The Dutch coach didn't spend transfer funds wisely during his time at Old Trafford, but who stands out as the worst buy of his turbulent tenure?
Manchester United were 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 proved 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.
GOAL has ranked all of Ten Hag's signings at United, from best to worst, as the blundering Dutchman was finally relieved of his duties at Old Trafford on Monday…
Getty Images Sport1Noussair Mazraoui (Bayern Munich, £13m)
Mazraoui is a versatile defender who has slotted into the right-back slot in United's starting XI seamlessly since his summer switch from Bayern. There's little doubt that the Moroccan has been an upgrade on Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who never had the technical skills needed to succeed at Old Trafford.
At the bargain price of £13m, Mazraoui must go down as the shrewdest piece of business Ten Hag conducted in his time at the club. That being said, he has gone from being a utility player at Bayern to one of the first names on the teamsheet at United, which tells you everything about the gulf in quality between the two clubs right now.
AdvertisementGetty2Jonny Evans (free)
Evans had every right to feel hard done by when United sold him to West Brom in 2015. At 27, he was in his prime and still had plenty to offer. But bringing the academy graduate back to the club eight years later made absolutely no sense.
Ten Hag stressed that Evans' experience would be invaluable to the younger players in his squad, and he's certainly been a good role model in that regard. Evans has also rolled back the years to deliver consistently solid performances at the back, including a Man-of-the-Match-worthy turn in a 0-0 draw at Aston Villa that essentially delayed Ten Hag's sacking for a few more weeks.
However, a 36-year-old centre-back who is way past his best physically shouldn't be starting regularly for a top club. Evans may not have cost United anything, but he was never the right fit for a high backline in a team supposedly set up to press relentlessly from the first minute to the last.
Getty3Altay Bayindir (Fenerbahce, £4m)
United needed another back-up goalkeeper after Dean Henderson's permanent move to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2023, and Bayindir seemed to be the ideal fit. The Turkey international arrived with genuine pedigree, too, having served as Fenerbahce's No.1 for the previous four years.
Bayindir might be regretting that decision now, though, especially given the erratic performances of first-choice 'keeper Andre Onana. The 26-year-old has a 100 percent winning record at United, but he's only played twice, in an FA Cup fourth-round win at Newport and a 7-0 victory over Barnsley in the third round of the Carabao Cup.
Getty4Leny Yoro (Lille, £52m)
United pulled off a considerable coup by beating Real Madrid to the capture of Yoro, who enjoyed a breakthrough campaign at Lille in 2023-24. The 18-year-old justified the hype on his debut, too, putting in an outstanding shift in a 2-0 pre-season win over Rangers.
Unfortunately, disaster struck in his second outing against Arsenal, as he was forced off after just 35 minutes. Yoro was subsequently diagnosed with a serious foot injury and underwent surgery, which left him facing three months on the sidelines.
The talented teenage defender may end up being a superb signing in the long-term, but there is also a chance his development will stall after such a damaging fitness blow. Questions have rightly been asked over whether United should have eased Yoro into the fold more gradually.