With the summer transfer window fast approaching, there are plenty of players who may well be starting to think about their futures, and plenty of clubs who will be starting to weigh-up potential targets.

That could of course mean that certain sides may revisit past targets, and one such link that may well cause interest again come the end of the season, surrounds Stoke City defender Nathan Collins, and Manchester United.

United were first linked with Collins when the centre back was still only 18-year-old in the summer of 2019, and although no move ultimately materialised at that point.

Now however, there may be a chance that that interest may yet be renewed as we approach the end of the campaign.

It has recently been reported that Stoke are concerned that United could renew their interest in Collins in the summer, following the appointment of Darren Fletcher as a member of the coaching staff at Old Trafford.

Given Fletcher is familiar with Collins, having ended his playing career with a spell at Stoke between 2017 and 2019, it would make sense for United to at least explore the prospect of a move for the defender again, given the extra insight they could now have on him.

Indeed, considering Collins has now also have played two more seasons of senior football since those links with United first emerged, it could also be argued that the Irishman would now be better prepared for a move such as this.

However, Stoke are unlikely to want to lose Collins any time soon, and with three years remaining on his contract at the Bet365 Stadium, they are in a strong position to negotiate any offers that come in for him.

Perhaps not surprisingly therefore, it was claimed earlier in the season that the Potters have placed a price tag worth more than £15million on Collins ahead of the market reopening at the end of the season.

That of course, is a fee that United would no doubt be able to afford, but at a time when finances have been tightened for all clubs across the world, they will have to decide whether they want to spend that money on a centre back who is still relatively inexperienced and untested at top-flight level, in a window where they may well have to add to their squad in other positions as well.

As a result, while it would be no surprise to see United at least explore that interest in Collins again this summer, whether or not a deal actually happens, could be a different matter altogether.