It’s a period of transition for Manchester United under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as they try and return to their former glories.

The post-Sir Alex Ferguson era was always going to be difficult, and two world class managers in Jose Mourinho and Louis van Gaal have found that out the hard way.

David Moyes was always on a hiding to nothing succeeding arguably the greatest manager ever, so having tried two different approaches, bringing in former player Solskjaer was the latest tactic to appease United’s worldwide fanbase that are running out of patience at their club’s apparent failings in the transfer market and the distance by which they have fallen behind fiercest rivals Liverpool and Manchester City in the Premier League.

But United are still a household name, they are still an institution and they are still an attractive proposition for players, even if, for this season at least, there’s no Champions League on offer.

The signings that Solskjaer made over the summer epitomise this - boyhood United fan Harry Maguire made the point that as soon as he knew United were in for him, he didn’t want to go anywhere else; Daniel James, who made a poignant tribute to his late father after his debut goal for the club, said it was a dream come true; while England international Aaron Wan-Bissaka has made a solid, if unspectacular, start to life at a “big” club.

The only thing that usurps the clamour for Manchester United tickets is the clamour for big money signings.

But the events of the previous few years show why signing big isn’t always best. Look at Alexis Sanchez. A superstar at Arsenal with a fine career behind him, but he flopped at United and cost them a fair packet - and still will, even despite his departure to Inter Milan.

Romelu Lukaku was a logical signing at the time, but even that didn’t work out. Far too often in recent years have United signed players for the sake of a name, rather than for the sake of a team. Angel Di Maria is another one that springs to mind, and you could even count the panic buys of Marouane Fellaini and Juan Mata, where it was almost United felt that they had to make a signing, any old signing, to appease that they weren’t actually considering where these players would fit in their squad.

Solskjaer’s efforts in the transfer market this summer relate closer to the policy that Ferguson undertook - signing players with potential that would become superstars at United, rather than signing existing superstars that come sometimes with baggage and almost always with a large fee.

Given the sheer size of the club, the iconic Old Trafford and the heritage of United, there won’t be many players that aren’t attracted to play for the club. And if they aren’t, then clearly they aren’t the right player to be signing anyway.

Fans have to be patient and not always demand the big names, which while they might shift Europa League tickets in the first season, may not be the answer to the long-term question of how long will it take for United to get back to the top.