Manchester United head coach Erik ten Hag is described as “idiotic” for some of the signings that he has made at Old Trafford.
Dutch legend Marco van Basten has described Erik ten Hag as “idiotic” for some of the signings that he has made as Manchester United boss.
Ten Hag has frequently hit back at criticism over his reign at Old Trafford by reiterating the success that the club have had in the EFL Cup and FA Cup during his two full seasons in charge.
However, on the back of the eighth-placed finish in the Premier League in 2023-24, there is little argument that United remain far away from replicating the yearly title charges under Sir Alex Ferguson.
On Sunday, United endured yet another disappointing 90 minutes in the top flight, succumbing to a tame 3-0 defeat at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur.
Six players signed by Ten Hag started that particular game at the Theatre of Dreams, many of whom have struggled to impress in the long term or are still acclimatising to English football in the short.
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‘He was walking around’
The latest of the aforementioned half-a-dozen players Manuel Ugarte was making his first-ever start in the Premier League having built up his fitness in recent weeks.
Ugarte completed the 90 minutes against FC Twente prior to the meeting with Spurs, but the Uruguay international produced a performance far below the level of someone who could eventually cost in excess of £50m.
As well as taking aim at Ugarte, Netherlands legend Van Basten criticised the judgement of his compatriot Ten Hag since his arrival in 2022.
Speaking to Ziggo Sport, he said: “I saw a new player walking around at Manchester United, (Manuel) Ugarte, for €50million (£42.3m).
“How is this guy walking around there? It’s idiotic how much (Ten Hag) has decided to invest in players who are not even good.”
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Does Ten Hag have a future at United?
According to a report, Ten Hag will remain in the dugout for at least the next two matches, which are against Porto and Aston Villa in the Europa League and Premier League respectively.
However, with just three wins from nine games in all competitions during 2024-25, it is realistic to perceive that a change could be made if further defeats follow in that double-header.
A title-winning alternative has allegedly been added to United’s shortlist as INEOS weigh up how to handle the situation in the event that their side fail to change their fortunes in Portugal or the West Midlands before the end of the week.