Every single one of Erik ten Hag's 16 Man Utd signings ranked – from Antony to Hojlund
Erik ten Hag is under mounting pressure and his signings have been increasingly under the microscope – here Daily Star Sport ranks all 16 of the Dutchman’s Man Utd signings
Erik ten Hag's signings have been heavily scrutinised at Old Trafford (Image: Manchester United via Getty Imag)
Erik ten Hag is under mounting pressure at Old Trafford after Manchester United were swept aside by Manchester City in the derby on Sunday.
United may feel aggrieved to have been behind at the break after VAR awarded City a penalty in the first-half, which Erling Haaland duly converted. However, the second half performance from the Reds was woeful – lacking all invention and desire against a dominant City side who ran out easy 3-0 winners.
The Dutchman has spent around £400million on 16 players, and here, Daily Star Sport ranks all of them.
16. Mason Mount
Signed without a purpose in the United team, Ten Hag spent £60million of a tight transfer budget on a player who he can’t find a role for. Early signs point to a huge waste of limited resources on another square peg in a round hole.
£86million spent and 14 months later he comes on in the derby three goals down and just boots players better than him. As a winger, he can’t beat a man and is painfully telegraphed in his play – looks awful business.
Only in the last two games has he begun to show any ability to save a shot, but even then, he looked shaky and unconvincing. David de Gea needed replacing, but Onana’s start at Old Trafford makes you think United would still be better off with the Spaniard in goal.
Luckily he was only a loan signing so United could ship him off at the end of the season. But zero Premier League goals in 17 games sums up just how bad he was. He was the short-term replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo who scored 24 goals in 39 games in all competitions the season before.
Was one of United’s best players last season, but he now looks totally laboured and has been overrun completely this campaign. His £70million fee could be about to look a whole lot of burned money should he need replacing in the next 18 months.
Signed as a free agent to help United’s defensive depth but he’s just not at the level anymore. Brilliant debut against Burnley but the defeat at City showed he’s nothing more than a fringe player.
The best thing about his six months at Old Trafford was him becoming cup tied in the early rounds of the Carabao Cup so Loris Karius had to play in goal for Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final in February which United won.
Seems a smart buy at £5million as a backup goalkeeper. However, question marks hang over whether he is in fact any good, especially if he can’t eventually displace Onana should his form continue to suffer.
A much needed loan signing in January last year to cover for the injured Christian Eriksen. Sabitzer did what he needed to but was never good enough to make a permanent acquisition.
Injuries have seen him forced to plug gaps in defence so he does merit more time to his name. Although early signs are that he might not be at the level.
Another free signing and was a key player before being injured last season. He now looks leggy and unable to play a deeper midfield role asked of him. But, United didn’t waste a fee bringing him in.
Another loan signing who United aren’t tied to in case he’s woeful, and so far he’s covered adequately for Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia, when he hasn’t been injured himself.
Only £12.9m was spent on the 24-year-old and from performances last season, he looks a capable backup to Shaw, but nothing more. Injuries have meant he hasn’t featured this season and he’ll be a boost when he does return.
Hear me out. Yes, £72million on a striker without a league goal in seven games is not good enough. But he’s only 20 and physically hasn’t looked out of his depth once. Give him time, he could become Ten Hag’s talisman.
Proved many doubters wrong about his height when he first arrived. A player of Martinez’s aggression and determination has been well overdue at the club. United fans will just hope he can recover well from a reoccurrence of a foot injury or he could well slip far down this list.
