Antony a DISASTER, Martinez a SUCCESS: Rating every Ten Hag signing for Man Utd

Updated: 16 Feb 2024 15:39 GMT
6 min read

Erik ten Hag, Rasmus Hojlund, Man Utd, 2023/24 — © IMAGO

Erik ten Hag has been at Manchester United for three windows now. As FootballTransfers reported when he came in, the Dutchman wanted to overhaul the depleted side who had just slumped to their worst Premier League finish under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick the season previous.

Ten Hag has been given significant backing to put his mark on the team, with more than €400 million spent on the squad under his watch.

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But how have Ten Hag's arrivals fared? FootballTransfers has rated all of the senior players he has brought to the club on a scale of 1-10, with the higher the number, the more positive their impact.

Marcel Sabitzer - 4/10

Marcel Sabitzer arrived from Bayern Munich to see Man Utd over the line in their Champions League pursuit last season. Joining in January from the German outfit, the midfielder was a solid addition to the club, but never really made a lasting impact. He wanted to stay at Old Trafford by all accounts, but Ten Hag didn’t see the point in keeping the Austrian around.

Jack Butland - 4/10

Former England international Jack Butland was another January loan signing. He joined from Crystal Palace and sat on the bench 20 times in all competitions, including for the 2023 FA Cup final. He never featured once, but his role was only to provide support for David de Gea, and given he managed to stay fit enough to do that, it is difficult to be too critical.

Christian Eriksen - 5/10

Signed as a free agent in the summer of 2022, Christian Eriksen has been a solid addition to Man Utd's squad. Ten Hag has been playing him deeper than he’s used to, often sitting alongside Casemiro as a false No.6, where he’s provided good build-up play and cover throughout the minutes he's played. It’s not been an exceptional stint by any measure, but in terms of value for money, Eriksen has been a sound addition.

© ProShots - Eriksen joined as a free agent

Martin Dubravka - 3/10

Martin Dubravka joined Man Utd on loan from Newcastle, as cover for David de Gea when the Spaniard was still around. The Magpies keeper featured in just two games for Man Utd, and even picked up a winners’ medal after his loanee club beat his parent club in the EFL Cup final at Wembley. Ultimately left frustrated with his lack of game time, forcing United into the January market. It was a sour conclusion.

Wout Weghorst - 1.5/10

A lot was expected of Wout Weghost as Man Utd picked up the striker on loan in the January window. He was supposed to be Cristiano Ronaldo’s replacement, someone who would at least press from the front and lead with a physical presence. Unfortunately, Weghost failed in almost every capacity for Man Utd. He netted two goals in 31 outings for the side, in what was a truly awful period for the player. Man Utd made the easy decision to send him back to Burnley.

Tyrell Malacia - 4/10

Tyrell Malacia was brought in as a possible replacement for Luke Shaw. But the youngster’s trajectory plateaued as Shaw’s went up. He certainly showed some promise in his early months at the club but lost his place midway through last season and has been left frustrated by injury this time around. There is more to come from the Dutchman, but it's been a modest start.

Lisandro Martinez - 7/10

Lisandro Martinez has come in and offered the mental fortitude that Man Utd desperately needed for the backline. He was instrumental in their entry to the Champions League and their EFL Cup triumph. The World Cup winner, though, has been known to be caught out on occasion, particularly getting taken apart in the club’s 7-0 hammering against Liverpool last term. As well as this, his aerial duel ranking is in the bottom 10 percentile, but when you look at how much he's dragged the Man Utd back-line up by its hair, he's been a phenomenal signing for some €57.3m.

Casemiro - 6/10

Man Utd had been crying out for a defensive midfielder for years. Then Casemiro joined from Real Madrid after the Red Devils failed to purchase Frenkie de Jong. A world-class talent, no doubt - but it was a purchase made during the Brazilian’s twilight years. Man Utd paid lavishly for him and initially, it seemed a deal that was a masterstroke. Casemiro was outstanding in his debut Old Trafford season but has faded dramatically in 2023/24 before succumbing to injury.

© ProShots - Casemiro was expensive but certainly bolstered Man Utd's midfield

Antony - 1/10

There is no getting around the fact that the amount Man Utd forked out on Antony last summer hamstrung the club in subsequent windows, Glazers or no Glazers. It might seem a scathing score but in transfers, it’s only fair if you relate the fee paid to what you get in return. Antony has physically struggled, he seems unable to beat his man and find his team-mates. He can carry the ball well, but so much more is needed for a man with a significant price tag. For the second most expensive signing in Man Utd's history, he has offered a poor return.

Rasmus Hojlund - 6/10

Sensational in the Champions League, Hojlund initially failed to find his feet in the Premier League but has since hit a hot streak. The €75m outlay on him last summer was significant, but he's beginning to come good.

Mason Mount - 3/10

Mason Mount has looked tepid during his first games as a Man Utd player, but he was always going to struggle to get up to speed. His confidence looked haggard at Chelsea, and that will undoubtedly take some time to sort out. The issue with Mount lies in his position. Did Man Utd need a man whose best credentials lie in what precisely their best player, Bruno Fernandes, can do? Yes, Mount can close down and press out of position, but for €64m including add-ons from Chelsea, the England international was a luxury signing that Man Utd did not need.

Andre Onana - 3/10

While it would be unfair to class Andre Onana's arrival at Man Utd as an unmitigated disaster, the goalkeeper has been largely responsible for Ten Hag's side being on the brink of Champions League, and indeed European, elimination with a string of disastrous errors. Has looked more assured in the Premier League, but a Man Utd keeper cannot afford to freeze on the big occasion.

Altay Bayindir - n/a

On loan from Fenerbahce, he has not had a chance to impress yet.

Sofyan Amrabat - 2/10

Ten Hag chased the Morocco star throughout the summer only to bizarrely start him as a left-back. He's not recovered. The only redeeming aspect of this deal is that Man Utd don't need to keep him as he is on loan from Fiorentina.

Sergio Reguilon - 2/10

Hurridly signed when Shaw and Malacia were both out injured, he has provided cover in the main, featuring in eight games. The Spaniard has had little success and is destined to be returned to Tottenham at the end of the season.

Jonny Evans - 6/10

A surprise arrival on a free transfer in the summer, Man Utd have won four of the five matches that Jonny Evans has started. It's hard to criticise the Northern Irishman, but the fact it has come to this for the Old Trafford side is quite incredible.