JAMIE CARRAGHER has criticised Erik ten Hag’s record in the transfer market at Manchester United.
The Red Devils have endured an underwhelming start to the season and sit eighth in the Premier League table.
Ten Hag, 53, has spent around £400million since being appointed United boss last year.
But Carragher reckons they have gone “backwards” this season, with players previously out in the cold like Harry Maguire and Scott McTominay having returned to prominence.
Last season, Ten Hag signed Antony, Casemiro, Lisandro Martinez, Tyrell Malacia and Christian Eriksen – with Wout Weghorst, Jack Butland, Martin Dubravka and Marcel Sabitzer coming in on loan.
This term, United have recruited Rasmus Hojlund, Mason Mount, Andre Onana, Altay Bayindir and Jonny Evans.
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While Sofyan Amrabat and Sergio Reguilon are on loan at Old Trafford.
On Ten Hag’s record in the transfer market, Carragher wrote in his Telegraph column: “Ten Hag has signed sixteen players at a cost of £400m since July, 2022.
“By any measure – and no matter how unpopular the club’s owners – that is enough for a manager to radically redesign a team. If anything, Ten Hag has been given too much power and control over the club’s transfer policy because the recruitment has been so poor.
“Given so many of the additions were hand-picked by Ten Hag – he has coached a lot of them at his previous clubs – the most surprising aspect is how little impact they have had on revolutionising the team’s style.”
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In particular, Carragher claimed that Casemiro “no longer has the legs for the job”.
While the 48-year-old added that Eriksen only “brings quality from the bench”.
He then reiterated his point by adding: “The short-termism of those deals has repercussions, hence the recent signings of midfielders Mason Mount and Sofyan Amrabat.”
Carragher also claimed that Ten Hag’s Man Utd side are no better than those of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer or Jose Mourinho.
And he believes that it is time to start questioning the Red Devils boss.
He continued: “The idea must have been to impose the lauded Dutch model of possession football, otherwise what was the point of headhunting him?
“United’s board seemed to be recognising that the least their fans expect is to be front-footed and exciting.
“No-one was demanding Ten Hag create a title winning side in one or even two years, but it was reasonable to assume the United line-up would be clearly distinguishable from the tactical set-up of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Jose Mourinho.
“The most damning criticism is that they are not. Their game plan is virtually identical.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
