Marco van Basten has expressed his disdain for one of Manchester United’s biggest summer signings following the team’s dismal defeat to Tottenham on Sunday afternoon.
Erik ten Hag’s side were reduced to 10 men for the game at Old Trafford after Bruno Fernandes was shown a red card for a challenge on James Maddison, but he could not handle the eventual 3-0 draw from the whistle.
Having won just one league match since the start of the season (their season opener against Fulham), the Red Devils ended the weekend’s action in 13th place.
In the wake of the home defeat, pressure has increased on Ten Hag, who was confirmed to remain at Old Trafford after a torrid second season at the club following a summer review conducted by part owners INEOS.
The Dutch manager subsequently received heavy support in the transfer window, with Ten Hag bringing the likes of Leny Yoro, Noussair Mazraoui and Matthijs De Ligt to Manchester.
Manchester United could again not achieve a victory at Old Trafford against Tottenham
The 3-0 home defeat has increased the pressure on Erik ten Hag and his heavily supported transfers
Former Ajax and AC Milan striker Marco van Basten had particularly sharp words for one player
But Van Basten made it clear on Monday evening that he believes one of the players called up to turn around Man United’s fortunes is currently off the mark.
“I saw a new player walking around at Manchester United, (Manuel) Ugarte, for fifty million euros,” the Ajax legend shared. Ziggosport. ‘How does that guy walk around there?
‘It’s crazy how much (Ten Hag) has decided to invest in players who aren’t even good.’
The signing of Ugarte – in a deal that could rise to £50.8m with add-ons – to complete the Premier League club’s summer spending took the total to more than £600m under Ten Hag, who joined the club before 2022. -23 transfer window.
But while some of his signings, such as defender Lisandro Martinez, have easily found their place with the big beasts at the top level, others have failed or failed to make a fast start.
Ugarte himself was the first to criticize his European debut in Man United colors during last week’s Europa League draw against FC Twente.
Manuel Ugarte could not excel in his first start for his new club after his summer transfer
The hosts were further challenged when Bruno Fernandes was sent off in the first half
After the final whistle at 1-1, the former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder posted on Instagram: ‘I am the first to express self-criticism. Personally, it wasn’t a great match. We have to keep working.’
However, in his first start for his new club, the Uruguayan international failed to take control of the match, and Ugarte was later substituted for Christian Eriksen in the 72nd minute.
But former AC Milan star Van Basten did not reserve his criticism exclusively for the new signing, but extended it to the entire Ten Hag selection.
‘Call me a top player at Manchester United?’ the ex-striker asked. ‘You see a top player at every club.
‘(Marcus) Rashford is very bad. Bruno Fernandes is a good player, (Andre) Onana is a good goalkeeper. That’s it.
“Casemiro is ready. (Alejandro) Garnacho is a decent player. But no one carries that team.”
Van Basten is far from the only former professional who expresses his concerns about Ten Hag’s player selection after the defeat on home field.
Ugarte wasn’t the only summer signing pundits focused on, with Paul Scholes unimpressed by Matthijs De Ligt (centre)
Man United have little time to regroup before the tough tests against Porto and Aston Villa
Former Red Devil Paul Scholes chose to highlight De Ligt’s shortcomings, stating on Monday that there was ‘no big difference’ between the former Ajax and Bayern Munich defender and the player he displaced, Harry Maguire.
Scholes also claimed that the team ‘looked like an uncoached football team’ and that he believed the players looked ‘dead’ and ‘flat’ in the match.
After receiving the support of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Co last summer, Ten Hag now reportedly has little time to maintain his role in the dugout.
While the manager will oversee the upcoming matches against Porto and Aston Villa, the club have reportedly identified Inter Milan head coach Simone Inzaghi as a contender for the job as they weigh up his long-term future.