Pretty much all of Manchester United's main business this summer was conducted in a matter of days during the opening weeks of July.

The club knew that Michael Carrick's side needed new midfield reinforcements, and within a few days of each other, the signings of Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans from Chelsea and Aston Villa, respectively, were announced.

The club also confirmed the transfer of goalkeeper Karl Darlow from Leeds United on a free contract, but the only other transfers that have taken place are teenagers Cristian Orozco from Fortaleza CEIF and Tynan Thompson from Tottenham Hotspur.

Considering the money made from sales and sell-on fees this summer, United's total net spend sits at a little over £30 million, which is lower than all three promoted sides this summer and the least of the traditional 'big six' Premier League clubs.

After the announcements of Darlow, Santos, and Tielemans, many were optimistic that United had found themselves in a real place to kick on and secure the remaining required additions, but the sudden stop in any seeming transfer activity has baffled many.

According to The Athletic, one reason United chose to remain elusive about continuing transfer business was that they wanted to see how Carrick's squad faired across pre-season.

The club played six games, losing to Wrexham but playing brilliantly against the likes of Paris Saint-Germain, Rosenborg, Atletico Madrid, and Leeds, although a 4-2 loss against Rúben Amorim's AC Milan has left a real sting.

The report further states that the club have looked to 'take stock and assess options' as the summer progresses, while 'certain situations' have needed time and space to develop, although there's little indication as to what these 'situations' are.

Carrick is not a manager who gives much away in his press conferences, but even he recently admitted to the press that there are a few positions he knows the club need to reinforce before the window ends.

“There’s one or two areas where we’d like to improve," the United boss told journalists in Dublin last week. |But we are pretty clear in the messages that we need to keep pushing and there’s certain things that we want to try and do, but it needs to be right.”

These two positions are left back and a third midfielder. The Athletic states that United now see a left-back as their main focus for their next transfer, while the club are also looking for a versatile midfielder who could cover multiple positions.

What is almost certainly needed is a ground-eating and duel-winning defensive midfielder to help compliment the profiles of Tielemans, Santos, Mason Mount, and Kobbie Mainoo in the middle of the park.

Two weeks left until the window shuts, and the world are waiting for United to act.