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Man United were 'exploring a £25.3m alternative to Joshua Zirkzee right up until the moment he signed' - after Sir Jim Ratcliffe 'was left frustrated by the speed of recruitment before the FA Cup final'

Manchester United signed five first-team players during the summer transfer window but it was not plane sailing.

Dutch striker Joshua Zirkzee was the first to arrive on July 14 before defender Leny Yoro joined from Lille four days later.

United then added three more signings in August, as defenders Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui were brought in from Bayern Munich before a deal for former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Manuel Ugarte was finally completed on deadline day.

INEOS chief executive Sir Jim Ratcliffe - who took control of sporting operations at Old Trafford after securing a minority stake in United in February - had been keen to get business done earlier in the summer.