Manchester United have acted decisively ever since Erik ten Hag stepped into the dugout and they will have to be even more cutthroat when continuing their rebuild in the forthcoming summer window.
Sanctioning nine signings in his maiden season, albeit some on loan, the main priority for United was to solve long-standing concerns in the engine room. However, with that and the impending search for a prolific striker, there are lingering issues that Ten Hag must step in to address.
Casemiro and his impact on United following a move from Real Madrid has been astounding. England captain Harry Kane would no doubt contribute similarly in attacking quarters should Ten Hag and key figures up in the boardroom do the unthinkable and tempt Daniel Levy into selling up.
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Adding such quality in two key areas over back-to-back summers would represent fantastic business for Ten Hag and - throwing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer signing Raphael Varane into the mix - United would then possess a spine that most if not every other Premier League manager would envy. However, a limp defeat to Newcastle at a raucous St. James' Park on Sunday afternoon threw up added red flags.
Casemiro was, once again, consigned to the stands as he continues to serve a four-match domestic ban and, while his worth is evident whenever he pulls on the United shirt, his importance is magnified further when he is not inked in on their team sheet due to on-field misdemeanours.
Whenever the Brazil powerhouse has been absent - or even before his arrival - United have experimented in their midfield selection. However, as yet, they have been unable to conjure up a formula which enables them to make do without, arguably, their most important player.
Of course, most sides in the Premier League would be weakened in such an instance, but the trouble for Ten Hag is that he has no specialist cover. Scott McTominay, Fred, Marcel Sabitzer, Bruno Fernandes and even the absent Donny van de Beek are more comfortable going forward - while Christian Eriksen thrives with freedom presented to him by Casemiro when operating as a deep-lying playmaker.
United are understood to be pressing forward with plans for a new striker - with Kane top of the list - as well as a dynamic midfielder to complement Casemiro in the longer-term, and quite possibly another right-back to raise question marks over Diogo Dalot and/or Aaron Wan-Bissaka and their future.
Kane and one more major signing will take up a significant amount of the budget, naturally, but Ten Hag also needs to be flexible to address concerns with squad depth - and that might be where one or two high-profile outgoings help by generating bonus funds.
United stutter without Casemiro and need a solid defensive midfielder who is able to step-in for him and allow the other players mentioned to thrive further up the field. Back-up for Kane, too, becomes equally important if Anthony Martial moves on and Wout Weghorst heads back to Burnley.
Ten Hag appears to have his main priorities right for when the market reopens. However, the Dutchman must ensure he distributes his budget evenly to ensure that United are not found wanting when undroppables find themselves injured or suspended.
Allowing certain fringe players to leave is well and good, but there has to be a contingency.
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