The appointment of Louis van Gaal was always going to bring more than a pinch of Dutch flavouring to Old Trafford.
He has shown in the past that when it comes to player recruitment, he likes to stick to what he knows.
Barcelona’s ranks were filled with fellow countrymen during his reign in Spain, while Arjen Robben was one of his finest purchases while at the helm of Bayern Munich.
A similar process was started last summer, with Daley Blind acquired from Ajax in a deal which made a lot of sense for all parties.
Interest was also shown in Nigel de Jong, reported in Ron Vlaar and rekindled in Wesley Sneijder.
Van Gaal knows all three well from his time in charge of the Netherlands national side and is well aware of the qualities they would bring to his ranks.
The January window has brought another round of rumours, with De Jong and Sneijder still said to be figuring prominently on the radar at the Theatre of Dreams.
There are arguments to be made for both to be signed, either or and neither.
De Jong would appear to be the option holding the most weight.
Manchester is already aware of his qualities, with three years spent across town at City.
A link to those of a blue persuasion could be held against him, but it shouldn’t be.
He may be 30 years of age, but he offers something which United are lacking and could acquire for next to nothing.
De Jong’s contract at AC Milan is running down, he is free to speak to interested parties and would be expected to jump at the chance to work with Van Gaal again as part of an ambitious project at one of the world’s biggest clubs. Indeed, the Premier League betting highly fancies United to return to the top four this season.
His ability to break up play and generally make a nuisance of himself would help to free up others at United, be that Michael Carrick alongside him in more of a traditional 4-4-2 system or the likes of Wayne Rooney, Angel di Maria and Juan Mata in the 3-5-2 formation currently favoured.
Sneijder, though, would also slot nicely into Van Gaal’s grand plan.
There can be no questioning his ability. You do not get to grace the books of Ajax, Real Madrid, Inter Milan and Galatasaray unless you have a bit of something about you.
With United appearing to hold reservations about Radamel Falcao, with the chances of his loan deal being made permanent still up in the air, United need to start planning for the future in the attacking department.
Wayne Rooney has been dropped back in a deep-lying role to accommodate Falcao’s presence at times, but why use one of United and England’s finest goalscorers in a position more suited to the creation of chances than the taking of them?
Sneijder could comfortably fill that role, allowing Rooney to push back up top and partner Robin van Persie or whoever else Van Gaal cares to bring in.
He would not come cheap – Galatasaray have made that clear – but how often do you get the chance to acquire one of the finest playmakers in European football, especially one still at the peak of his powers at 30 years old.
Van Gaal will be asking himself the same questions and it could be that he decides to go Dutch again before the winter deadline passes and Premier League bosses are forced to make do in their respective battles towards the top and bottom of the table.
