Manchester United urged to exchange two Erik ten Hag transfer signings | Football

Tim Sherwood believes two of Erik ten Hag’s Old Trafford signings ought to be ‘nowhere near a Manchester United shirt’.

Ten Hag welcomed various players to the Theatre of Dreams during his disappointing two-and-a-half-year reign as United manager.

Ex-Tottenham boss and Premier League player Sherwood says two – Joshua Zirkzee and Manuel Ugarte – usually are not as much as the usual to play for Manchester United.

United spent almost £40m to sign Zirkzee from Bologna in 2024 however the Netherlands international has largely struggled at Old Trafford, scoring just five league goals.

Zirkzee was heavily linked with a move away from United in the course of the January transfer window but caretaker manager Michael Carrick was reluctant to deplete his squad for the remainder of the season.

Ugarte has been one other big-money disappointment, having struggled to cement a spot in United’s starting XI since his £50m move from PSG in the identical summer.

The Uruguayan was linked with a move to Turkey in January and is anticipated to be sold in the summertime after one other underwhelming season in Manchester.

The 2 Ten Hag signings usually are not the one players Sherwood has criticised,with Benjamin Sesko one other who the previous Premier League manager has doubts over.

Sesko, a £74m signing from RB Leipzig, endured a miserable begin to his United profession but has scored 4 goals in five games since Ruben Amorim’s sacking.

‘Is Benjamin Sesko the reply for Manchester United up front? The jury continues to be out for me,’ Sherwood told Casinostugan. ‘On the evidence of what we saw under Ruben Amorim, I wouldn’t ensure about him.

‘But he wouldn’t be alone in that. Manuel Ugarte could be one other one. Joshua Zirkzee could be one other as well. I could go on and on. None of them ought to be anywhere near a Manchester United shirt.

‘But Sesko continues to be only a young man and he’s got a number of goals now against Burnley, albeit they’ve already got one foot within the Championship, and he’s come on and scored the winner against Fulham, so there’s something there.

‘Michael’s just got to get it out of him. I don’t think United can play like they’ve done in the primary half of games under Carrick if Sesko starts. He won’t give him as much as Mbeumo does out of possession because he’s not as dynamic.

‘He’s slightly bit one-paced without the ball but there’s not an issue. He just completely changes how United would need to play without the ball but they could want to alter.

‘Michael is flexible. If Sesko starts, it completely shifts the way in which they might need to play out of possession because he won’t press like Mbeumo does.

‘I still think he’s growing as a player too and if he can settle into the environment, because he’s at the largest club on the earth, you only don’t know what he’ll have the opportunity to provide.

‘If he’s completely happy to play as a brilliant sub and might come to it with that attitude then that’s superb.’

Manchester United secured their fourth successive victory under caretaker manager Carrick on Saturday, beating ten-man Tottenham 2-0 due to goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Bruno Fernandes.

4 straight wins leaves United fourth within the Premier League and on the right track to qualify for the Champions League for the primary time since 2023-24.

The in-form Red Devils visit relegation-battlers West Ham on Tuesday night before facing Everton next weekend.

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