By common consent, when United’s troublesome Premier League campaign came to an end in May, the key failing that had to be addressed was their lack of goals.

Most assumed that meant a new number nine would be signed.

That United made a big play for Liam Delap – available for £30m from Ipswich – before he signed for Chelsea indicated key figures at Old Trafford felt the same.

Yet now, more than £120m later and with two new additions more at home behind a main forward rather than as one, United are still trying to bring in that number nine – hence the ongoing interest in signing Sesko.

Would this be the end for Hojlund?

Though many thought they overpaid at the time, the recruitment team behind then manager Erik ten Hag felt it was worth signing off a £72m fee to bring in Hojlund from Italian club Atalanta.

At the time, Ten Hag said Hojlund had “huge potential” but he had “to prove it”. So far, he has not done so.

He scored just four league goals all season, with understudy Joshua Zirkzee only managing three.

It has to be said, Hojlund’s goals came from chances worth a measly 5.2 expected goals, showing the lack of opportunities he was being provided with – or making for himself.

BBC pundit and former Blackburn striker Chris Sutton has highlighted the lack of chances being created.

“Have United been providing him with the chances and the opportunities? The answer to that is no,” he said.

“But also, you have to consider whether he has done well enough. Has he ever been a prolific goalscorer? That would be the nagging doubt and is something I have debated with United fans.

“It is not to say he doesn’t have time on his side, and his attitude is good too.”

But in a summer during which Alvaro Carreras joined Real Madrid – fulfilling the promise many in the club’s academy felt he had before they were overruled by Ten Hag and others who believed the full-back was not quick enough to excel at the highest level – are they ready to give up on Hojlund just yet?