Transfer Deadline Day is one of the most eagerly anticipated days in the football calendar. A day that oozes unpredictability. A day of twists and turns. A day where, in the eleventh hour, the impossible may just become possible.

Manchester United are no strangers to the drama of Deadline Day. Perhaps your mind wanders to Dimitar Berbatov’s arrival in 2008, a deal that went right to the wire, or to Cristiano Ronaldo’s sensational return in 2021, when United sent shockwaves through football by snatching their former superstar from the jaws of Manchester City.

Will there be a repeat, whereby another dash of dopamine is delivered, or will it fizzle out to a frustrating conclusion?

At the time of writing, there are still 11 hours to go until the clock chimes and the window closes, but time is running out for United to add more bodies - and they need to.

The window thus far has been reminiscent of a rollercoaster for United. They moved swiftly to secure the signatures of Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos, with Karl Darlow and Tynan Thompson following soon after. It was an encouraging start, with United appearing to move decisively to address some of the shortcomings within the squad.

That early momentum, though, soon began to fade. Activity slowed and the excitement surrounding the window was replaced by a period of uncertainty. The arrival of Carlos Baleba from Brighton provided another lift, with the midfielder representing another significant addition to United’s midfield rebuild.

But more needs to be done, specifically in the defensive areas of the pitch.

The pursuit of Lewis Hall plateaued, but United must now pivot to an alternative target and address the position before the window closes. Patrick Dorgu can operate at left-back, although Carrick and his coaching staff appear to view him as more of a winger.

Luke Shaw started every Premier League game last season, but that came without the added demands of European football. With Champions League football returning to Old Trafford this season, relying on the same options to withstand a heavier schedule represents a risk.

For now, a rating of 5/10 feels sufficient for their summer dealings.

The biggest criticism of United’s summer is not necessarily the quality of the players they have brought in, but the level of ambition they have shown. This was an opportunity for INEOS to make a statement.

United are back in the Champions League, optimism has returned to Old Trafford after finishing third last season, and the Premier League looks more open than it has in years. With the foundations beginning to fall into place, this felt like the summer to really close the gap.

Chelsea provide an interesting comparison. Their willingness to spend heavily on Morgan Rogers, while also addressing the goalkeeping position with the arrival of World Cup winner Emiliano Martínez, demonstrated a readiness to act when they identified areas that needed strengthening. United did not necessarily need to replicate Chelsea’s spending, but they could have shown a similar level of intent.

Instead, there is a feeling that United are staggering the rebuild. Last summer was about fixing the attack. This summer has been about fixing the midfield. Next summer will presumably be about fixing the defence. Why wait when there is no guarantee that the same opportunity will be there in 12 months’ time?

They could have used the momentum of last season, their return to the Champions League and an increasingly competitive Premier League to make a genuine push towards the top. The players they have brought in are encouraging, but the level of ambition has not quite matched the opportunity in front of them.