Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag has had around £600m spent on his squad (Image: Getty)
If Erik ten Hag really does agree with Ralf Rangnick that Manchester United still need open heart surgery two years after his predecessor’s departure then he only has himself to blame. Speaking on Danish television this week, Rangnick claims Ten Hag still sympathises with the assessment he gave ahead of his Old Trafford exit in 2022.
“I probably made that statement [about open heart surgery] when the season was almost over about two years ago,” the former interim boss said. “It is probably only two or three weeks since Erik ten Hag was asked the same thing.
“Then he said that I was right in my analysis. I don't know how many players they have signed since, but it looks like I was right.”
Ten Hag has overseen five transfer windows, signed 21 players, and has had nearly £600million spent on replenishing the squad Rangnick felt needed completely overhauling. Yet the Dutchman has echoed similar complaints about needing time and patience.
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Too many of the signings under Ten Hag have struggled. Antony’s United career seems all but over two years after his £86m switch from Ajax. Casemiro enjoyed a positive start but the Red Devils should have heeded the warning when Real Madrid were delighted to collect £60m for a player beyond his prime.
Mason Mount, Rasmus Hojlund and Tyrell Malacia - around £140m worth of signings - have all had fitness issues. Ten Hag can bemoan bad luck but having so many signings - of which most he will have waved through - whose reliability comes under scrutiny is a failure of recruitment and due diligence.
Lisandro Martinez is one of few positive arrivals before the recent summer transfer window but even the Argentine has struggled with injuries and has never looked entirely convincing in United’s biggest games.
It is remarkable that United watched Liverpool and Arsenal challenge Manchester City with evidenced-based recruitment and joined-up thinking among their key figures, and they learned no lessons.
Erik ten Hag must get a tune out of his Man Utd players this season (Image: Getty)
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That Arne Slot’s Liverpool appear to have made the huge transition from the nine-year Jurgen Klopp reign so seamlessly makes United look even sillier, now 11 years into Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement.
INEOS have made positive noises about finding value in the market by signing younger players who can be developed into elite stars, rather than over-paying for ready-made talent. It would be unfair to judge United’s summer arrivals so soon but there must be evidence of a change of direction in terms of recruitment.
For Ten Hag, there is little excuse for another underwhelming campaign. The 54-year-old cannot complain that he does not have the resources to maintain a top-four challenge.
He certainly does not need any more transfer windows or any more money spent to put together a consistent run of results. United have a squad perfectly capable of finishing in the top four and Ten Hag will take plenty of the blame if they do not.
