Aaron Wan-Bissaka topped that list and was signed for £50m from Crystal Palace, a fee that raised eyebrows considering he'd played firstteam football for just over a year.
Ed Woodward was responsible for revealing that the Reds had settled on Wan-Bissaka as the best option from a comprehensive list, but some things are best left unsaid.
The transfer fee alone was enough pressure on young shoulders - WanBissaka swapped London for Manchester when he was 21 - without Woodward's comments and it wasn't long before the quote was wheeled out when it became clear he probably hadn't been the best option.
Although Wan-Bissaka was an outstanding defender, his ceiling was lowered by his lack of quality in attacking scenarios and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had already seen enough by 2021.
Solskjaer wanted to sign Kieran Trippier, who was one of the bestattacking right-backs in Europe, from Atletico Madrid and he would have been an excellent signing for United. An all-round better player than Wan-Bissaka, his leadership qualities would have been a huge asset, especially ahead of the trainwreck season that followed with United finishing sixth.
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