Manchester United could have three right wingers after the transfer window

It will have reassured Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to read Aaron Wan-Bissaka is intent on developing into a more attack-minded full-back next season. Solskjaer said after his first Old Trafford match as manager on Boxing Day 'it's important in modern football to get the full-backs flying on' and he initially heralded an improvement at Manchester United. Then they ran out of gasoline.

United's conditioning became a bone of contention last season and the former fitness coach Stefano Rapetti has copped much of the blame behind the scenes. Rapetti joined United from Sampdoria last summer but Jose Mourinho is understood to have been dissatisfied with his methods as United's stamina stats plunged towards the relegation zone in the running table.

Ashley Young and Luke Shaw ended 2018-19 in 12th and 13th in United's running stats for the Premier League. Even legislating for the mitigation of playing time (Marouane Fellaini, Andreas Pereira and Alexis Sanchez are ranked higher) that skews the finishes, Young's and Shaw's bottom half positions reaffirmed the full-back stagnation at United.

Shaw's own fitness issues and Matteo Darmian's attacking ineptitude allowed Young and Antonio Valencia - one-time wingers - to cement themselves as first-choice full-backs in Mourinho's second season. The phasing out of Valencia began with the acquisition of Diogo Dalot last year and Young, 34 next month, is maybe preparing for his final campaign at United.

United have prioritised a right-back over a centre-back and, provided they do not bungle a deal for Wan-Bissaka, might soon have Britain's priciest full-back. Wan-Bissaka fits the mould of United's transfer strategy change though the age-range is still a risk. United bought a young right-back last year in Dalot for a cost-efficient £19m and are going to have to stump up over £30m more for another.

Wan-Bissaka, 21, has thrived in a stress-free environment at Crystal Palace, a club never in genuine jeopardy of relegation and not expected to break into the top half of the Premier League. Patrice Evra, a Champions League finalist, described his 2006 derby debut at City as 'like being in a washing machine'. He was hooked at half-time.

With dialogue continuing between Palace and United as Wan-Bissaka lined up for England last week in the Under-21s European Championship, he suffered what a Palace fan described as his 'worst game' in his biggest game, scoring a late own goal to gift France victory. Wan-Bissaka was dropped for the Friday night defeat to Romania after his coach Aidy Boothroyd suggested he was distracted by the transfer chatter.

Parachute Wan-Bissaka into the United XI against Christian Pulisic at Old Trafford on August 11 and it is not beyond the realms of possibility he could struggle amid intense scrutiny. Should Solskjaer then turn to Dalot and he not only excels but retains his place, suddenly Wan-Bissaka is trending on Twitter for being a worse right-back than the guy who was £30m cheaper. Then again, Wan-Bissaka could pocket Pulisic.

"The advantage is I was a winger," he said of his one-on-one defending. "So whoever I come up against I know what I'm going to expect. Whether he's going in or out, but my main focus is to show them out." Wan-Bissaka was on the pitch as Palace kept a clean sheet at Old Trafford last term but unavailable for the reverse, when United scored three at Selhurst Park.

If and when United sign Wan-Bissaka they will have two specialist right-backs for the first time since the Da Silva twins were 21 and under-used. Wan-Bissaka and Dalot are proactive athletes and the latter has looked adept during his stints as a right winger. Wan-Bissaka played as a winger from the age of 11 to 18 in Palace's academy.

An auxiliary but natural alternative would be the right-footed Daniel James, a willing runner in both directions  and who caught the eye with his tracking back in Swansea's epic FA Cup quarter-final defeat by Manchester City in March. James flagged when he switched to the right flank for Wales in Croatia earlier this month and wing-back - should the occasion ever call for it - could offer a happy medium.

United do not have a right-hand side comparable with Walker and Sterling or Alexander-Arnold and Salah but they have, even without Wan-Bissaka, freshened up a stagnant area of the squad. Dalot, James and Wan-Bissaka are aged 21 or under and there is a sage tutor in Juan Mata, a central playmaker who adapted commendably to the right wing.

Maybe now the full-backs will fly on.