Ten Hag's 16 Man Utd transfers rated and slated as half fail to make grade
Erik ten Hag has spent £404million on 16 players since taking charge of Manchester United in May 2022. Despite that huge outlay, United find themselves in seventh spot in the Premier League and bottom of their Champions League group, with 10 defeats from 21 games in all competitions this season.
Against that backdrop, and with Ten Hag under mounting pressure with several players said to be disillusioned, how have the Dutchman's United signings rated? Here we assess all of the players Ten Hag has signed and determine whether they have been a hit, miss or the jury is still out on them.
TYRELL MALACIA (£13m): MISS
Ten Hag's first United signing, he usurped Luke Shaw at left-back early last season with a run in the side, until the England international got himself together to reclaim his place. Missed pre-season through injury, has yet to play this season and is now out until the new year following surgery.
CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN (Free): MISS
Marcel Sabitzer completes Man Utd transfer after last-minute deadline day dash
Signed as a free agent from Brentford, it seemed a no-brainer for United to land a player of such experience and creativity for nothing. Impressed initially, but faded thereafter, lacking influence and frequently overrun in midfield, before injury kept him out for 10 weeks. One goal and one assist this season, before suffering an injury against Luton last month that will keep him out until the new year.
LISANDRO MARTINEZ: (£55.5m) HIT
Ten Hag's best signing by some distance, United have badly missed his belligerent presence in defence and total commitment to the cause this season, with Martinez ruled out until the new year after further surgery on a metatarsal injury sustained towards the end of last season. Mocked for his lack of height early on, Martinez proved his critics wrong and cannot return soon enough for United.
ANTONY (£82m): MISS
Potentially the biggest waste of money in United's history, he has failed to live up to his inflated fee. One-footed, so defenders always know he is going to cut inside onto his left foot, he has become too predictable. Taken out of the side while he faced allegations of domestic abuse, then restored despite the claims still hanging over him, he has, thus far, been an unmitigated flop.
Casemiro enjoyed an excellent debut season as a Man United player (Getty Images)CASEMIRO (£70m): HIT
Eyebrows were raised when United paid Real Madrid £70m for the 30-year-old, despite his huge experience and proven quality. But he was hugely influential last season, running United's midfield and coming up with some key goals. This season has been a complete contrast, with Casemiro off the pace, currently injured and likely to leave next summer, with United needing to recruit a younger, more dynamic holding midfielder.
MARTIN DUBRAVKA (Loan): MISS
Brought in to provide competition for David De Gea after Dean Henderson's loan move to Crystal Palace last season, Dubravka made two Carabao Cup appearances, before being recalled by Newcastle midway through his loan spell.
JACK BUTLAND (Loan): MISS
Man Utd deadline day live updates as Sabitzer completes loan move
Drafted in when Dubravka was recalled by Newcastle, Butland was involved in 20 matchday squads but did not make a single appearance. Now No.1 at Rangers.
WOUT WEGHORST (Loan): MISS
Following Cristiano Ronaldo's acrimonious exit and with Antony Martial's unreliability, United needed a striker, but with no money forthcoming from the Glazers, a loan was Ten Hag's only option. Brought in from Burnley, Weghorst ran about a lot but that was about it, scoring just twice.
Wout Weghorst struggled for goals at Manchester United (Getty Images)MARCEL SABITZER (Loan): HIT
Brought in on loan from Bayern Munich in January with Eriksen injured, he brought energy and technical ability to United's midfield, as well as the odd goal. But his time ended prematurely with an injury towards the end of last season, with Ten Hag opting against signing him permanently.
MASON MOUNT (£60m): MISS
Signed from Chelsea, where he had stagnated, a move to United seemed the ideal place to get his career back on track, but it hasn't worked out. Injured after two games, he has underwhelmed when he has played since, and is sidelined once again. Has failed to make the expected impact and, so far, is proving to have been a costly error of judgment from Ten Hag, particularly when James Maddison, who can also play in a variety of forward positions, was also available for £45m, but went to Spurs.
ANDRE ONANA (£47.2m): MISS
Ostensibly an upgrade on David De Gea, Onana has been anything but that, with costly mistakes, in particular in the Champions League, home and away against Galatasaray, and at Bayern Munich. Onana was bought for his ability to play out from the back, but his distribution has been patchy and so far the Cameroon international – who could miss six games next month if he goes on Africa Cup of Nations Duty – has underwhelmed.
RASMUS HOJLUND (£72m): HIT
Still without a goal in the Premier League, at least Hojlund has been prolific in the Champions League, with five to his name. The 20-year-old's problem is that he is not Harry Kane, who was Ten Hag's first-choice, with United unwilling to be drawn into a transfer saga with Tottenham last summer, or pay a £100m transfer fee and £400,000-a-week in wages. Bought for his potential, Hojlund has made a promising start to his United career and shown a hunger and desire lacking in some of his team-mates.
Rasmus Hojlund has made a promising start to life at Old Trafford (Getty Images)JONNY EVANS (Free): JURY'S OUT
No-one, least of all Evans himself, would have expected him to be a first-choice centre-back this season, when he was signed in the summer as cover. But Evans found himself alongside Harry Maguire as Ten Hag's preferred central defensive pairing, until injury sidelined him a few weeks ago. Diligent and experienced but, at 36 next month, his best days are clearly behind him.
SOFYAN AMRABAT (Loan): JURY'S OUT
United's lack of personnel at left-back saw Morocco midfielder Amrabat fill in there for several games following his season-long loan move from Fiorentina. Has not shown enough when deployed in his customary midfield position, but was efficient enough in the 3-3 draw at Galatasaray last week.
SERGIO REGUILON (Loan): JURY'S OUT
Brought in on loan as cover for the injured Shaw, the former Tottenham left-back then became injured himself and has started just one of United's last nine Premier League games.
ALTAY BAYINDIR (£4.3m): JURY'S OUT
Yet to make his United debut, with Onana having started all 21 of United's games this season, Bayindir has had to be patient. But the Turkish keeper may finally get his chance if Onana, as expected, is called up for Africa Cup of Nations Duty next month.
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