Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim says it is possible the club could make a January transfer window signing.
United took on an extra £105m of debt to help fund their summer transfer spending, with November's club accounts showing they now owe £1.1bn.
They spent £230m on new players in the summer but weaknesses in Amorim's squad have been clear all season, with central midfield and left wing-back viewed as priority areas to address.
United are keen on Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo, while Ruben Neves and Conor Gallagher are likely to be available next month and have the Premier League experience Amorim has found helpful in Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha.
"I don't know what is going to happen, but it's possible we can do something - we will see," Amorim said.
"The only thing we know is that we would only try to bring players we think are going to be the future.
"It's not going to be to save something in this moment, to cope with the losses of three players for Afcon."
The absence of Mbeumo, Amad Diallo and Noussar Mazraoui for up to seven games because of their Africa Cup of Nations commitments has led Amorim to consider making significant changes to his preferred tactical formation.
Speaking before Sunday's trip to Aston Villa, Amorim said: "If we have to change to a back four, we change to a back four."
Amorim has previously resisted calls to make the tactical adjustment to a four-man defence and three in midfield many feel would make United's defence more solid and at the same time offer Kobbie Mainoo his most obvious route into the starting line-up.
If England midfielder Mainoo does not start at Villa Park - particularly with Casemiro suspended - it is hard to see when he will.
Mainoo's situation is part of a complicated transfer jigsaw.
As was the case in the summer, the 20-year-old is keen to leave on loan- but, as a regular in Amorim's matchday squad, he would need replacing.
It seems likely that former Wolves skipper Neves would be willing to accept less than he has been earning in the Saudi Pro League to return to the Premier League.
The Portuguese, who turned down a new deal with Al Hilal after joining them in 2023, would have to fit in with Sir Jim Ratcliffe's desire to end the days of £300,000-a-week contracts.
His salary would still far exceed that of Mainoo, who has not had an increase on the long-term deal he signed in February 2023 when he was just breaking into United's first-team squad.
If they decide to let Mainoo leave, United would have to decide whether some permanency should be attached to it so the additional expense for a replacement is covered.
While many wonder how Semenyo can fit into a team where skipper Bruno Fernandes has already had to drop into central midfield to accommodate Mbeumo and Cunha in the number 10 roles, United sources are confident Amorim can find a solution.
The 25-year-old Ghana international, who scored for the Cherries in the 4-4 epic at Old Trafford earlier in December, has a clause in his Bournemouth contract that allows him to leave for £65m provided it is triggered early enough in January.
However, Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham are also known to be keen on him.
It is possible Amorim could either decide on a permanent tactical shift or use Semenyo as an attacking weapon in the problematic left wing-back role, where he lacks an attacking option similar to Amad, who is a regular on the right.
Either way, his words are bound to be welcomed by the United support, who over the last couple of months have seen their side flirt with Champions League places without being able to secure one.
Amorim insists any deal will have that long-term vision in mind.
"We will try to bring in now – and at the end of the season – players that are perfect for our future," he added.
