Erik ten Hag’s spell at Manchester United came to an abrupt end three months into the 2024/25 season.
Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag ended the club’s six-year wait for silverware when the team won the Carabao Cup in 2023. He doubled up in 2024 with United winning the FA Cup.
But the question fans are left wondering now, is ‘at what cost?’.
Ten Hag was sacked early in the 2024/25 season, and the club are now trying to repair some of the decisions he made.
Many of Ten Hag’s signings were agreed by former CEO Richard Arnold and John Murtough, who gave the Dutchman the ‘control’ he demanded over recruitment.
Three years since his appointment in 2022, many of Erik ten Hag’s signings have left the club already, while some were just short-term loan fixes.
Let’s check in on where each and every one of them are now…
Erik ten Hag’s signings in 2022/23
Ten Hag and United spent the bulk of his first summer in charge trying to sign Frenkie de Jong. Many of the players he did sign in 2022/23 are no longer with the club.
Tyrell Malacia
Tyrell Malacia was Erik ten Hag’s first Manchester United signing, recruited for £13 million for Feyenoord. He had a strong first season at the club before a persistent knee problem saw him miss the entire following season.
After spending time on loan at PSV, Malacia remains a Manchester United player after failing to secure a summer exit.
Martin Dubravka
Martin Dubravka signed on loan as a back-up, and played two games. He was then recalled by Newcastle, before signing for Burnley in summer 2025.
Antony
One of Manchester United’s most expensive ever signings, Antony scored in his first three games for the club after his move from Ajax, before it all began to fall apart. A disastrous second season saw Erik ten Hag lose faith in him too.
Antony signed for Real Betis in 2025 after spending several months on loan at the Spanish side during the 2024/25 season.
Lisandro Martinez
Lisandro Martinez was another player Erik ten Hag signed from Ajax, and remains part of the Manchester United first team squad.
Martinez’ spell at United has been held back by a succession of injuries, including the ACL tear he suffered at the start of 2025.
Christian Eriksen
Christian Eriksen signed for Manchester United on a free transfer and was an immediate success, before an injury saw his first season trail off.
Eriksen spent three seasons in Manchester before being released in summer 2025, and has now signed with German side Wolfsburg.
Casemiro
Casemiro was the big-money alternative signing to Frenkie de Jong, signed for £60 million from Real Madrid, and on high wages.
The Brazil international has been a regular during his time at Old Trafford, but if it was not for his high salary, it’s likely United would have moved him on at some point.
Casemiro has one year left on his contract in 2025, and his deal is not expected to be renewed when it expires.
Wout Weghorst
Wout Weghorst was signed on loan mid-season amid Anthony Martial’s inability to stay fit. The Dutch forward was a hard worker but struggled to score goals.
Weghorst is currently playing for Ten Hag’s former side Ajax, after another loan spell at Hoffenheim.
Marcel Sabitzer
Marcel Sabitzer was a deadline day signing after an injury to Eriksen, and was a useful contributor, until getting injured ahead of the FA Cup Final.
United chose not to sign Sabitzer permanently, and he signed with Borussia Dortmund for just £13 million, helping them reach the Champions League final.
Jack Butland
United signed Jack Butland on loan from Crystal Palace after Martin Dubravka was recalled. He did not play a single game for the club. He is now the first choice goalkeeper for Scottish Premiership giants Rangers.
Erik ten Hag’s signings in 2023/24
The 2023 summer transfer window is widely regarded as one of Manchester United’s worst in recent history, along with 2020 and 2018. Unlike those summers, United spent heavily, and had little to show for it in return, and did not attempt to sign Harry Kane, who moved to Bayern Munich.
Mason Mount
United made an opportunist move to sign Mason Mount for £55 million, and gave the former Chelsea star the number 7 shirt. He was one of three major signings made in the window.
Mount remains a Manchester United player and is valued highly by Ruben Amorim, but his stint at the club has been heavily impacted by injury, restricting him to only 13 Premier League starts in his first two seasons combined.
Andre Onana
Andre Onana was Erik ten Hag’s choice of replacement for David de Gea, signing the former Ajax goalkeeper in a £43 million deal with Inter Milan.
Onana’s spell was largely poor, overshadowed by a series of high-profile mistakes, and he has now been sent out on loan to Trabzonspor for the season.
Rasmus Hojlund
United gambled on youth with a deal for Rasmus Hojlund, at an expensive £64 million fee. It proved an arduous task for the forward to lead the line for the Red Devils and he eventually buckled under the pressure.
Hojlund was loaned out to Napoli in 2025, after falling down the pecking order at United following Benjamin Sesko’s arrival. Napoli have an option to sign him permanently.
Sofyan Amrabat
United struck a deal to sign Sofyan Amrabat on deadline day from Fiorentina, signing him on loan. Due to an injury crisis he was forced to make his debut at left-back.
The midfielder proved his quality in the FA Cup Final win, but United chose not to sign him permanently. He signed with Fenerbahce in 2024, before joining Real Betis in 2025.
Jonny Evans
Jonny Evans began training with United before ending up being offered a permanent deal. Across two seasons he ended up making more Premier League starts than Mason Mount, 18 in total.
Evans retired in 2025, and has taken up a new role at Manchester United off the pitch, overseeing loan deals.
Altay Bayindir
United signed Altay Bayindir to back up Andre Onana, bringing him in from Fenerbahce. He played just once in his first season, with more opportunities in the second.
Bayindir began the 2025/26 season as first choice ahead of Andre Onana, and will back-up new signing Senne Lammens.
Sergio Reguilon
Erik ten Hag chose to sign Sergio Reguilon on loan instead of give a chance to Alvaro Fernandez, sending the youngster out on loan.
This has now aged disastrously, with Reguilon beginning 2025/26 as a free agent, while Fernandez is first choice left-back for Real Madrid.
Erik ten Hag’s signings in 2024/25
In summer 2024, Ineos had taken command, and a deal for Leny Yoro was regarded as a particular coup.
Leny Yoro, Joshua Zirkzee, Noussair Mazraoui, Matthijs de Ligt, Manuel Ugarte
All five of Manchester United’s signings in summer 2024 remain at Old Trafford after one season. It was a better transfer window, but time will tell whether this group can show they deserve to stay long-term.
Mazraoui and De Ligt both previously played under Ten Hag at Ajax. Yoro did not get to play a competitive game under the Dutchman. He was injured in pre-season and Ten Hag was sacked before he recovered.
