Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted Manchester United will "probably" make just one more signing this summer.
Ferguson spoke at a press conference in which the club unveiled new additions Shinji Kagawa, bought for £17m from Borussia Dortmund, and former Crewe Alexandra starlet Nick Powell.
Yet with the general consensus that United need at least two more players to sufficiently strengthen, Ferguson's forecast will dishearten supporters.
"We could possibly bring one or two more in, but probably one. When there's a major international tournament on, there's a delay in the transfer market. But now the European Championship is over, we're trying to bring someone in.
"We've always done well in terms of getting players at the end of season, instead of waiting all summer. In Kagawa's case, there was a fair bit of negotiating and that kept going for weeks. As for Powell, we knew Dario Gradi [Crewe Alexandra director of football] would help us do the deal quickly."
Ferguson, who watched Kagawa live during Dormund's 5-2 DFB-Poka final win over Bayern Munich, remarked the Japanese "could make a difference. He can give us that extra in the final third of the field".
Powell meanwhile, the Scot had been assured by Gradi, can play in central midfield and Ferguson stressed "he'll be a central midfield player and that's where we'll develop him."
That however is unlikely to placate United supporters who have become accustomed to the team's midfield malaise in recent years, especially since Ferguson muttered "no idea" when pressed on what position any potential signing played.
Astonishingly Ferguson has not signed a central midfielder since Anderson in 2007, and he has since spent over £150m on players in almost every other position.
Ferguson was also forbidden from answering to Mirror journalist David McDonnell when he attempted to ask for the manager's thoughts on United's IPO document which was released last week.
It was stated in the document the club's £423.3m debt could "affect" the club's "ability to compete". However United's stance on questions regarding the loathed Glazer family owners has tightened, while Ferguson has actually praised them in the past.
Darren Fletcher's future at the club is also bleak, as the midfielder struggles to overcome his ulcerative colitis illness.
United revealed Fletcher's health situation in December last year, and Ferguson sounded pessimistic about the 27-year-old making a successful return.
"He won't start the season. If it doesn't work out, he knows he has a position here," he conceded.