Manchester United chiefs acted quickly and decisively on deadline day morning to sign Bayern Munich midfielder Marcel Sabitzer.

United activated an 'emergency protocol' to sign Sabitzer on loan after Christian Eriksen was ruled out for at least three months with an ankle injury, says ESPN.

United's football director John Murtough, deputy football director Andy O'Boyle, director of data science Dominic Jordan and head of recruitment operations Steve Brown were all involved in the acquisition of Sabitzer on deadline day.

The report states that the club's chief executive, Richard Arnold, made it clear that Erik ten Hag would be restricted to loan additions after the Reds spent big in the summer transfer window. Therefore, the Dutchman was only able to sign loan players last month, with Jack Butland, Wout Weghorst and Sabitzer all arriving at Old Trafford until the end of the campaign.

It is thought that the club had already analysed the Austrian midfielder, with reports suggesting that United were monitoring the 28-year-old while he was at RB Leipzig. The Reds felt he was the right choice for Ten Hag given that he has made over 180 appearances in the Bundesliga.