Amorim, who has repeatedly stressed the need for “fresh energy” in the centre of the pitch, has grown increasingly aware that United’s current engine room is not equipped for the long-term demands of his system.

While Bruno Fernandes remains the team’s leading influence and Casemiro has shown flashes of renewed sharpness, United know they must transition away from relying on ageing or inconsistent performers.

Mason Mount has shown signs of improvement after an uneven start to the season, but Amorim still believes United lacks balance, mobility and control against elite opposition. The Portuguese coach has privately described the midfield as an area where “stop-gap solutions” will no longer suffice.

Director of football Jason Wilcox has been working closely with Amorim to build a shortlist of realistic signing targets, with Brighton’s Carlos Baleba emerging as a leading candidate. United explored a move earlier in the year and remain admirers of the 21-year-old, who is valued well above £100m.

Other names under consideration include England midfielder Adam Wharton, Wolves’ all-action Joao Gomes, and VfB Stuttgart’s rising star Angelo Stiller. Amorim wants a trio capable of transforming United’s tempo, defensive structure and ball progression.

United accept that none of these players will come cheaply but the club’s hierarchy insists a major rebuild will only be successful if they invest in players with long-term ceilings rather than short-term patches.

INEOS chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe has made cost-cutting a priority since becoming a co-owner, and the club’s push to reshape the midfield will be heavily funded by departures.

Jadon Sancho is expected to leave on a free at the end of the season, while Casemiro and Harry Maguire will be offered new contracts only on drastically reduced terms. If they refuse, United are prepared to let both veterans walk to open space on the wage bill.

There is also growing confidence that Marcus Rashford’s substantial salary £325,000 a week will be removed from the books, with Barcelona increasingly likely to pursue a permanent deal.

If those four depart, United would free up around £1m in weekly wages, clearing the pathway for younger, more dynamic additions.

Insiders describe the manager’s vision as a “complete midfield reset”, aimed at returning United to an era when the club’s title-winning sides were built around powerful, multi-dimensional midfielders.

Amorim has referenced the standards of United’s iconic past from Roy Keane and Paul Scholes to Bryan Robson and Paul Ince and believes the modern squad must aspire to the same level of control and physical dominance.

The club accepts that the transition won’t be cheap or easy, but there is now a unified strategy across the football department: invest heavily, build young, and create a midfield capable of sustaining the club for the next decade.

United spent last summer revamping their attack. Next summer, the heart of the team is finally getting its turn.