Getty/GOALThe Dutch coach hasn't spent transfer funds wisely during his time at Old Trafford, but who stands out as the worst buy of his turbulent tenure?
Manchester United have been reduced to a laughing stock under Erik ten Hag's stewardship. The former Ajax boss is responsible for both of the Red Devils' worst starts to a Premier League season, and their worst-ever finish, with FA Cup and Carabao Cup success doing little to paper over the cracks.
Ten Hag inherited a poor squad when he arrived at Old Trafford in May 2022, but has been trusted with a £616 million ($807m) war chest to rebuild it in his own image. Almost two-and-a-half years and 20 signings later, United have reached the lowest point of the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era – which is really saying something.
So much money has been wasted while Ten Hag has insisted on targeting players he's worked with in the past, which has proven to be a deeply flawed approach as many of them have struggled to cope with the intensity of Premier League football and pressure that comes with playing for one of the world's biggest clubs.
No more clearly could that be seen than against Aston Villa on Sunday, when over £330m ($430m)-worth of Ten Hag signings warmed the bench for what many believed would be a make-or-break game for the Dutch coach.
GOAL has ranked all of Ten Hag's signings at United, from best to worst, as the blundering Dutchman edges closer to becoming the first managerial casualty of the INEOS regime…
