Wright slams ‘baffling’ Man Utd signing after Ten Hag picks ‘pathetic’ £85m flop over nine-goal PL star

Arsenal legend Ian Wright has hit out at Erik ten Hag and Manchester United over a couple of “baffling” missed transfer opportunities.

Since taking over at Man Utd before the 2022/23 campaign, two of Ten Hag’s signings have come from Ajax as he opted to reunite with Antony and Lisandro Martinez.

Martinez was one of United’s best performers last season but he has missed most of this campaign through injury. Antony meanwhile has failed to live up to expectations following his £85m move to Old Trafford.

The Brazil international has failed to register a single goal or assist in his 16 Premier League appearances this season and he was labelled “pathetic” by Jermaine Jenas earlier this campaign following his “unforgivable” defending against Fulham. 

The Red Devils have been linked with a few more former Ajax players while Ten Hag has been in charge. They were monitoring Mohammed Kudus and Jurrien Timber before they joined West Ham and Arsenal respectively.

Kudus has been quick to make an impact for the Hammers, as he’s grabbed nine goals and an assist in his 24 appearances across all competitions.

Wright has argued that Man Utd should have signed Kudus over Antony, while they would have also been wise to snap up Edson Alvarez.

“With the constant stick they are beating him (ten Hag), with Alvarez and Kudus at West Ham,” Wright said via Premier League Productions.

“Two players he had himself and it’s baffling to me that you do sign Antony over Kudus.

“I don’t think we have needed to see too many games where you look at Kudus’ output to Antony’s output and then think ‘How can you choose this guy over this guy? When this guy is definitely doing a lot more’. The same with Alvarez.

“Those are the signings you look back on that ten Hag has made and think ‘What is going on there?’ It just doesn’t seem right to me.”

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United legend Peter Schmeichel recently hit out at Antony, who does not “understand the game”.

“He has had an opportunity for a long, long time. He hasn’t got the instincts, he hasn’t made an assist or scored, it is like he is not understanding the game,” Schmeichel told Premier League Productions.

“He might have been asked to do what he has been doing.

“But then the manager is responsible for no assists, no goals going back to April for him to put a number down on anything that has value for the team.

“The manager needs to rethink this position. He doesn’t give much to the team and he frustrates his teammates around him. It is so clear.”