Ross Barkley scouting report answers one Manchester United transfer question but poses another

Manchester United fans and Sir Jim Ratcliffe may well have been watching on as Manchester City took on Luton Town in the FA Cup on Tuesday night.

The surprise United links with Luton Town midfielder Ross Barkley emerged over the weekend as Ratcliffe and United plot their summer recruitment. The former England international is enjoying a stellar individual season at Kenilworth Road but at 30, questions will remain over the long-term viability of any potential Old Trafford move.

Barkley has been a key cog for the relegation-fighting Hatters and his display in defeat to Manchester City on Tuesday night showed he is capable in elite company. But it also perhaps highlighted the transfer strategy United and Sir Jim Ratcliffe need to get right given City's seemingly natural progression to move on and adapt when new players are required. Nonetheless Barkley served clear notice of his ability in midweek.

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If he may have got a little fortunate to grab an assist for Jordan Clark's first half stunner against City - Clark did all the work from Barkley's simple pass well outside the area - then there was nothing fortunate about his second. After seeing a shot blocked, Barkley remained composed and chipped a lovely ball into Clark's path to chest and volley home a second and make things interesting.

Erling Haaland's fourth and fifth goals within six minutes of that Clark strike rendered Luton's fightback dead, although Barkley kept going and may have had a hat-trick of assists had Stefan Ortega not stood firm later on. It's rare a player will produce two assists and not end up among the