England's Jude Bellingham in action with DR Congo's Aaron Wan Bissaka
Be it Cristiano Ronaldo or Wayne Rooney, there was a time when it felt as if Manchester United could beat anyone to the signing of the game's next superstar, with Sir Alex Ferguson flexing his muscles in the transfer market so often.
A lengthy drought without major silverware in the wake of Fergie's retirement was always going to have consequences, however, with Old Trafford not necessarily the attractive destination it once was.
Look to the debacle surrounding the club's failed move for Jude Bellingham in 2020, for instance, United rolling out the red carpet to try and sign the then-teenager, only for the 17-year-old to head off to Germany instead.
Jude-Bellingham-Birmingham-City
The rest, as they say, is history, with Bellingham achieving superstar status for both club and country, with the Red Devils left to reflect on what might have been.
Man Utd's biggest 'what if' signings of the decade so far
Following a breakout season with Birmingham City in 2019/20, Bellingham's talent and potential were plain to see, yet the youngster clearly felt his development would be better aided by moving to Borussia Dortmund instead. He's not been wrong there.
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Bellingham - Career League Record
Season (League)
25/26 (LaLiga)
24/25 (LaLiga)
23/24 (LaLiga)
22/23 (Bundesliga)
21/22 (Bundesliga)
20/21 (Bundesliga)
19/20 (Championship)
Frustratingly too, United also missed out on Bellingham's future teammate, Erling Haaland, around the same time, the Norwegian also heading to Dortmund in January 2020, despite Old Trafford interest.
Haaland had previously been suggested to the club by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer during his time in charge at Molde, yet that advice fell on deaf ears, with the 26-year-old now front and centre at rivals Manchester City.
Declan-Rice-Solskjaer-Man-Utd-timeless
Solskjaer has also since revealed that he'd long been a fan of Declan Rice, amid the Englishman's rise at West Ham United, although the Red Devils were never able or willing to cough up the required funds, instead seeing the midfielder join Arsenal on a £105m deal in 2023.
That same summer also saw Erik ten Hag's top target, Harry Kane, move to Bayern Munich, with United seemingly wary of engaging in negotiations with Daniel Levy, even with the striker up for grabs as he had just a year left on his deal at the time.
The Old Trafford outfit have since signed three young centre-forwards with mixed success, while Kane has been a sensation in Germany, already up to 146 goals in 147 games for the Bavarian side.
There is a sense too that Elliot Anderson might be the latest 'what if' transfer, following his £116m move to the Etihad, with United far too often playing it safe in the market. And yet, could that be set to change?
How Man Utd could sign their answer to Bellingham
It's not quite to the same scale, but INEOS' recent investment in youth has already paid off over the last 18 months or so, with the capture of Ayden Heaven from Arsenal on a £1m deal looking like a significant bargain.
Manchester United manager Michael Carrick reacts after the match
Manchester United manager Michael Carrick reacts after the match
By all accounts, United could look to raid the Gunners again for another stellar teen talent, with the Independent's Miguel Delaney revealing that INEOS are exploring a deal for Myles Lewis-Skelly.
Alongside their pursuit of Newcastle United's Lewis Hall, the Red Devils are also assessing whether there is a chance of prising Lewis-Skelly from the Emirates, having held 'long-standing interest' in the 19-year-old.
Lewis-Skelly-Arsenal-1
While the six-cap England international did force his way back into Mikel Arteta's plans at the tail-end of last season, notably starting in the Champions League final, he had spent much of the campaign on the sidelines prior to that.
With that in mind, as Delaney noted, it's not out of the question that the Gunners cash in, particularly should they need to raise funds amid their ongoing pursuits of Bruno Guimaraes and Vinicius Junior.
Lewis-Skelly-Desire-Doue
Now, the question might be as to why United can't also be in the mix for such elite, high-profile figures, but that's a topic for another day, with Lewis-Skelly, in isolation, set to represent a real coup if a deal can be struck.
Still a teenager, the versatile talent has enjoyed such a fine rise since making his Premier League debut back in September 2024, playing with a maturity and a confidence that seemingly belies his years.
Indeed, it is that "football arrogance" that has led Jamie Carragher to suggest that Lewis-Skelly has a "little bit of Jude Bellingham" about him, the Arsenal gem looking unfazed by the biggest occasions.
Amid the woes of Martin Zubimendi, the Englishman was thrust in for the final stretch of 2025/26, starting five of the last six games of the season in all competitions as Rice's midfield partner.
Lewis-Skelly-Rice-Arsenal
While he had broken through at left-back, United's parallel interest in the aforementioned Hall would suggest that INEOS view his long-term future as a number eight, a position he has certainly shone in of late.
Although he's not quite as advanced as Bellingham, there's a powerhouse quality to Lewis-Skelly's game that is so eye-catching, the left-footer mirroring his compatriot in the way in which he can drag his team forward from deep, bypassing opponents with ease.
Morgan-Rogers-England-Jude-Bellingham-World-Cup
Looking back to his breakout 2024/25 campaign, the in-demand talent notably ranked in the top 10% of full-backs in Europe's top five leagues for productive dribbles per 90, while in last season's Champions League, he ranked in the top 3% for big chances created in open play per 90, highlighting that forward-thinking intent.
Much like Kobbie Mainoo, it hasn't been a smooth ride since Lewis-Skelly initially burst onto the scene, but when called upon at a crunch stage of the title run-in, he showed his class and then some.
REUTERS/David Klein
Of course, missing out on Bellingham and co will always sting, but if both Lewis-Skelly and Hall end up at Old Trafford this summer, Michael Carrick's men might well look like major players again on the domestic scene.