It's an era dominated by talk of finances, sporting directors, head coaches and set-pieces - thank the lord for Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes.
So much of modern football is now formulaic and pre-determined, but Fernandes bucks that trend, routinely conjuring up moments of individualistic brilliance to drag United to victory.
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes
On Sunday, for instance, the 31-year-old had the bravery and technique to send Calvin Bassey for a dummy in stoppage time, before picking out Benjamin Sesko to fire home and clinch a vital 3-2 win for the Old Trafford side.
Now up to 12 Premier League assists for the season, the Portuguese genius is again serving a reminder of why he is not only the best signing post-Sir Alex Ferguson, but also one of the best signings of United's 21st Century era full stop.
What lies beyond, in the event of his exit in the near future, remains to be seen, although there are now those vying for the mantle of being the Red Devils' new talismanic figurehead.
Which signing has been better between Cunha & Mbeumo
2024/25, for all its misery, was another special Fernandes season, with the ex-Sporting CP man scoring and assisting 38 times in all competitions as United reached the Europa League final.
Bruno-Fernandes-24-25-stats-timeless
It felt like he was doing it all on his own at times, although, no longer, with the summer moves for Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo having changed the dynamic.
The impact of those respective £71m and £62.5m deals can be seen in how United have already matched last season's top-flight tally of 44 goals, with Cunha and Mbeumo notching six and eight goals apiece in the league alone.
In the case of the ex-Brentford man, his trademark has become big goals on the biggest stage, netting in meetings with Liverpool, Spurs, Arsenal and Manchester City already this season.
A 20-goal forward for the Bees last season, Mbeumo is a killer in the final third, the type of forward which United have seen far too infrequently in recent years.
Cunha vs Mbeumo - 25/26 PL stats
Stat (*per game)
Games
Goals
Assists
Big chances missed
Big chances created
Pass accuracy*
Key passes*
Succ. dribbles*
Touches*
Stats via Sofascore
As for Cunha, while he hasn't been quite as potent, there is a sense that the Brazilian's ceiling might be even higher, boasting that ability to win a game on his own in almost Fernandes style.
Against City, for instance, his introduction led to Patrick Dorgu's second, having also teed up Mason Mount for a disallowed third. Against the Gunners, another substitute appearance saw the 26-year-old lash home from range in majestic fashion.
He's here, there and everywhere, and despite a muted start, he's beginning to flourish, again netting in sumptuous style against Fulham.
Both men, thankfully, have cemented starring roles this season, although the tag of being United's best signing since Fernandes may lie elsewhere.
£19m star is Man Utd's best signing since Fernandes
There's no coincidence that the return of Mbeumo from AFCON duty has coincided with United's resurgence under Michael Carrick, with the Cameroon international having been absent for the drab defeat to Brighton in the FA Cup.
Man United's Michael Carrick and Amad Diallo
That 2-1 loss also saw caretaker boss Darren Fletcher forced to configure an attack without Amad too, with the Ivorian also shining for his country over the festive period.
The 23-year-old might not have been among the goals since his return to Old Trafford last month, but boy is he effective, terrorising the Fulham backline last time out.
He's mesmeric in full flow, ducking and weaving his way past defenders, while showcasing a real relentless desire to tear into the opposition box, notably averaging 1.6 key passes and creating five 'big chances' this season in the Premier League.
His impact in 2025/26 - which has only yielded four goal involvements - follows a stellar 2024/25 campaign, with Amad finishing behind only Fernandes for both goals and assists, having cemented his place as a key figure under Ruben Amorim's watch.
Amad-Bryan-Mbeumo-Man-Utd
Comfortably versatile as a wing-back, number ten or outright winger, that flexibility only enhances Amad's standing as arguably the best addition since Fernandes' own arrival, not least having cost just £19m at the time.
That October 2020 deal did feel steep at the time, considering his status as an unknown teenager, although following gradual progress upon his eventual arrival in January 2021, the diminutive talent is now among the first names on the teamsheet.
Indeed, it is telling that United won just one game out of six in his absence over December and January, while he was also missing for the dour 3-1 loss away at Brentford, arguably the nadir of this Premier League season for the Red Devils.
A relative bargain capture who has risen from obscurity, Amad no doubt stands above the likes of Cunha and Mbeumo as the best since Fernandes, having made a sustained impact for over 18 months now.
Amad 2024-25 stats (timeless)
A perfect example of having patience in a young talent, hopefully this is just the start of what Amad can do at the Theatre of Dreams.
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