Manchester United have not made many forays into the loan market in the Premier League era. The sheer nature of a loan at United, as it is with many other clubs, is signing a stop-gap, a temporary space in the squad that needs filling, solving an issue hopefully for a few months before attempting to tackle it with greater certainty in the summer.
This season has been a case in point. United were left light in the centre-forward department when Cristiano Ronaldo's bombshell interview with Piers Morgan led to the Portuguese superstar's swift exit from Old Trafford for the second time.
It was a void which simply had to be filled. READ MORE: Bournemouth boss Gary O'Neil makes bold Manchester United claim after defeat The Reds have had success with bringing in strikers on loan deals in the past.
Carlos Tevez, before his departure and controversial move to Manchester City, had a trophy-laden spell at Old Trafford including winning two Premier League titles, the Champions League, League Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.