Manchester United's plans in the transfer market have been well placed, moving swiftly to sign Tom Heaton to bolster their goalkeeping ranks and completing a similar push with Jadon Sancho.
The England international has passed his medical at the club ahead of his move from Borussia Dortmund and an official announcement is imminent.
Meanwhile, in the background, the club's pursuit of Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane is ongoing, while interest in Atletico Madrid full-back Kieran Trippier remains.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side and the club's hierarchy have a clear plan in their approaches, learning from previous mistakes to ensure that the moves made are efficient and effective.
Similar plans will remain in place moving forward, with it no secret that United will be in the market for a new striker next summer when Edinson Cavani's contract is up, with the Uruguayan seemingly set for a return to South America.
United admire Erling Haaland and have the Borussia Dortmund striker as their first-choice option on the market, with Solskjaer's relationship with his young compatriot potentially a major boost for that pursuit.
However, the best-laid plans could be wrecked by Chelsea - with Thomas Tuchel also rating the forward extremely highly and, crucially, wanting to complete a transfer this summer - jumping to the front of the queue.
That puts United in a difficult position. Having spent over £70m on Sancho and a deal for Varane also set to cost a significant sum, finances will be stretched and the pot of money is not bottomless.
The risk, however, is not only missing out on Haaland but also seeing him play for a direct rival. It begs the big question, what is the bigger cost? The financial outlay to win the race for Haaland or seeing him play in West London in a blue shirt?
A more imposing question, however, is what United do next year if Haaland is off the market. Top-quality strikers are in very short supply right now, which means alternatives are hard to come by. Realistically, the options would then be Kylian Mbappe or Harry Kane.
Kane, by the start of next season, will be 29 and his injury issues are well documented, which is of significant concern following the delayed finish last year, Euro 2020 this summer and the 2022 World Cup at the end of next year.
Mbappe, on the other hand, may well be the bargain of the century in terms of transfer fee if he runs down his contract with Paris Saint-Germain but Real Madrid have long been at the front of the queue for the Frenchman, while his wages will be astronomical.
Can United afford to miss out on Haaland? It's a difficult question to answer when the scenario may be that he's the perfect candidate to sign next year but, right now, the addition of a central-defensive partner for Harry Maguire is the more pressing concern.
It's a lesson in how cruel football can be though. The best-laid plans can fall apart instantly, with the importance of plans B through to Z being just as crucial as plan A. In regards to Haaland though, the back-up plans may not be a list that is so extensive.
United will just have to have everything crossed that Dortmund stand firm in their stance that Haaland isn't going anywhere this summer and keep on blocking Chelsea's advances, leaving the door open for next year's battle in the market.
