Manchester United's attempts to bolster their midfield descended into anarchy as Monday evening's 11pm transfer deadline approached.
Chief Executive Ed Woodward's embarrassing and naive scattergun was brutally exposed, as a final few days jam-packed with panic bids, fruitless negotiations, and alleged imposters threatened at one stage to present a doomsday scenario where United would end up without a single midfield addition.
United finally forced through an inflated £27.5million move for Marouane Fellaini in the final minutes of the transfer window, but just HOW did Woodward and manager David Moyes allow the situation to become so frenetic?
Disappointing: David Moyes (right) was only able to tempt former Everton player Marouane Fellaini to Old Trafford
Sportsmail tracks United's chase for midfielders, from the hopeless pursuit of Cesc Fabregas to the drama of their last-gasp attempts to recruit Ander Herrera and Sami Khedira.
And if Mesut Ozil really had been made available to United over two weeks ago, why on earth did they allow the German star to head to the Emirates?
CESC FABREGAS (Barcelona)
The former Arsenal captain began this summer as David Moyes' top target - along with Fellaini - as the new United boss attempted to add steel and creativity in equal measure to his midfield.
Sources close to the club suggested that it was Moyes' dream to have a midfield three of Michael Carrick, Cesc Fabregas and Fellaini for both European matches and the major fixtures on the domestic scene.
United pursued Fabregas publicly, briefing the media of their interest and both Moyes and Woodward suggested that they were playing with an unlimited budget. It is believed that Fabregas may have considered a move to Old Trafford if a bid had been accepted - but the Spaniard had no intention of forcing a move.
United made two bids, the second worth £30million plus add-ons, but Barcelona didn't want to sell. United wasted too much time pursuing Fabregas and waited too long to pursue other targets.
Staying put: Former Arsenal player Cesc Fabregas was thought to be the marquee player Moyes was looking for
THIAGO ALCANTARA (Barcelona)
It remains unclear whether United pursued Thiago with any real vigour. Following his move to Bayern Munich, Thiago's father and agent Mazinho revealed that United had come close to signing the Spanish under-21 international but the 22-year-old has since refuted that version of events, saying, 'The truth is that in no moment did United come to us and talk to us.'
However, United goalkeeper David De Gea has admitted that he tried to persuade Thiago to head to Old Trafford during the UEFA under-21 Championships in Israel earlier this summer. So, it's as clear as mud.
What we do know, however, is that Thiago had his heart set on a reunion with former Barca coach Pep Guardiola at Bayern. United's attentions were focused (too heavily) on Cesc Fabregas at the time, but one suspects that even if David Moyes had worked harder on a deal for Thiago, the midfielder would still have ended up with Bayern.
First of many: United received their opening public snub of the summer when Thiago Alcantara joined Bayern Munich from Barcelona
LUKA MODRIC (Real Madrid)
United did not make a sustained effort to sign the Croatian this summer but the former Tottenham player had been on the club's radar since Real Madrid won at Old Trafford in the Champions League in March.
Sportsmail revealed then that Modric would be open to a move to United and he is widely seen as having the kind of elegance, flair and range of passing that the United midfield are sorely lacking.
Should Gareth Bale's world-record move to Madrid have been concluded earlier, United may have been able to work on a deal. Nonetheless, United's realistic chances of capturing Modric came to an end after Xabi Alonso was ruled out for three months with a broken metatarsal - thus raising the importance of Modric in Carlo Ancelotti's thinking.
No England return: Luka Modri (right) has impressed before in the PL with a fantastic passing range
ANDER HERRERA (Athletic Bilbao)
From the very start, Athletic Bilbao made it clear that they would not negotiate in a deal for creative midfielder and the Basque side stated that they would only do business if United met the player's £30.5million buyout clause.
Bilbao players are rarely sold below their buyout fee as the club only use Basque players and are therefore loathe to sell.
Bayern Munich signed Javi Martinez last year, and the Germans privately admitted that it was one of the most complicated and hard-fought deals they had encountered.
United - inexplicably - tried to haggle. Woodward and United’s team of negotiators should have done their homework.
What a farce: A deal to bring Ander Herrera to Manchester should have happened much earlier in the summer
Reports on Tuesday suggested that United were undone by a complex tax system but should they have fully researched the club and region they were dealing with, they may well have found themselves better prepared.
United had even firmed up personal terms with Herrera - who agreed a five-year contract on reduced terms of £3million-a-year - only for Woodward to pull the plug on Monday evening, believing the buyout fee to be too expensive.
Further humiliation came with the claims in Spain that three impostors - claiming to be United representatives - arrived at the LFP administration offices in Madrid to conclude a deal.
Problems: In the most embarrassing move of the summer, Moyes (centre) and his advisors, including Ed Woodward (second left) were reportedly humiliated when imposters turned up to negotiate the Herrera transfer in Spain
DANIELE DE ROSSI (Roma)
This came from left-field and smacked of panic. As deadline day edged ever closer, United launched a £10million bid for the Roma midfielder on Thursday evening - which was rejected out of hand by the Italian side.
Again, a lack of research can be pinpointed - De Rossi endured a difficult time under former Roma boss Zdenek Zeman but relations have improved since the arrival of Rudi Garcia and the Italian had no intention of leaving his club.
Again, a lack of research can be pinpointed - De Rossi endured a difficult time under former Roma boss Zdenek Zeman but relations have improved since the arrival of Rudi Garcia and the Italian had no intention of leaving his club.
This was overly ambitious, ill-judged and Woodward did not return with a second bid.
Desperate: There was an element of panic over the late move for Roma man Daniele De Rossi (right)
SAMI KHEDIRA (Real Madrid)
With just five hours remaining until the transfer window door slammed shut, reports emerged in Spain that United had lodged a €40million bid for Real Madrid's Sami Khedira.
By now, Ed Woodward's scattergun was firing left, right and centre. Khedira is a powerful, energetic player but the move seemed bizarre, particularly with Marouane Fellaini's move to United all but sealed. A midfield of Carrick, Fellaini and Khedira would have been much of a muchness, and the German would not have answered United's craving for guile and invention as an alternative to Ander Herrera.
Khedira confirmed United's approach on Tuesday, saying: 'The club turned down the offer and that was it. We (players) don't have any influence in the high transfer fees. Real refused the offer of Manchester United and I'm happy with that.'
And another: A bid for Sami Khedira was turned down by Real Madrid
WESLEY SNEIJDER (Galatasaray)
Moyes' and Woodward's humiliating end to the transfer was compounded on Tuesday after Galatasaray claimed that Manchester United had made 'an indirect offer' to 29-year-old playmaker Wesley Sneijder.
The Turkish side's sporting co-ordinator Bulunt Tulun told Turkish newspaper Milliyet: 'Sneijder received an indirect offer from Manchester United two weeks ago but it was not accepted. There are several clubs that want him but just like we can't let go of Burak [Yilmaz] we also have to keep hold of Sneijder.'
United previously came close to signing the Dutchman in 2011 from Inter Milan but the Glazer family were put off by Sneijder's £200,000-a-week wage demands. Now approaching 30, Sneijder is a far cry from the player that lit up the 2010 World Cup and won the Champions League with Inter in the same year.
Deja Vu: Just like 2011, United went back in for Wesley Sneijder, and it was again rejected
But what happened to Mesut Ozil? The German was offered to the club on many occasions
Failure: And Ozil (right, pictured with Lukas Podolski) eventually joined Arsenal for a club record fee
AND WHY DID UNITED SAY NO TO MESUT OZIL...?
Manchester United were offered Mesut Ozil in this summer transfer window but maintained they had no interest in signing the German.
Manchester United were offered Mesut Ozil in this summer transfer window but maintained they had no interest in signing the German.
The new Arsenal man would appear to be exactly the kind of player United need, capable of committing opponents, unlocking defenders and scoring goals from midfield.
It is thought that Ozil would have chosen the English champions over Arsenal, too. What were United thinking?
AND THEN THERE'S MORE...
LEIGHTON BAINES (Everton)
Moyes was desperate to sign his former left back but United came nowhere near Everton’s £20million valuation. The bidding started at £9m and finished at £15m.
GARETH BALE (Tottenham)
Always a long shot as Tottenham did not want to sell to United. Real Madrid were always in pole position.
FABIO COENTRAO (Real Madrid)
A late target, Coentrao (right) stayed in the Spanish capital as the paperwork for the deal was done too late and Madrid couldn’t get cover for him.
EZEQUIEL GARAY (Benfica)
The Benfica centre back was due to sign early in the summer in a deal set up by Ferguson. But Moyes was unsure and Garay stayed in Lisbon.
CRISTIANO RONALDO (Real Madrid)
The big dream and one they will return to next summer. Real rejected United’s enquiries, insisting that their former talisman was not for sale.
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