Things have changed so much at Manchester United over the last years that every new season brings a barely recognisable new side.
There will be a lot more changes before new Manchester United boss, Jose Mourinho, is happy with his lot.
And there have been some genuine surprises in terms of the form of several players who were seemingly on their way out of the club in August.
Matteo Darmian is a case in point. He was nowhere in his first year at the club and simply didn’t appear to have the temperament for the cauldron of Old Trafford: he looked scared.
But he has been forced into the left-back position because of injuries and seems to have gained the trust of Jose who has selected him over Daley Blind and Luke Shaw (when fit).
Marcos Rojo is another who has confounded the critics with some Argentinian style, no nonsense performances.
What he lacks in finesse he more than makes up for with sheer will and determination.
But while these guys are probably staying, others still look doomed to departure.
Morgan Schneiderlin has not risen to the challenge of a new manager and will surely be on his way if a decent offer comes in – perhaps from Everton.
Memphis Depay has been all over the back pages and simply hasn’t sparked at Manchester United. He could also go to Goodison if the price is right.
And Bastian Schweinsteiger appears to be looking for the right move to finish off his career on the pitch instead of the bench.
Perhaps the most interesting case is that of Marouane Fellaini. His frailties have been badly exposed at Manchester United but he regularly gets thrown on when the team needs height to see out games. That hasn’t always worked for Mourinho but will he keep the Belgian simply for that aerial prowess in the final throes of games?
TFF thinks United might struggle to get a price that they are happy with in January and may have to wait for the likes of an Italian club to come in with somewhere around £8m in the summer. Fellaini was a bad buy indeed for Manchester United.