been the only respite from failure.
The recruitment has been poor and United have, until recently, failed in assembling a title-challenging worthy defence. Their £80m spending on Harry Maguire was miscalculated, but their £40m on Raphael Varane certainly wasn't. It has been an absolute masterstroke.
Varane arrived at United with an unrivalled CV after a sensational 10-year spell spent at Real Madrid in which he won four Champions Leagues, three La Liga titles and countless other domestic major honours, without mentioning his World Cup win with France.
He had the potential to be the best centre-back at the club since Vidic and Ferdinand and he's delivering. Varane's unveiling on the opening day of the season was class personified and he's been as equally as impressive when on the pitch.
Varane has been sidelined with injury for longer than United would have wanted, but when he's played, he's been consistently one of the Reds' standout performers. Comfortable and composed when on the ball, outstanding in aerial duels and always difficult to get around. He has looked like the complete defender and he marked West Ham's Michail Antonio with ease last weekend.
Varane is what United have searched for. As mentioned, their recruitment has been deservedly criticised over the last decade, but for the transfer of Varane this summer, they deserve an abundance of praise. They now need more signings like Varane.
The days of Borthwick-Jackson, Blind, McNair and Varela are well in the past.
It might not feel like it this season, but there's a prosperous future within touching distance.
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