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Manchester United have had it rough the last few years, failing to win the Premier League since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson at the end of the 2012 - 2013 campaign. But not only have they failed to do that, they've also struggled to achieve anything noteworthy during this period.
United now find themselves in a rut after having cycled through three managers since 2013 (David Moyes, Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho), all of whom had fallen well below par during their time at Old Trafford.
Right now, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will serve as the interim manager until the United board find a permanent replacement - a process which could very well take until the end of the season.
We know the types of players that Mourhino was after back in the summer - and failed to get - but what might Solskjaer's fresh perspective on the squad result in? Will he aim to get defenders, midfielders, strikers, or goalkeepers? He might even go the whole hog and get them all, nobody can be sure yet.
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Of course, the final decision on transfers is made by the United board, or more specifically, Ed Woodward.
So, with that being said, let's take a look at five players that have been linked with United recently and determine how probable these transfers are at this time.
#5 Aaron Ramsey (Arsenal)
Aaron Ramsey is a 27-year-old central midfielder who plays for Arsenal in the Premier League. He has also featured for Wales' national team, having made 58 appearances since his debut in November 2008. Ramsey also featured for Great Britain's Olympic Team back in the summer of 2012, netting a single goal in four appearances.
Ramsey is set to leave Arsenal for free in the summer after a contract offer that was made to him was withdrawn earlier in the year. Many clubs -- including West Ham, Real Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester City -- have all shown interest in the midfielder, but United will be determined to get the man that they've been so closely linked with for so long - especially if it can be done for free.
Transfermarkt value the 27-year-old at around £36m, so if Ramsey does walk away from Arsenal for nothing in the summer, you can imagine just how many clubs will jump at the opportunity to sign him up.
Rumour probability: 5/10
More often than not, when Manchester United have a player in their sights, they'd be very close to finalising a deal to be completed on the 1st of January. But this hasn't been the case with their interest in Ramsey. Whilst speculation has been rife, United are just one of many clubs who have expressed interest in the Wales international, so where he may end up is anyone's guess.
#4 Lewis Dunk (Brighton & Hove Albion)
Lewis Dunk is a 27-year-old centre-back who plays for Brighton in the Premier League. He has also featured for England's national team, having been called up for his debut last month.
Dunk only recently rose to the attention of the masses following his first appearance for England against USA, where he solidified the Three Lions' often uneasy defence. He's been a consistent player for Brighton in the league, but is often overlooked for being part of a mediocre club at an age where he should be at his peak.
But it was Jose Mourinho's interest in the defender that turned heads and made people take another look at the centre-back. Mourinho might have left now, but with United's defence still as rocky as ever, investments need to be made - and someone like Dunk might just fit the bill.
Lewis Dunk has Premier League experience, he's at the peak of his career in terms of age and quality, and could potentially be available for a bargain price - all in all, Dunk would be an ideal purchase for Manchester United next month.
Rumour probability: 8/10
There's no doubt that if a club like Manchester United swooped in for Dunk, he would jump at the opportunity, so there's no issue regarding that side of the deal. It's just whether Brighton would be willing to let their star player go, and for what price...
Transfermarkt value Lewis Dunk at around £10m, which is a superb price for a player of his ability.
#3 Douglas Costa (Juventus)
Douglas Costa is a 28-year-old right winger who plays for Juventus in Serie A. He also features for the Brazilian national team, having made 31 appearances since his debut in November 2014.
Costa can be utilised across the attacking width of the pitch, not just as a right winger, but also as an attacking midfielder and left winger.
The Brazilian began his career with Gremio, before making the move to Shakhtar Donetsk in January 2010 for £7m. This was where he rose to prominence, bagging four goals and five assists in just 20 appearances in his final season with the club. Inevitably, clubs began to shark the waters and it wasn't long before Bayern Munich swooped down and signed him for a whopping £27m.
Unfortunately, his honeymoon spell with Munich quickly began to fade, but Juventus came to the rescue in the summer of 2017 with a season-long loan deal. He impressed in Serie A, featuring in 31 games, assisting 12 and netting four times. He settled in swiftly and proved to be a stronger fit in the Serie A than the Bundesliga. Juventus eventually bought Costa for £36m last summer.
However, Costa now faces a huge obstacle at Juventus, after watching Cristiano Ronaldo sign for the club for £100m. Ronaldo has since cemented himself in the role that Costa was used so frequently in, meaning that the Brazilian has had to play second fiddle since then.
Rumour probability: 7/10
With Costa's importance to Juventus now lower than ever, he's on the search for his next club. Manchester United could be the ideal place for him, but Juventus would likely want a figure somewhere in the region of €40m (£36.12m) to let him go.
United could certainly afford this price tag, but they must decide whether they truly need him, especially when the likes of Anthony Martial and Alexis Sanchez are already competing for the position he's most comfortable in.
#2 Declan Rice (West Ham United)
Declan Rice is a 19-year-old centre-back who plays for West Ham United in the Premier League. He has also featured for the Republic of Ireland's national team, having made three appearances since his debut in March 2018.
His inclusion on this list might come as a surprise to some, but the bottom line is that Rice is a player with a great deal of potential. He also fits the mould of a young defender who plays regularly for his club - in the Premier League, no less - which is exactly what United are after. They want to build for the long-term, and so Declan Rice would be an ideal option for that concept.
Rice may only be 19 years old, but he's already got a market value of £18m, according to Transfermarkt. It's only going to increase from here, too, so any interested clubs should act now before they regret not getting him whilst he's still a bargain.
Rice began his development with Chelsea's youth academy, before making the switch to West Ham's academy in the summer of 2013. Since then he's advanced through the U18s and U23s, before finally making his debut for the first team in the summer of 2017. He's remained a regular starter for the club since that time.
Rumour probability: 7/10
The Daily Star reported in November that Jose Mourinho had declared his interest in Rice, but now that he's gone, will United still be after the defender? I think they will persevere, as Declan Rice is clearly one for the future if he's already playing consistently for a Premier League side. It's a no-brainer.
#1 Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli)
Kalidou Koulibaly is a 27-year-old centre-back who plays for Napoli in Serie A. He also features for the Senegal national team, having made 31 appearances since his debut in September 2015. Originally, he was playing for France's U20 team, which is the country where he was born, but his heritage is Senegalese.
Koulibaly is a beast of a defender and has attracted interest from high-profile clubs across Europe for several years now. Manchester United are supposedly the frontrunners for his signature in January, primarily because of their desperation to sign a world class defender before time runs out - which is what they failed to do in the summer.
Koulibaly had a fairly standard start to his career, having been transferred to FC Metz B from SR Saint-Die in the summer of 2009. He was then promoted to FC Metz's first team a year later, where he stayed for the next two years. Belgian side KRC Genk saw the potential in Koulibaly and picked him up in mid-2012 for just £1m. Within two seasons, his value had risen to almost £7m, and he was sold to Napoli in 2014, where he currently resides.
Transfermarkt now value the centre-back at a whopping £63m, £56m more than what Napoli had paid for him four years ago.
Rumour probability: 3/10
This is a tough rumour to dismiss, especially when we all know how desperate United are to bolster their defence next month. But goal.com recently reported that a £95m bid from United had been turned down by Napoli, according to the club's chairman Aurelio De Laurentiis.
Now, when offers as high as this are being flat-out rejected by Napoli, you have to wonder how much more United can do to get their man. This is what makes the deal all the more unlikely with each passing day. Napoli seem determined to keep hold of their star player, and will do so by any means possible.
