It was a busy summer for Manchester United and Erik ten Hag in the transfer window.
Aiming to build on last year’s third-place Premier League finish and Carabao Cup triumph, seven new arrivals walked through the doors at Old Trafford. An unspectacular start to the campaign hardly has United fans dreaming about domestic and European domination but they will be hoping for improvement once the new faces settle in.
While the Reds were fighting on four fronts last season, competing in the Champions League this time around adds a fresh dynamic for Ten Hag and his team. Improving the quality of the squad was required and that is exactly what United did in the off-season.
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With the window now shut, MEN Sport has ranked the Reds’ summer signings.
7 - Altay Bayindir
Few knew the Turk when he made the deadline-day switch to United for €5million. To put it simply, Ten Hag needed another goalkeeper on the books after letting David de Gea and Dean Henderson leave.
Another shot-stopper on this list has taken the reins as the undisputed first choice and will likely play the bulk of all fixtures this season. Bayindir was a necessary addition and could still play a part for United in the domestic cups and in the league should Andre Onana leave for the AFCON.
6 - Jonny Evans
A somewhat bizarre move considering Evans’ age and form for Leicester City last season. To spend so much money on transfers since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement and still have one of his academy products featuring in defence against Arsenal is questionable planning. However, what Evans does provide is experience and an in-depth knowledge of the club, attributes money cannot buy. Nobody expects the 35-year-old to be pushing for a regular starting place this season.
5 - Sergio Reguilon
Similarly to Bayindir, Reguilon was signed out of desperation rather than as a long-term option. Injuries to Tyrell Malacia and Luke Shaw forced Old Trafford chiefs into the market for a left-back.
The right-footed Diogo Dalot was preferred against Arsenal but Ten Hag may offer an opportunity to the Spaniard in the coming weeks. In fairness to Reguilon, he has Premier League and Champions League experience, having played for Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur, so could prove to be a shrewd signing.
4 - Sofyan Amrabat
Most people would have become familiar with Amrabat for his no-nonsense displays in the World Cup, helping Morocco reach the semi-final for the first time in their history. It became clear in the first few fixtures that United may need some defensive balance in midfield alongside Casemiro - and Amrabat can provide exactly that.
Should he prove a hit, forking out the additional €20million to sign the 27-year-old next summer will be a no-brainer. Amrabat has all the hallmarks of a potential unsung hero at Old Trafford.
3 - Mason Mount
Admittedly, Mount has not made much of an impression in his opening few games.
Throw in the inflated fee for a player with one year left on his contract and you might ask whether United have got this one right. But snaring an England international from a direct rival is a major coup - especially as Chelsea fans were disappointed to see him leave. The jury is still out on Mount at Old Trafford but at 24 his best days should be spent in a United shirt.
2 - Rasmus Hojlund
If his impressive cameo against Arsenal is anything to go by, Hojlund could easily lay claim to the number-one spot on this list by the end of the season. It is no secret that Ten Hag likes a strong striker leading his frontline, with Wout Weghorst signed as a stop-gap in January.
The manager has placed his faith in the young Dane to bag the goals after an impressive breakthrough season at Atalanta. Playing for one of the world’s biggest clubs - while carrying a hefty price tag - offers a daunting challenge to Hojlund but one United fans will be banking on him tackling head-on.
The international break provides the 20-year-old extra time to get fit while on Denmark duty, ahead of the crunch clash against Brighton next weekend. Although signed as one for the future, a lack of attacking options means United need Hojlund to start delivering now.
1 - Andre Onana
Onana is the game-changing signing that had to happen to modernise United’s backline. De Gea’s decade of service earned him respect in the red half of Manchester but his inability to play out from the back needed addressing.
Ten Hag is familiar with the Cameroon international and his performance levels went up last season as he helped Inter Milan reach the Champions League final. Onana should make the United goalkeeping jersey his own while adding another dimension to the Reds with his passing range.
Peter Schmeichel, Edwin van der Sar and De Gea himself have set the bar for United goalkeeping in the Premier League era. That is the level Onana must reach if Ten Hag is to take the club back to the summit of English football.
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