Jamie Carragher names Man Utd transfers that ‘backfired spectacularly’ | Football

Jamie Carragher has highlighted Erik ten Hag’s lack of acumen in the transfer market as one of several major reasons to doubt whether he is the right man to manage Manchester United.

The Dutchman heads into Sunday’s box office Premier League clash with Arsenal once again fighting to save his job following Monday’s capitulation against Crystal Palace.

With Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his new-look backroom team running the rule over Ten Hag’s every move to determine his future, the former Ajax boss can ill-afford another chastening defeat in what could be his final home game at the helm.

A number of Ten Hag’s staunch supporters point to the fact that Mikel Arteta, who will be in the opposing dugout come Sunday, had an equally questionable recordafter two years in charge of the Gunners.

After ridding his squad of deadwood and questionable characters, the Spaniard has transformed the north London club who have risen from the ashes to mount two consecutive title challenges.

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Carragher, however, insists that comparison holds little water with Ten Hag’s record in the transfer market a particular concern.

While Arteta has built his new-look team around a number of young, dynamic, forward thinking signings, the majority of the players United have signed at Ten Hag’s request have flopped.

Two of his most expensive mistakes, Antony and Casemiro, were heavily criticised for different reasons at Selhurst Park earlier this week and Carragher believes Ten Hag’s error of judgment in recommending those two players should be sounding alarm bells in the corridors of power at Old Trafford.

‘Ten Hag took over at United with a big reputation because of his work at Ajax, especially when he led them to the Champions League semi-final,’ Carragher wrote in his Daily Telegraph column.

‘He was not presented as an emerging coach but at 52 was supposed to be a ready-made one who would impose a clear vision.

‘United had qualified for the Champions League in two of the three seasons preceding Ten Hag’s appointment and there was a belief talented players needed superior coaching and a change of culture at the training ground.

‘Like Arteta, Ten Hag had no choice but to use the personnel available to be more pragmatic in his first season. Over his first three transfer windows, United spent just over £380 million and nothing has changed as they have bought more deadwood than they have sold.

‘Of Ten Hag’s first Premier League line-up (defeat by Brighton in August, 2022), seven would probably still make the first choice XI. Only two have left the club, and another, Jadon Sancho, is about to play the Champions League final on loan at Borussia Dortmund.

‘Unlike Arteta’s transfer picks, Ten Hag’s decisions backfired terribly, especially the signings of Antony and Casemiro.’

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