Former striker Marco van Basten has criticized Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag for signing midfielder Manuel Ugarte from PSG. Van Basten believes Ten Hag has made poor decisions by bringing in players who aren’t up to standard.
His comments came after Manchester United’s 3-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur at home, leaving the team with just two league wins this season and sitting 13th after six games. Ten Hag is under significant pressure, despite receiving strong support in the transfer market with new signings like Leny Yoro, Matthijs De Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui, and Manuel Ugarte. However, the team’s performance has shown little improvement.
Van Basten, speaking on Ziggo Sport, specifically criticized the €50 million signing of Ugarte, saying, “How is this guy walking around there? It’s ridiculous how much Ten Hag has spent on players who aren’t even good.”
United reportedly paid £50.8 million for Ugarte, brought in as backup for Casemiro, but the 23-year-old has failed to impress in his two appearances, including a shaky debut in a 1-1 draw against Twente and a subpar performance against Tottenham, where he was substituted for Christian Eriksen.
Van Basten also questioned the overall quality of Manchester United’s squad, labeling Marcus Rashford and Casemiro as not good enough for the team, while praising Bruno Fernandes and Andre Onana. He remarked, “Rashford is very bad. Bruno Fernandes is a good player. Onana is a good goalkeeper. That’s it.”
He added that Casemiro’s time is over and while Alejandro Garnacho is decent, no one is stepping up to lead the team.
Ten Hag faces increasing pressure as United prepares for their next game against FC Porto in the Europa League on October 3.
Marco van Basten has criticized Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag, particularly for his decision to sign midfielder Manuel Ugarte from PSG. Van Basten’s remarks came after Manchester United’s 3-0 home defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, which has left the team languishing in 13th place with only two league wins from six matches this season. Despite significant investment in players like Ugarte, Leny Yoro, Matthijs De Ligt, and Noussair Mazraoui, United’s performance has yet to improve.
Van Basten, speaking on Ziggo Sport, expressed disbelief at Ugarte’s €50 million signing, saying, “How is this guy walking around there? It’s ridiculous how much Ten Hag has spent on players who aren’t even good.” Ugarte, signed for £50.8 million to back up Casemiro, has failed to impress in his two appearances, including a shaky debut in a 1-1 draw against Twente and a poor showing against Tottenham.
Van Basten went further by questioning the quality of United’s squad, singling out Marcus Rashford and Casemiro as not good enough, while praising Bruno Fernandes and Andre Onana. He added, “Rashford is very bad. Bruno Fernandes is a good player. Onana is a good goalkeeper. That’s it.” Van Basten also suggested that Casemiro’s best days are behind him, and while he sees potential in Alejandro Garnacho, he noted that no one is stepping up as a leader.
Ten Hag is now under increasing pressure as United prepares to face FC Porto in the Europa League on October 3.
