Manchester United's future may look dismal right now, but the approaching summer transfer window gives one more opportunity to turn things around.

When you consider how terrible the club has been run over the last decade, it's hard to conceive that United will ever get anything right again. However, a positive outlook suggests that a team's fortunes can be drastically altered by a few strategic signings.

Crystal Palace is a club that Manchester United should look up to as a model. With Patrick Vieira as their new manager, the Eagles have witnessed a dramatic improvement in their performances, league position, and overall level of play after making a few acquisitions that fit the style of play Vieira prefers. Since United has significantly more resources at their disposal, they should be able to perform the same or better.

The first stage is to get a new manager, who appears to be Ajax's Erik ten Hag. The second step is to support him in the transfer market by signing players who are compatible with the Dutchman's preferred style of play. It's not only about the name value.

Any new manager's first task will be to deal with the most difficult position on the field: midfield. The club has been woefully short of appropriate back-line protection and a player capable of influencing the play with a precise range of passing for years, yet the club has consistently decided to pour money into other areas instead.

Despite the fact that Scott McTominay and Fred have been vilified, they have shown to be the greatest options available despite their flaws. Given that Paul Pogba is almost destined to leave Manchester United when his contract expires and that Nemanja Matic is turning a year older, the need for reinforcements in the middle of the field has never been greater.

Leeds United's Kalvin Phillips is a player who Man Utd is interested in signing.

While United's midfield has been a problem, the incoming manager has the perfect opportunity to immediately transform the team's choices without the need for a clear-out first. A pair of new acquisitions in this area might immediately improve the technicality, solidity, and depth of Manchester United's midfield, as a result.

West Ham would seek an astronomical fee for Declan Rice, which would leave United with little money to spend elsewhere, and while Rice's quality is undeniable, it would be naive for United to once again believe that one big-money signing will cure all of their problems.

Leaving aside the reality that Rice is unlikely to accept a transfer to Old Trafford due to the absence of Champions League football on offer, it would be far preferable for the club to sign a number of players in the position.

Instead of investing £150 million on Rice, a considerably lesser fee for Leeds United's Kalvin Phillips would be much more reasonable. According to MEN Sport, the club is close to finalizing a deal to sign the 26-year-old, whose contract expires in 2024 and who may be available for a reasonable sum at the time. After establishing himself as a defensive midfielder for his hometown club, Phillips has shown that he possesses the tactical discipline, awareness, tackling technique, and cool distribution necessary to perform in the much-needed role of a defensive midfielder for Manchester United. Phillips also demonstrated this during his time with England at Euro 2020.

And if there's money left over, the Red Devils might look for a more dynamic midfielder to inject some flair, technique, and attacking ability into a unit that's woefully lacking in those attributes. Either Ruben Neves or Youri Tielemans would be excellent additions to any team's roster.

Despite the fact that both players are in their mid-20s and have contracts that expire within two years, they have played in multiple Premier League seasons and would provide a superb range of passing and a calm serenity on the ball that no one else in the squad possesses. Not to mention a rise in the number of goals scored from midfield.

Youri Tielemans defends the ball from Ruben Neves of Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Manchester United's midfield options have been bolstered by the acquisitions of Donny van de Beek and James Garner, both of whom were formerly employed by manager Guus Hiddink, respectively. In fact, they would be really attractive.

Ten Hag, like many others at Ajax before him, like the 4-3-3 configuration, and it is almost certain that this will be the formation he will use if he is given the job as manager. He would almost certainly start with the following midfield: Pogba-Fred-McTominay, which would leave the Brazilian playing out of position with only Nemanja Matic as a backup if he were to take over tomorrow. It would not function in the manner in which Ten Hag desired.

However, if United are successful in bringing in two excellent midfielders in the summer, their starting lineup may look something like this: Fred-Phillips-Neves/Tielemans, with Van de Beek-Matic-McTominay as a back-up. To that list, you can also include Garner, whose outstanding 18-month loan spell at Nottingham Forest has undoubtedly earned him a legitimate shot at a starting spot in the first team.

And that doesn't even take into account Bruno Fernandes, who may be shifted back into a midfield role under Ten Hag or pushed farther forward in the offensive trio under the Dutchman.

United has gone from having an embarrassment of riches on the field to having an embarrassment of riches in the field in the blink of an eye. Even when they are denied the opportunity to sign a record deal. The addition of just two great but not absurdly costly players would allow United to begin their renewal by finally solving their midfield problem and bringing actual technical quality and defensive solidity to the position, allowing them to begin their rejuvenation. With that sorted out, their expenditure in other areas may finally begin to bear fruit.

Everything is now in the hands of United, who, if history is any indication, will not make things as straightforward as they initially appear to.