Few clubs will have to sell their sales pitch as well and articulately as Manchester United this summer.
Without the pulling power of being able to offer Champions League football, United could find life difficult when it comes to forming Erik ten Hag's new-look squad over the coming months. Their Champions League hopes were officially ended after last Saturday's 4-0 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion, even though, deep down, everyone knew that they had long since been and gone.
Therefore, United could find life difficult in convincing big-name players to join the club this summer. Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong, who is the subject of interest from the Reds, is just one name that John Murtough, Darren Fletcher and Ten Hag could struggle to convince to make the move if Barcelona agree to play ball.
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Barcelona have qualified for the Champions League next season and De Jong, almost certainly, would prefer to be strutting his stuff on a Tuesday or Wednesday evening, opposed to the potential prospect of facing unheard of clubs on Thursday evenings in the Europa Conference League. Therefore, it is critical that United put the correct foundations in place this summer to build back towards gearing up for a Champions League campaign this time next year.
United drafted in the likes of Raphael Varane, Jadon Sancho and Cristiano Ronaldo last summer to form a Premier League title charge and compete in Europe's premier club competition. Instead, they find themselves even further away. They are miles away from competing with Liverpool and Manchester City, and Ten Hag is tasked with the challenge of closing the gap.
But to close that gap he needs fresh blood that poses world-class talent. In De Jong, United would get exactly that.
He would be an upgrade on Scott McTominay, Nemanja Matic and Fred, meaning it would be in the step direction, but how do United convince him to make the move without the bargaining tool of Champions League football? Ten Hag's previous working relationship with him could be their biggest asset, but it is vitally important that he, along with Murtough and Fletcher, presents a philosophy that is both appealing and convincing.
The project Ten Hag will embark on this summer is going to be a long-term one. There is not going to be a quick-fix to the problems United have experienced this season.
It is going to require patience and, perhaps above all else, being prepared to show the willingness to stick to the plan, regardless of whether or not United enter choppy waters again. However, despite the lack of Champions League football on offer, United remain one of the biggest clubs in the world and a lot of players would jump at the chance to pull on the famous red shirt.
Admittedly, it might not be so easy to convince De Jong to swap Barcelona for Old Trafford, but other players, who play for lesser clubs, are likely to be willing to join the club, even if it means putting their feet up on a Tuesday or Wednesday evening, opposed to putting their boots on. A club of United's stature will always be an attraction for players, make no mistake about that.
But United are now at a stage where Ten Hag needs to be given the chance to put the club back on the right path, both with a recognisable way of playing and operating off the field. Should they get that right, the challenges the may face in convincing players to join the club this summer might not be a problem for too long.
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