Like mentioning the word 'Brexit' in polite conversation, dropping 'Manchester United' into a conversation these days tends to illicit a sigh and a shrug.
The club's malaise is such that even hardened Reds cannot find the answers. You can't really blame them when the club's hierarchy certainly don't have the solutions either.
Yet there are certain accepted truths and buzz words into which deeper analysis needs to be done: that United need a 'rebuild', that the club needs 'investment' and that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer needs help from a technical director in the transfer market.
The latter appears to be in hand, though whether that's Rio Ferdinand or someone else remains to be seen. The issue of investment is a thorny one, with supporters looking to the Glazers to provide the kind of financial support they didn't offer Jose Mourinho last summer.
But when it comes to a rebuild, United have to be clear: how many players do they want?
A different question — the one they ought to be answering — is how many do they need?
The number fans are demanding
United fans have already proffered an answer to the million dollar question: replying to a poll by MEN Sport in their droves — with 55 per cent voting that the club needed 'six or more' new signings.
Factoring in United's recent form, you can understand the reactive nature of such an response. After winning just two from their last 13 games, it would appear United's squad requires gutting and rebooting, as various stars make noises about leaving and the allure of Europe's best players is unavoidable in the age of social media. Jadon Sancho doesn't have to do much to attract attention.
Fans don't like that Ander Herrera appears to be leaving, but both he and Antonio Valencia must be replaced as senior figures within United's squad. Alexis Sanchez, Matteo Darmian and Marcos Rojo have rarely troubled the first team this season and ideally, United would get rid too.
The club will also have to react if any one of Romelu Lukaku, Paul Pogba or David De Gea depart this summer.
Yet supporters may ultimately be disappointed at the end of the summer. Overhauling the squad and willingly selling world class stars (on their day) like Pogba and De Gea would be a mistake.
Signing six players capable of transforming United back into a force won't come cheap either, so it's likely that the fans' demands won't be met and it will be a stabler summer than some are anticipating.
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What Solskjaer wants
"I don't think you can expect six players coming in — I know there won't be six players coming in," Solskjaer said last month.
"We can't just take players in because we need a body."
The Norwegian added to those comments after United's 4-0 defeat to Everton, saying "it’s not just about signing players" — perhaps alluding also to the task of trimming his current squad. Then after the Huddersfield draw on Sunday Solskjaer went as far as to promise "you've seen the last of (some) players" in a United shirt.
The Norwegian is clearly exasperated that his current crop seemingly cannot play the fast, high-energy football he demands for 90 minutes per game.
But rather than drafting in half a dozen new faces and expecting them to automatically slot in (a big ask for any manager), Solskjaer will turn to youth. Scott McTominay has already proved he can be a serviceable midfield option and we're destined to see more of Tahith Chong, Mason Greenwood and James Garner next season too.
The positions of paramount importance in the transfer market — ones which United cannot afford to leave to the academy — are right-back, defensive midfield and right wing.
And it is understood Solskjaer doesn't want megastars to fill those slots, which is why the Reds are tracking young, hungry and homegrown talent in the transfer market. If they're the right additions for Solskjaer's system, four will suffice.
What will happen
Ultimately, the number of players United are able to sign will be different to how many they 'need'.
There is no doubt the club must hang on to its best players, regardless of recent form. Knee-jerk transfer calls have cost United in the past, so you'd hope a technical director's presence alongside the level-headed Solskjaer will bring about more composure in the market.
If United can sign four players: a right-back, centre-back, a forward (who can play on the right wing) and an all-purpose central midfielder, they will have enjoyed a successful summer transfer window.
But merely signing four players won't solve all the problems: it will then be down to Solskjaer and the squad to vindicate the transfer decision-makers.
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