From Antony to Hojlund – rating every Ten Hag signing for Man Utd

Erik ten Hag is in talks for another contract following his first two years at Manchester United.

Ineos’ decision to keep the Dutchman was polarising but probably the right one to make.

Part of the talks are that Ten Hag will have far less say on transfers. Recruitment is where it’s all gone wrong for him. Despite some protestations, he has been given significant backing to put his mark on the team, with more than €400 million spent on the squad under his watch.

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.

READ MORE: Man Utd’s 10 most expensive transfers of all time

Marcel Sabitzer – 4/10

Marcel Sabitzer arrived from Bayern Munich to see Man Utd over the line in their Champions League pursuit in the 2022/23 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 and so he headed back to the Bundesliga.

Jack Butland – N/A

Former England international Jack Butland was another January loan signing. He joined from Crystal Palace in the winter window of 2023 and sat on the bench 20 times in all competitions, including for the 2023 FA Cup final.

He never featured once so it’s too hard to make a say either way.

Christian Eriksen – 5/10

Signed as a free agent in the summer of 2022, Christian Eriksen was a solid addition to Man Utd’s squad in the initial stages.

Ten Hag had him playing a deeper role, often sitting alongside Casemiro as a false No.6, where he’s provided good build-up play and cover throughout.

The first season was fine but the wheels came off in the following season. With his game-time reduced, the Denmark international was happy to state to the media that is hoping to move on this summer.

Martin Dubravka – 3/10

Martin Dubravka joined Man Utd on loan from Newcastle, as cover for De Gea.

The Magpies keeper featured in just two games for the Red Devils and he headed back to St James’ Park after the club recalled him in January 2023.

Wout Weghorst – 4/10

A lot was expected of Wout Weghost as Man Utd picked up the striker on loan in the January window last season. He was supposed to be Cristiano Ronaldo’s replacement (tactically at least), 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 the 2022/23 season and has been left frustrated by injuries.

The 24-year-old underwent knee surgery last summer and has been out of action ever since.

Lisandro Martinez – 8/10

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.

In the 2023/23 season, the €57.3m signing dragged Man Utd up by the scruff of their neck but injuries plagued him last season and he rarely featured.

Casemiro – 5/10

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 since.

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 player with a significant price tag. For the second most expensive signing in Man Utd’s history, he has offered a poor return.

Rasmus Hojlund – 8/10

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 and he has not scored anywhere near enough goals in that time (10).

But, at just 21 years old, he does show signs of being an elite player in the years to come.

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, while injuries really have not helped the forgotten man.

Andre Onana – 5/10

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 enduring Champions League elimination with a string of disastrous errors. Onana looked more assured in the Premier League, but a Man Utd keeper cannot afford to freeze on the big occasion.

Time will tell with Onana -a clearly capable player, let’s hope it was nothing more than merely teething problems.

Altay Bayindir – N/A

Joining from Fenerbahce, Altay Bayindir has played only a single game so far. He did fine, but not too much to go on at this point.

Sofyan Amrabat – 3/10

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 – 3/10

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 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.