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Erik ten Hag rues failed Man Utd transfer to help Casemiro and play the 'Ajax way'
Erik ten Hag has been criticised for his work in the transfer market since taking over at Manchester United.
It was the transfer pursuit that lasted a summer and ultimately, ended in disappointment for Manchester United and Erik ten Hag. Back in 2022, just weeks after taking over at Old Trafford, the Dutchman targeted Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong amid frequent reports that a £63million deal between both parties had been agreed.
The Dutch international had previously worked with Ten Hag at Ajax and was perceived by fans as the ideal candidate to revitalise United’s midfield. In that same transfer window, the experienced Casemiro arrived in Manchester from Real Madrid, with the pair seemingly set to form an intriguing partnership.
That notion never materialised though, with De Jong eventually opting to stay in Spain. Casemiro meanwhile, proceeded to impress in his maiden season in England, playing a vital role in the club ending their six-year trophy drought with a League Cup win.
But this season the 32-year-old has come in for savage criticism having struggled for form and fitness. And despite having two years still to run on his lucrative deal, the Brazilian international has been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia this summer.
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And now Ten Hag has seemingly blamed Casemiro’s drop-off on the failed pursuit of De Jong. He also told Sky Sports that the acquisition of the now 26-year-old would have helped give the team a clearer identity, similar to the one he instilled at Ajax form 2017-22.
"The plan was to play Frenkie and Casemiro, as I'm sure they would have been very complementary,” he argued. "To play with the Ajax style, you do need this type of player.”
De Jong’s decision to remain at the Non Camp was seemingly vindicated when the Catalan giants landed the La Liga title in the 2022/23 campaign. They also reached the quarter final stages of his season’s Champions League, with concerns over an upheaval now dismissed with Xavi having reversed his decision to step down as manager at the end of the season.
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He remains contracted at Barcelona until 2026, and Ten Hag is not expected to make another move ahead of the 2024/25 season. Despite the fresh investment of Sir Jim Ratcliffe, United’s summer spending is set to be restricted with the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules having reigned in the spending of top-flight teams.
Furthermore, the 54-year-old has already come under fire for purchasing stars from his former club. £80m winger Antony has struggled since his move in September 2022, while Lisandro Martinez has been plagued by injury after his £56.7m move in the same transfer window.