If Manchester United Can Only Sign 1 More Player This Summer, Who Should It Be?

Manchester United's summer business so far has been odd. Victor Lindelof arrived to add much-needed depth and quality to the central-defensive ranks. The big splash was the surprise signing of Romelu Lukaku, arriving as a replacement for Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

But so far, that is it. The rest has been a great deal of sound and fury—at least in terms of the number of column inches in print and online and endless social media speculation—signifying nothing.

With United's season starting in earnest with the UEFA Super Cup on August 8, and a few more weeks after that until the transfer window shuts, in a world where United could only get one of the signings they have been linked with over the line, which player should they go for?

The first step in identifying that target was to take a look at whom fans wanted. In the following poll, in which 3,736 people voted, the answer was overwhelmingly clear—apologies for the typo in the tweet, by the way.

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OK, if United only one more this summer should that be: [poll]

— Paul (@UtdRantcast) July 28, 2017"

Fabinho was the winner by a landslide. It is interesting to analyse this one in depth. There will no doubt be people who have watched AS Monaco's Brazilian full-back-turned-central midfielder a good amount. Ligue 1 is shown around the world, and Monaco were an exciting side who garnered a lot of attention last season on their way to the title.

They made it all the way to the Champions League semi-finals, meaning a lot of football fans would have seen them in action. And he does seem an excellent fit for United. A three-man midfield of Fabinho, Ander Herrera and Paul Pogba would be an enticing prospect, with the Brazilian performing his version of the Michael Carrick role.

There is, though, also the possibility Fabinho's overwhelming popularity here has been influenced a little by the winds of fashion. Whether or not that is the case, what is inarguable is that, for a substantial section of United's online fanbase at least, the Brazilian is the one.

United fans' desire for the Monaco man is not just a recent phenomenon, either. Popular YouTuber Dave O'Brien—better known as Statman Dave—has long waxed lyrical about Fabinho. As far back as November last year, O'Brien was advocating the player's signing:

Back in June of this year, when Bleacher Report spoke to a number of well-known United fans about which players they should sign this summer, blogger Elijah Sofoluke listed a number of targets.

"I think [Alvaro] Morata, James [Rodriguez], [Renato] Sanches, Fabinho, [Victor] Lindelof and [Serge] Aurier should be our top targets this summer."

Of that impressive list of talents, he picked Fabinho as his No. 1 choice. Given United had not yet signed Lukaku or Lindelof, that provides a clear indication of just how highly parts of United's support rate the utility man.

And it makes sense. His versatility is an asset, but more than anything else, United fans know their squad seriously needs another midfielder.

An ageing Carrick and Marouane Fellaini are Jose Mourinho's go-to options in the event of injury or suspension to Paul Pogba or Ander Herrera or if he wants to play them in a three. Daley Blind could perhaps be added to that list, but it seems pretty clear Mourinho does not think he can given he has not played a solitary minute there under the Portuguese manager.

Timothy Fosu-Mensah is a largely untried option—if Louis van Gaal were still in charge, he might even be quite a likely option, but Mourinho's handling of the Dutchman last season does not seem to suggest a lot of first-team minutes in his future.

The final choice among the existing squad would be Andreas Pereira. During his loan spell in Granada last season, he impressed when used in a deeper-lying position. He could perhaps play alongside Pogba and ahead of Herrera in a three, though instinctively, once again, this does not seem a likely Mourinho play.

So the need for a midfielder is clear. And it is clear who fans want it to be.

Some felt Fabinho was not an entirely realistic target, though, so plumped for a vote for Nemanja Matic instead.

The steady Chelsea midfielder is not the kind of signing who gets the pulse racing, but in truth, Mourinho knows his squad well, having spent a year with them, and he knows Matic even better. While it is not always reasonable to ask fans to blindly trust their manager's decisions—that would not have been a suggestion that would have gone down too well during the back end of David Moyes era, for example—in this case, there is a solid argument that the support should back the manager's play.

If a manager with Mourinho's track record believes a player he has previously had in his charge is a good fit for the team, then it would seem a pretty sure bet to trust him.

There were other suggestions, including a few shouts for Tottenham Hotspur's Eric Dier. The England international spent much of last season filling in at centre-back, but he could certainly fulfil the Makelele Role if Mourinho is going to plump for a midfield three.

More glamorously, there were a number of calls for the acquisition of Marco Verratti, but there does not seem to be much evidence he represents a realistic option.

The small percentage vote for Ivan Perisic—a player United have been linked with all summer—is probably more indicative of how important it is to strengthen midfield rather than a knock against the player. United did want for goals last season, but they created plenty of chances.

With Lukaku's arrival, the need for a more traditional winger does make sense, but Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial's talents simply must not go to waste, and they need spots in the side too.

The precise identity of the one player United should sign if they could only sign one more is not the most important thing. That would be that the player fits the profile of the biggest gap in the squad, which means he should be a quality central midfielder.

Phil Cole/Getty Images

While bringing in an out-and-out winger would obviously be the best way to get more crosses to Lukaku, signing a central midfielder could help with that too. If Pogba plays on the left of a 4-3-3, he would get himself in position to provide service to his friend and new team-mate.

United fans would clearly love for that midfielder to be Fabinho. If that is not realistic, many would tolerate Matic and would probably grow to love him if he were to add steel to United's core and help give Pogba a platform to freely express himself.

The real disaster would be for no one to arrive in that position at all. Hopefully United are not limited to just one signing between now and the end of the transfer window, but if they are, in an almost nostalgic throwback to Sir Alex Ferguson's last few seasons at the club, their most pressing need is in the heart of midfield.

All quotes obtained firsthand.