October 28th 2024.
Erik ten Hag has faced a lot of criticism during his time as the manager of Manchester United. However, one of the biggest areas of contention has been his signings and recruitment strategies. This was ultimately one of the reasons why he was sacked on Monday by the club.
Among his signings, Antony and Casemiro have often been pointed out as two of his worst buys. In fact, one pundit even went as far as to say that Antony would struggle in the second-tier Championship league. With United's recent defeat to West Ham being the final straw, the club has finally decided to let go of Ten Hag and begin their search for a new permanent boss.
During his two-year spell at United, Ten Hag spent a total of £617 million on 21 players across five transfer windows. This makes United the second biggest spenders in the Premier League during that period, with only Chelsea spending more. One of his most expensive signings was Casemiro, whom he acquired from Real Madrid for a whopping £70 million. This made him the fourth-most expensive midfielder of all time at the time of his move, and also one of the highest-paid players in the Premier League.
In addition to Casemiro, Antony is also considered to be one of Ten Hag's worst signings. The Brazilian winger was brought in from Ajax for £85 million, a club that Ten Hag previously managed. However, Antony has yet to justify his hefty transfer fee, having only scored 12 goals and provided five assists in 87 games for United.
Other players who have failed to impress under Ten Hag's management include Rasmus Hojlund, Mason Mount, and Lisandro Martinez, all of whom were signed for over £50 million each. Mount, in particular, has been plagued with injuries and has only managed 25 appearances since joining the club in 2023.
Despite these expensive signings, United has not seen much success on the field. With Ten Hag's tenure at an end, the club will now have to analyze their recruitment strategies and make better decisions in the future.
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