London - How much money is it going to take for Manchester United to become Barclays Premier League champions again?
For all the drama of the transfer window, that is what it comes down to.
Louis van Gaal has been in charge for over a year and United’s net spend is around £170million. That is a huge investment but the next step has to be pushing for the title.
Van Gaal took United from seventh back into the Champions League and there are some very good players in his squad. If they don’t finish in the top three they are underachieving, so the pressure is firmly on Van Gaal.
But it still felt like United were rolling the dice on deadline day. It is hard to imagine that kind of soap opera happening under Sir Alex Ferguson and David Gill. It was embarrassing.
The signing of Anthony Martial is a huge gamble. He has been compared to Thierry Henry and if he is half as good then he will be a decent player. Van Gaal likes a pacey ball-carrier - he had Arjen Robben at Bayern Munich and tried and failed to make Angel di Maria that man at United - and Martial fits the bill.
He might even be the answer to their striker dilemma but it is still a big risk to take on an uncapped youngster.
Van Gaal also thought nothing of selling Di Maria and losing £16m just a year after signing him and the way Di Maria and Radamel Falcao both flopped discredits the Dutchman.
The biggest issue for Van Gaal, though, is his man management. The David de Gea saga was farcical but if no offers had been made by Real Madrid until deadline day then he should have been playing.
Banishing him to the reserves will have done nothing to encourage him to stay.
The international break now means things can start to settle down but De Gea, who stayed professional throughout the saga, must surely play on his return.
You also wonder whether Van Gaal’s treatment of De Gea and fellow Spanish keeper Victor Valdes had any influence on why one-time target Pedro ended up at Chelsea.We do not see what happens in the dressing room but it is a concern when former players queue up to criticise Van Gaal’s ruthless treatment.
Once a relationship is broken, there seems to be no going back.
Players will have much more respect for a manager who is consistent and takes time to explain decisions.
I was shocked when Van Gaal publicly criticised Luke Shaw for being unfit last year, he obviously has issues with Marcus Rojo and what must Adnan Januzaj be thinking?
At the start of the season it looked like he was going to get a chance. A few weeks later he is packed off on loan.
What will hurt the fans is the loss of academy graduates who have United blood in their veins.
There are only eight left from United’s 2013 title-winning squad and with the likes of Danny Welbeck, Darren Fletcher, Tom Cleverley and Jonny Evans gone, there is a feeling that United are losing part of their identity.
Big names come and go but Van Gaal is in danger of ripping out the core of the club.
The same goes with their playing style. Everything looks controlled and safe but they do not attack like the old United.
It is ironic that United are trying to keep up with their neighbours. City have two quality players in every position and a distinct style but it feels like Van Gaal is still experimenting.
He has used 44 players at United, 14 more than City, and in 42 Premier League games has named an unchanged team only three times. But there have been positive changes.
The midfield is vastly improved with Bastian Schweinsteiger and Morgan Schneiderlin adding great depth.
United have also been solid since ditching a back three for a back four, keeping three clean sheets in four games.
Chris Smalling is improving and Daley Blind a calming influence.United’s first match after the international break is Liverpool at Old Trafford so it will be fascinating to see which team Van Gaal picks.
United are still two or three key players short but after what went on in the transfer window the spotlight is now firmly on Van Gaal.
Daily Mail