Souness slams "ordinary" Man Utd trio and questions Ten Hag's transfer policy

25 August 2023 , 22:09

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Souness slams "ordinary" Man Utd trio and questions Ten Hag's transfer policy

Liverpool legend Graeme Souness has branded Jadon Sancho, Antony and Alejandro Garnacho "ordinary", while delivering a scathing assessment of Erik ten Hag's transfer business.

Since taking charge at Old Trafford last summer, United have spent more than £350m on Antony, Rasmus Hojlund, Casemiro, Mason Mount, Lisandro Martinez, Andre Onana, Tyrell Malacia and Christian Eriksen.

However, Souness has criticised the Dutchman for being "heavily reliant on players he knows". Antony, Martinez and Onana all played for Ten Hag at Ajax, and Souness does not believe any of them are "up to the standard needed".

He also believes United need better options out wide than Antony, Sancho and Garnacho. In his latest column for the Daily Mail, Souness said: "Erik ten Hag has spent money. I'm sure he'd have liked to have spent a lot more but the ongoing saga over the new ownership still hasn't been sorted out so that's hindered them there.

"On the wings, you look at Jadon Sancho, Antony and Alejandro Garnacho. I don't think any of them are good enough to be United players long-term and take the club where they want to go as a giant of world football. They're ordinary.

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"In terms of recruitment, Ten Hag been heavily reliant on players he knows. Last season he signed Antony and Lisandro Martinez and now he's signed Onana. They all played for him at Ajax, and have now got to turn up for him.

"It's a quantum leap playing for Ajax in the Eredivisie then coming to the biggest club in England and playing a cup final every weekend - and that's what he's asked these guys to do.

Souness has criticised Erik ten Hag for being "heavily reliant on players he knows" (REX/Shutterstock)

"I'm not sure if any of them are up to the standard needed to make Manchester United the best team in this country again." Souness also feels United are no better than they were last season, despite the additions of Hojlund, Mount and Onana.

"We're only two games into the Premier League season but the early signs are that not much has changed at Manchester United," he added. "I don't see them being any better this year than they were last year. Based on what we've seen so far, no United fan will be thinking they can now win the Premier League or Champions League.

"They beat Wolves having been out-footballed for 90 minutes and the referee failing to spot an assault by their new goalkeeper. The players must have got back to the dressing room and thought 'how did we win that one?' Then they got beaten by Spurs."

Matthew Cooper