The Red Devils reportedly made a shock enquiry about signing Manchester City defender Rayan Ait-Nouri on loan on transfer deadline day in a move that came as a shock to supporters.
Enquiring about a player from the club’s biggest rivals could suggest desperation from United whose summer plans didn’t exactly go to plan.
Manager Michael Carrick tracked down a number of targets which included Arsenal’s Miles Lewis-Skelly who was offered to United as well as Chelsea over the past month but a deal never materialized.
United also chased Barcelona's 22-year-old Alejandro Balde, Ian Maatsen at Aston Villa and Brighton's Ferdi Kadioglu. Carrick then made a move for Newcastle’s Lewis Hall but the Magpies were adamant that they would not sell.
The club have spent £155m this summer on midfielders Carlos Baleba, Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans but failed to add to their defensive ranks which includes a 31 year old Luke Shaw heading into a Champions League campaign.
Shaw's fitness history remains a worry and with a hectic schedule ahead, Carrick understood that his side needed a backup at left back or they would struggle with the workload.
The Red Devils entered the summer with bolstering their midfield as their primary objective which they achieved. However, the defense is still an issue and they will have to wait until January to bring in a Shaw replacement.