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)