For the first July in the best part of a decade, Manchester United fans are buzzing.
Summer transfer windows that consisted of rumour after rumour and failed deal after failed deal never had the season ahead looking as promising as the current situation at Old Trafford.
What has happened since Jose Mourinho took charge is an unfamiliar feeling. Under Van Gaal it seemed that Woodward was so obsessed with signing a top name that he chased targets that simply did not want to play for the Dutchman with the club in the position it was. It was the same with Moyes, who allegedly dithered over so many deals that the players fecked off somewhere else, and even under Fergie the last few years, Robin Van Persie aside, were rather underwhelming for a club with such a winning pedigree and left the fans moaning when the likes of Marcos Rojo and nobody that resembled a starting centre midfielder were signed in August.
While Alex Ferguson, without question, had the pulling power to convince the world's elite to join, the club were not as active in the last few years, and then with the appointment of David Moyes and subsequent panic buy of Marouane Fellaini, United were a different animal in the transfer market. A wounded animal.
Now, Jose Mourinho has taken over and has restored the feeling that not only are Manchester United very serious about their intentions in terms of recruitment, but that players should want to play there.
People questioned the Henrikh Mkhitaryan deal. "Why is he taking a step down? Dortmund are a Champions League side." And yet one of their key players requested a move to join the Mourinho movement.
So what about Paul Pogba?
The popular opinion, somewhat understandably, after Euro 2016 is that Paul Pogba is not a great player and is worth nowhere near the fee that is being paid for him.
Keep in mind that going into the tournament Pogba was the name uttered by a huge majority of people when asked who was in contention for player of the tournament. What was that idea based on? His performances for Juventus over the last two seasons.
Is he the finished product? No. But that's exactly what Manchester United are buying him for. He has potential like few other players around today, and his current ability upgrades the current midfield situation (which has been in piss poor shape for a staggeringly long time) by a laughable amount.
So where is the negative?
The fee?
Man United will break the world record for a transfer fee, to bring in a player they watched develop in their academy. This is amusing to some, and utterly outrageous to others but the club are in a unique position where they can afford to essentially correct an error in judgement in an extremely costly manner and not have it affect them in any way.
The club earn so much annually that FFP doesn't come into it, and Pogba represents roughly one-fifth of the annual profits, so to fans who are against the deal because of the money, I have to ask, would you rather that profit sits in the bank account of the owners of the club?
And that's not considering just how much money Pogba will bring into the club in terms of image rights. He's one of the most marketable athletes on the planet.
It's brash, it's loud, it is the epitome of what the rapidly rising transfer market economy has become.. And it's typical Manchester United.
They have broken world records numerous times before. It's a good sign that they are willing to do it again.
Anthony Martial's fee was arguably more outrageous. That fee for a player nobody had heard about? United overpay for almost every singing they make. At least with Pogba the fans not only know of his ability and potential, but have been craving his return like an impossible pipe-dream.
I actually mocked Manchester United fans who wanted to sign Paul Pogba this summer. I thought it was delusional and unrealistic, and while I was unaware Jose Mourinho would be in place as manager at the time, I still would not have thought that his pull was this strong. And without Champions League football? It's unbelieveable. FIFA Career Mode stuff.
But it is happening. And the result is that within four or five weeks of the transfer window opening Mourinho has brought in Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, and a defender who may go straight into the starting lineup.
And Paul Pogba. That is the exclamation point on the statement and fans of other clubs who can't recognise that are underestimating the situation.
Does this mean I think United will walk the league next season? Far from it. We are all set up for the most intriguing Premier League season possibly that we've ever seen. Pep Guardiola is at City, Conte is at Chelsea, and Mourinho leading Manchester United mean that three clubs that were not in the title picture last season will almost certainly in the running this year along with the three who contested last year, as well as any other contenders as we remember the current champions were tipped for the drop 12 months ago. But it is hard to see a situation where Manchester United do not improve on last season.
If transpires that they don't improve, and Jose Mourinho has walked by October, then that is when fans of other clubs will truly savour ripping the piss. But for now, it's not advisable.
Manchester United, the club, is back doing what it wants to be known for doing, signing players and building a side to be strong enough to compete. It's up to Jose Mourinho to ensure that the team matches those improvements on the pitch.
