Manchester United might have already signed their long-term left-back from Real Madrid

In an ideal world, Erik ten Hag would be able to strengthen in every position he sees fit this summer. The reality is that some areas in need of renovation will need to be neglected for the time being in order to prioritise elsewhere.

Manchester United's desire for midfield reinforcements is well documented, as is their desire to strengthen a forward line that is overly reliant on Cristiano Ronaldo and that has lost valuable back-up options since the end of the season.

One such example is that of left-back, a position that became one of the real problems for United last season.

READ MORE: Erik ten Hag's perfect defender may have already been sold by Manchester United

In the past week, United have been linked with both David Raum and Tyrell Malacia as options to strengthen their left side of defence, but the problem is that Ten Hag is well aware that other defenders must be moved on before they can justify another addition.

Luke Shaw is highly rated by United figures despite a sluggish season, and there is a genuine belief that he could recapture the world-class level he reached last year, culminating in the European Championship with England.

Ten Hag could hold the key to getting the best out of Shaw once again, and if that happens, then United will only really need a back-up option this summer, rather than another player who can come in and start games immediately.

In that case, it is perhaps best if United manage to get a young understudy for Shaw in place, one who can learn from him on a daily basis and gain valuable experience with starts in the Europa League and domestic cup competitions when needed.

Alex Telles would likely need to be sold in order to vindicate such a pursuit. The same can be said for Brandon