Farewell number 18, hello number six - inside Man Utd's midfielder hunt

That is not to say United will abandon their interest. While United would be wary of getting involved in an auction over wages with their city rivals, they are prepared to make a substantial effort to sign Anderson. And while many of the early indicators point towards Anderson, who has also attracted interest from Bayern Munich, moving to Etihad Stadium, United can point to the fact that Sesko appeared close to joining Arsenal or Newcastle last summer only for the striker to eventually land at Old Trafford.

But, for obvious reasons, United are not putting all their eggs in the Anderson basket. While United are not discounting looking abroad in their search for a new lynchpin, the club would prefer Premier League experience. Deciding to go for proven players would certainly limit United's options, and ultimately increase the finances attached to those deals.

Baleba, Wharton and Tonali are also among the players United's recruitment team have discussed and will continue to explore. One well-placed source has told BBC Sport that, via an intermediary, United have made a tentative enquiry about Brighton midfielder Baleba in recent months. However, any successful move for the Cameroonian will depend on Brighton's valuation, which reports suggest is £100m.

While United accept they will have to make a massive financial outlay to land one of their preferred midfielders, whether they would be willing to match the sort of fee Brighton will be looking for is in question. Crystal Palace's Wharton is certainly admired at United, but whether he fits the sort of profile the club are looking for is unclear. Wharton is viewed as a player who benefits from having runners alongside him in midfield, allowing him to execute the passes that have become synonymous with his burgeoning reputation as one of England's best emerging talents.