Manchester United will make up to four signings in each of the next two summer transfer windows with the realisation that they are around six players short of challenging for major honours.

At least one of those signings might be accelerated to the January window with United having already drawn up a list of targets to pursue in the coming weeks.

The huge overhaul, with a clear-out to counter-balance the arrivals, will be led by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with the club’s hierarchy pledging to give the under-fire manager time and to show patience with him.

A yard-stick of how much United could spend in the next two windows is the £150million they committed last summer – although obviously that was balanced by player sales such as the £74million they received for Romelu Lukaku.

“Ole is looking at a three-year vision of a squad. It will be an evolution over the coming years,” a senior source said. “We are at base camp now.”

At the same time United will finally push ahead with plans to hire a technical director, or possibly even two people to cover that role, to become the “lightning rod” for recruitment and drive forward the vision for the club which needs to be communicated more clearly to their fans.