If we were to settle into a diamond formation with Martial, Rashford and Lukaku competing for the two up front spots; I think Countinho would be sensational in the number 10 role. We could feasibly sign just two players to make that formation work:
De Gea
Dalot - - - De Ligt - - Lindelof - - - Shaw
Fred
Herrera - - - - - Pogba
Coutinho
Rashford - - - - Martial
Subs: Romero, Young, Smalling, Matic, Pereira, Lingard, Lukaku
Reserves: Grant, Jones, McTominay, Garner, Mata, Gomes, Chong, Greenwood
Sell: Bailly, Rojo, Darmian, Sanchez
Additional signings: Versatile fullback such as Tierney, or a starter such as Wan-Bissaka. Other potential area would be a controlling CM.
This would be the route I would take IF we can’t get Sancho. Personally I’ve loved Ole’s diamond, as the forwards run the channels really well, allowing the 10 to attack from deep, or act as a false 9. Other times it gives you way more presence in the box, and Pogba really attacks from that left sided channel.
My hope is for 2-3 high quality but young signings of players who are just exploding onto the scene, or about to enter their prime. Coutinho is a magnificent player IMO, and would give us a brilliant attacking threat, not least from distance. Something tells the that the link up between Pogba, Coutinho and Martial would be jizz worthy.
I also think the highly intelligent movement and runs of Rashford would be best exploited by the addition of a player like Coutinho. Sancho is a sensational player, but I do feel Coutinho in this system would help us control the middle of the park in a way that would hugely benefit us.
At the end of the day, I would take either; and be bloody happy for it.