Rating Manchester United’s summer signings so far this season (2022/23)

Manchester United brought in five players on permanent deals in the summer as Erik ten Hag began his tenure at the Theatre of Dreams.

Tyrell Malacia, Lisandro Martinez, Casemiro, Christian Eriksen and Antony were all new additions at the start of the season after United let a similar amount of players leave the club on free contracts.

Martin Dubravka also came in from Newcastle United on a loan deal but was given minimal game-time and returned to his parent club in January.

Ten Hag’s side currently sit fourth in the Premier League standings and look certain to make their first Wembley appearance in a final since 2018.

The signings that the Dutchman made in the summer have been crucial to the turnaround created at Old Trafford and we will be rating each of their impacts so far, based on their performances, age and price tag.

Tyrell Malacia

Malacia was the first signing under Ten Hag’s reign and it’s proven to be a very good deal for United so far.

The Dutch left-back has adapted well to life in England and even produced some very impressive performances toward the start of the season as he displaced Luke Shaw in the line-up.

More importantly, though, there is still tons of improvement the 23-year-old can make as he continues to settle into the squad and system. His offensive threat is minimal but there have been sparks of what he’s capable of in the final third.

Malacia is an intense defender who holds onto the ball extremely well and is astute in his link-up play. His decision-making in possession is mature and he’s only going to get better as the seasons go on.

Shaw is playing brilliant football at the moment, but Malaica is a very solid deputy for the Englishman at the moment and for just £14.5 million, he’s an absolute steal in this modern market.

How good of a deal was Tyrell Malacia for £14.5 million? pic.twitter.com/FUkqxZShLj

— UtdDistrict (@UtdDistrict) January 25, 2023

Malacia: B+

Lisandro Martinez

The Butcher of Amsterdam followed Ten Hag to United despite fierce competition from Arsenal for his signing. And thank goodness he did.

The central defender has been one of the players of the season for The Reds and brings so much importance to the style of play the manager is implementing.

His role in possession, as a left-footed centre-back, has been crucial to the progressive play from the back. He’s super calm in possession and can pick out passes between the lines that not many other defenders can.

What a man. What a player. 🔝🫶 pic.twitter.com/x9uUj479tB

— UtdDistrict (@UtdDistrict) January 25, 2023

Out of possession, Martinez is a monster. His tenacious tendencies are mixed with extremely good reading of the play, which means it’s very difficult to get the better of the Argentine.

The full price tag comes to £56 million for the defender and with his impact and considering he is still just 25 years of age, it seems like an unbelievable buy for United.

Martinez: A

Christian Eriksen

After a long saga involving the Danish star, United got his signature after fighting off interest from Brentford and Tottenham Hotspur.

The attacking midfielder was seemingly coming into the side as strong competition to Bruno Fernandes as the number ten in Ten Hag’s system. However, he’s been a deep-lying playmaker for United since his arrival.

Sitting alongside Casemiro, Eriksen has been an important progressor for The Reds in the centre of the park and offers increased offensive capabilities that United’s pivot players have had in recent years.

The 30-year-old has nine assists so far this season, which is hugely impressive considering his deeper positioning than the likes of Kevin de Bruyne and Bukayo Saka, who join him at the top end of the Premier League assist charts.

There have been warning signs in his defensive game over the course of the season. Eriksen is not the most mobile and can sometimes lose his man but when considering he has started all but five games this season, he’s been a great addition for United. When you add on the fact he joined on a free transfer, it looks like extremely smart business.

Eriksen: B+

Casemiro

United acquired the Real Madrid midfielder at the tail-end of the transfer window and he’s helped transform the club’s midfield alongside Eriksen.

The 30-year-old has been the defensive midfielder missing at Old Trafford and is excellent at sniffing out the danger which haunted The Reds last term.

His in-possession game has surprised many fans. The midfielder has increased importance in the build-up and progression for United (since he no longer has Luka Modric and Toni Kroos sat in front of him); his long, driven passes to wide areas are wonderful to watch.

Whilst there was always a question about the longevity of this signing, Casemiro’s importance might be the most of any player in the squad, as shown in his absence against Arsenal. In a deal worth a complete £70 million, United paid the premium price for one of the best in the world in his possession.

Casemiro: A

Antony

The Brazilian winger came into the squad after a transfer window-long pursuit from United. He ended up costing a staggering £85 million, which brought immediate pressure onto his shoulders.

Antony has scored five goals so far this term, which is only bettered by Bruno Fernandes (6) and Marcus Rashford (18) and has the ability to pick up more goals if he continues to show impressive box movement.

However, he has left much to be desired from his on-ball game so far. Since the return of club football, he’s been tentative in possession and struggled to impact the game in transition, which is where the likes of Fernandes and Rashford are most dangerous.

Despite this, the Brazilian offers an important balance on the right side and has great ball-retention skills to keep things ticking for United. Against Nottingham Forest on Wednesday evening, we saw a more confident version of the winger and there’s hope that he can push onward throughout the campaign.

There’s a lot to improve on for Antony but he’s also shown his importance to the system Ten Hag is building. The outlandish price tag does not help his case in his ranking so far but there are certainly enough signs to show he can be a great long-term option at Old Trafford.

Antony: C+