Phase two of the Manchester United squad rebuild could see more outs than ins

Ralf Rangnick repeatedly stressed Manchester United's rebuild could be completed in "two or three transfer windows" and they signed the minimum amount required in the summer.

"This is not rocket science. It has to be done and if that happens it does not necessarily need three or four years, maybe two or three transfer windows," Rangnick said in April. "Then the situation could be different."

The general consensus was United would need to offset six significant departures with six players and they eventually did that in a club-record window. £234.1million was invested in players, part-enforced by two dire defeats and a statement on behalf of Sir Jim Ratcliffe on August 17.

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Rangnick often cited Liverpool's reinvention under Jurgen Klopp as the benchmark for United and their most significant signing, Virgil van Dijk, arrived in January. Rangnick was such a compelling conversationalist he was never asked to clarify if he meant summer and winter windows.

There is no reason to speculate as to any business United might be open to doing in the new year when they have spent so extravagantly without a single sale from last season's squad. The €6m fee they are due for Eric Bailly is derisory and far from guaranteed as the fragile defender has to play a certain number of games on loan for Marseille.

Next season, the central defensive department should be leaner, with Phil Jones due to be released and Axel Tuanzebe far from certain of having his contract extended. If Bailly is gone for good, that is three off the books and four centre-backs in Erik ten Hag's core squad.

The goalkeeping situation is as changeable as the weather. United have four