Tosin Adarabioyo transfer move illustrates perfectly the Man United issues facing Jason Wilcox

If Manchester United's injury crisis this season has taught us anything, it's that their centre-back department is in desperate need of a makeover.

United's defensive line has been decimated by injuries, particularly at centre-back, meaning they are crying out for fresh blood in that area of the team. For the fifth game running, Casemiro started as an emergency centre-back against Arsenal on Sunday, partnering Jonny Evans.

United were without Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof against the Gunners, but Willy Kambwala was fit enough to return to the bench after a four-game absence. The latter could start tonight's visit of Newcastle United.

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Nevertheless, while injuries cannot be helped, it is no secret that United desperately need to strengthen their centre-back pool. They have been unable to rely on a settled partnership this season and adequate depth has rarely been available to Erik ten Hag.

United, of course, have announced the first step in their plan to reconstruct the landscape of their centre-back department, confirming Varane will leave Old Trafford at the end the season. His contract is up at the end of next month and it will not be extended.

Evans is also out-of-contract next month and it is highly likely that one of Maguire or Lindelof will be sold. Should either of those two depart and Evans is released, United will have just three first-team centre-backs to head into next season with.

Should that situation come to fruition, it is easy to understand why the club has already settled on a plan to sign two central defenders over the summer. It is the general feeling that United need to source a long-term replacement for Varane to come straight into the starting line up and partner Martinez, while a secondary signing is required to add both depth and quality in reserve.

And that is where ongoing reports linking United with Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo start to make sense. The former Manchester City defender's contract at Craven Cottage is up at the end next month and he is looking increasingly unlikely to put pen to paper on a new deal, meaning he will soon become a free agent.

He is being linked with a plethora of big-name clubs and reports over the last few days linking him with Old Trafford have increased. As outlined, United want two centre-backs this summer and are understood to be monitoring Jarrad Branthwaite of Everton, Edmond Tapsoba of Bayer Leverkusen and Juventus' Gleison Bremer.

Each member of that trio would arrive at Old Trafford with the intention of starting every week, whereas Adarabioyo, despite his capabilities, would probably be more willing to accept a rotational role. The 26-year-old, who worked with new United technical director Jason Wilcox at Manchester City as a youngster, is an attractive option for any club on a free transfer, and United would be acting sensibly to investigate. Signing him would be unlikely to break the internet and send social media into a frenzy, but he would be a low-risk addition to the squad on a free transfer.

United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has signalled his intentions to rewrite United's transfer policy and move away from overspending on established, big-name players, many of whom have not been worth the money United have forked out for them in recent years. Ratcliffe, of course, once described United as being "the dumb money", lambasting their outlook on recruitment.

With a plan in place to try and alter the club's recruitment strategy, in a bid to avoid wasting lavish amounts of money on underperforming players, making a swoop for Adarabioyo, provided they also make a statement signing at centre-back, would earn plaudits. He would also count towards the homegrown quota and provide a much-needed freshness to the defensive pool, given he is five years Varane's junior and 10 years younger than Evans.

Adarabioyo's decision on his future will, quite rightly, boil down to who can present him with the best package, both financially and in terms of game time, but he is a credible option to top up United's centre-back pool. With respect, the prospect of signing a player on a free transfer after a four-year spell at Fulham is not what United are used to, meaning it would highlight their fall from grace even further.

But in a summer where they are going to have to be mindful of financial regulations and attempt to rebuild the squad with a long-term plan in place, signing him would make perfect sense.