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Erik ten Hag appears to have finally discovered his fate at Manchester United, after weeks of teetering on the tightrope of speculation.
Reports have confirmed the Dutchman is expected to remain at the helm, despite overseeing the Red Devils’ worst-ever Premier League finish last season after a campaign with 14 losses and 58 goals conceded in the league alone.
However, the emergence of a wealth of young talent as well as the FA Cup final victory over Manchester City appears to have bought ten Hag more time under the new INEOS leadership regime.
While ten Hag has been given credit for a number of things throughout his early years at Old Trafford, smart spending is generally not one of them.
The former Ajax man has spent over £400 million over two seasons so far, with five different signings costing over £50 million each.
Here at FourFourTwo, we’ve taken a look at each one of these signings, and ranked them from worst-to-best.
16. Mason Mount
Mason Mount’s debut campaign at Old Trafford offers one of the worst game-time-to-price-tag ratios in recent history.
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Estimated to have arrived for around £55 million, Mount has managed just 514 minutes on the pitch in the league, the equivalent of less than six full games.
Injuries have undoubtedly played there part, but a number of unused substitute appearances show that ten Hag still doesn’t fully trust the former England international.
Still only 25, it’s very possible Mount will go on to make this pick look very silly, but as of right now the move can only be determined a disappointment.
15. Jack Butland
Signed on a season-long loan from Crystal Palace in 2022, Butland failed to play a single minute for United having most likely been signed for homegrown quota purposes.
14. Antony
The second most expensive signing in Manchester United history, Antony followed ten Hag from Ajax in 2022 in a transfer sage which culminated in a panicked deadline day move.
Initially quoted a much lower fee, United’s naivety led them to pay more than double late on in the window, immediately heaping pressure on the wideman’s shoulders. Flashes of ability threaten to interrupt a generally underwhelming showing since arriving as the Brazilian continues to visibly drop in confidence each week.
Perhaps the unsettled nature of the wider United squad could be a factor, but it seems unlikely Antony will ever assert himself as an Old Trafford legend.
13. Altay Bayindir
Another back-up goalkeeper – and he won’t be the last – Bayindir arrived last summer from Fenerbache on a permanent deal.
Since then, the Turkish stopped has made just one appearance, conceding twice to League Two outfit Newport County in the FA Cup.
Still only 26, there’s still plenty of time for the stopper to revive his career if he deems a spot on the bench unsatisfactory.
12. Martin Dubravka
A similar story, although Dubravka was only signed on a loan deal.
The 35-year old played twice in United’s run to the EFL Cup victory, earning Dubravka his only trophy in England as David De Gea’s understudy.
11. Sergio Reguillon
The 2023 preseason saw Erik ten Hag faced with the prospect of having no senior left-backs available until the new year, prompting a rush to sign temporary cover.
Reguillon arrived from Tottenham and showed a plucky willingness to get stuck in during his limited time at the club, however, saw his loan deal terminated in the winter window.
10. Tyrell Malacia
The main reason for Reguillon’s arrival, Malacia developed somewhat of a mythical status last season, missing the entire campaign through injury.
The young Dutchman showed decent promise in his debut campaign, filling in for Luke Shaw when required. However, a full season on the sidelines is never a good sign, meaning Malacia fails to break into the top half of our rankings.
9. Sofyan Amrabat
Despite a mini-revival towards the end of the season, Amrabat’s loan spell certainly failed to live up to expectations.
Signed on an initial £9 million loan with the option to buy for a further £18 million off the back of an impressive 2022 World Cup, Amrabat was rarely trusted to fill in for the injured Casemiro and often found himself deployed out of position in left-back.
Undoubtedly a solid player, but United’s refusal to trigger the option to buy tells you everything about the success of his loan spell.
8. Wout Weghorst
Wout Weghorst made no secret of his overwhelming joy upon arriving on loan in January 2023, labelling the move as a dream come true.
Signed to ease the load on the injury-prone Anthony Martial, Weghorst played an understated role in some of United’s best performances of the season, namely the victory over Barcelona across two legs in the Europa League.
The towering striker found goals hard to come by and was visibly a level below where ten Hag wanted his squad to be, but his impact was undeniable.
7. Marcel Sabitzer
Another loan arrival in January 2023, Sabitzer arrived following the long-term injury suffered by Christian Eriksen. Sabitzer played a big role in the cup competitions, featuring heavily in the Carabao Cup and grabbing some important goals in the Europa League.
Another player who perhaps wasn’t at the elite level needed to take the club forward, but Sabitzer can hold his head high for the work he produced during his short spell at the club.
6. Jonny Evans
Imagine telling someone two years ago that Jonny Evans would be one of Manchester United’s most important signings under Erik ten Hag.
Initially signed for registration reasons and to begin coaching work, Evans was quickly forced into the first team thanks to one of the worst injury crisis in recent years. Evans showed a remarkable reliability on the field, making 30 appearances in all competitions and playing a key role in the development of breakthrough youngster Willy Kambwala.
The Northern Irishman was reqarded for his efforts at the end of the season with ten Hag offering him a one-year contract extension.
5. Christian Eriksen
Another free signing, Eriksen arrived with a healthy reputation from his time with Tottenham, Inter Milan and even Brentford the season before.
The Dane started his debut campaign in fantastic form, combining with Casemiro to create a fantastic midfield partnership before injuries tore apart their chemistry.
Despite a much quieter second season thanks to the emergence of Kobbie Mainoo, Eriksen has still offered fantastic value for money.
4. Andre Onana
Arriving from Champions League finalists Inter Milan last summer, Onana has been the very definition of ‘hit and miss’.
The stopper’s mistakes almost single-handedly dumped United out of the Champions League at the group stage, finishing bottom of a reasonably comfortable looking group. However, his domestic form has been rather remarkable at points, particularly from a statistical standpoint.
Faced with more shots than every other goalkeeper in the league except one, Onana ranks top for expected goals prevented, making a number of jaw-dropping saves throughout the campaign.
If he can remove his habit of dropping the occasional clanger, Onana could have a very successful career as a Red Devil.
3. Casemiro
A real Jekyll and Hyde showing from Casemiro over his two seasons at Old Trafford.
His first season was sensational, transforming the midfield with his physical presence and defencing intelligence as he regularly featured in conversations with Rodri as the best holding midfielder in the league.
However, he came back from pre season in 2023 seemingly a different man altogether. Casemiro has spent the season looking physically spent while lunging in to reckless challengers and vacating his position to leave United’s defence under constant pressure.
His first season performances have secured him this rank, but it would be incredibly surprising to see the Brazilian at Old Trafford again next season.
2. Rasmus Hojlund
Perhaps controversial, but Hojlund’s debut campaign has been incredibly encouraging.
The Dane showed remarkable mental fortitude after arriving for an enormous fee last summer. Despite failing to score for the first few months of the Premier League season, Hojlund finished the Champions League group stage as the tournament’s top scorer, eventually rounding out the season on 16 goals.
His debut campaign has set him up for plenty of success at the club and, at just 21-years old, will undoubtedly develop further.
1. Lisandro Martinez
A season of injury worries makes this call slightly contentious, but Martinez’s impact on the pitch is hard for even the most ardent doubter to deny.
The bruising Argentine brings a calmness in possession that no other United defender can compete with, as well as a defensive tenacity that helps him compete with Europe’s most feared strikers.
If injuries stay away, Martinez will undoubtedly be central to any future success ten Hag can hope to have at the club.
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