Ten Hag’s Man Utd signings ranked as Onana becomes latest flop to leave

Erik ten Hag's transfer business at Manchester United makes for worrying reading and a number of his most expensive buy are already being moved on by Ruben Amorim

Erik ten Hag may well claim that he won trophies during his haphazard Manchester United stint. He will do well though to claim he nailed his recruitment.

The Dutchman had just over two years at the helm and was allowed to spend over £600million, but that couldn't make the Red Devils a title-fighting force once again. Instead, after a promising first year, he and his signings would only take the team backwards.

It has left Ruben Amorim to inherit a squad that includes a number of players who haven't delivered on their big fees and are on hefty wages. The most damning reflection of Ten Hag's transfer business is that several of those he bought into the club are already being farmed out.

Andre Onana is poised to be the next player who will be allowed to depart, albeit on loan. But a number of his team-mates have already been deemed surplus to requirements and moved on.

Ten Hag pushed hard for several of their signings, Antony being a case in point. The Dutchman prepared to spend £81m to make the Brazilian his marquee signing when he first arrived. Two years on and he's already left for less than a third of his original fee.

Amorim has spent the summer shelling out more than £200m on his frontline, adding the likes of Benjamin Sesko and Bryan Mbeumo. That's despite fortunes already being spent on a squad that were among the lowest scorers in the Premier League last term.

We take a look at all of Ten Hag's permanent signings and rank them - which paints a worrying picture for the state of United's recruitment.

1. Lisandro Martinez

In his debut season the Argentine was able to prove a lot of the doubters wrong with his height cited as a major issue for him, especially in England. Technically impressive, Martinez would win the World Cup within months of making the move from Ajax, where he'd worked with Ten Hag. Injury has deprived him of consistent football but he's looked the most accomplished recent signing when given a decent run of games.

2. Leny Yoro

Partly on what he could go on to achieve, and despite some difficult moments the French centre-half has largely looked pretty accomplished. He enjoyed a rapid rise in his homeland with Lille and earned plenty of plaudits. He's made himself a mainstay in the team and, with age of his side, looks as if he could blossom into an impressive defender.

3. Matthijs de Ligt

The fact Juventus and Bayern Munich moved him on was seen as a red flag and the Dutch defender by no means looked like the player we saw at Ajax years ago, but he has begun to settle. He, like Yoro, has landed himself a regular starting spot this year and is perhaps only this high because of the failures of those below him.

4. Mason Mount

Had this been done before the start of the season the ex-Chelsea man would be much lower, but he looks as if he may suit this Amorim system having been given plenty of opportunity to begin the season. Mount has excelled in a similar looking system with the Blues previously and his creative instincts could help him play a major role in the final third, which he'll need to given his price tag.

5. Noussair Mazraoui

Mazraoui followed De Ligt from Bayern and is yet another player in the squad to have played under Ten Hag before he brought him to Manchester. The Moroccan has done little to overly impress, but he's been handed some tough assignments, including being played as a 10 against Fenerbahce. However his relatively minimal fee means he is a loss the club can stomach.

6. Tyrell Malacia

Kind of a familiar story, the full-back joined early in the Ten Hag-era and whilst he's not lit it up, he's not done much wrong. That's largely owing to an injury record that has seen him spend more time on the sideline than on the pitch. Malacia only set the club back just over £14m and, again, that is a loss that they can accept if the signing doesn't work out.

7. Manuel Ugarte

The Uruguayan played under Amorim at Sporting Lisbon and it looked as if he may thrive once the Portuguese coach arrived, but that is not the case. His stats were impressive at PSG before he moved to United, but he's been unable to have the same impact. His aggressive style has not aided his ambitions and he's found himself more on the bench than on the pitch to start the campaign.

8. Altay Bayindir

He's started all three Premier League games so far this season but the Turk did make a major blunder that led to the loss on the opening weekend against Arsenal. Bayindir did enjoy his best moment when the Red Devils knocked the Gunners out of the FA Cup last year, but he's endured some embarrassing moments, including being beaten direct from a corner. However at just £4.3m, he was hardly expected to change the world.

9. Joshua Zirkzee

By all accounts Zirkzee was signed by ex-chief Dan Ashworth, not Ten Hag. His spell in Manchester is perhaps best remembered for the wrong reasons - the Dutchman being subbed off after 33 minutes in December with his own fans cheering his withdrawal. His promising season at Bologna saw United take note, but he managed just three league goals and is not seen as the answer in the final third.

10. Casemiro

Some may point to the immediate positive impact he made after joining from Real Madrid in 2022. Yes he helped deliver the Carabao Cup, but his wages and long contract were always going to be an issue. Casemiro's performances have fallen off a cliff since his first year and United simply can't find a buyer. His pace has left him as he's aged and United's midfield only includes two midfielders, making the position all the more demanding for him.

11. Andre Onana

Now poised for a loan move to Trabzonspor where he'll double his wages, concern around the Cameroonian was evident when he somehow dodged a VAR check on his debut when a penalty should've been given. His performances were consistently error-strewn and he has not evolved United's game as Ten Hag hoped when he moved on David de Gea to sign his former Ajax goalkeeper. Amorim has dropped him in the past - and will now spend the year without him.

12. Rasmus Hojlund

Another signing where the red flags were evident from minute one. Yes Hojlund had impressed at Atalanta, but spending £74m to bring him to Manchester was always a risk. The signing was done with an acceptance that he would develop, but that has not been the case. He took months to score his first league goal and, at 22, leading the United line was always going to be a tough task. Already he's been loaned out.

13. Antony

I don't think this needs much explaining. He remains the second most expensive United player in history and, bar a debut goal against Arsenal, had few positive moments in a red shirt. For that sort of money you have to deliver and he consistently underwhelmed. The environment clearly wasn't for him, because he has impressed in Spain, but his position among the biggest flops of all-time is probably justified.