Manchester United made a splash in the transfer market last summer, spending a total of £229m including add-ons, which was the most invested in a single window in the club’s history.
Erik ten Hag spent four-and-half years with Ajax and he spent around £170m during his entire reign in Amsterdam. His most expensive signing in that period was Sebastien Haller for under £20m and he was regularly asked to turn water into wine.
The job description at Old Trafford is different. The champagne was out last summer and he spent freely, bringing in Tyrell Malacia, Christian Eriksen, Lisandro Martinez, Casemiro and Antony, mostly players he knew, on permanent deals. Want to join our MUFC Pro club for a totally ad-free version of the MEN's Man United app packed with premium features? Click here . READ MORE: United youngster James Nolan trains with first-team There was an obvious element of risk in signing players with Eredivisie pedigree, but Ten Hag would argue it would have been riskier for him to splurge millions on players who were not guaranteed to have the required talent or personality.
Coming from Ajax where finances were limited, Ten Hag was aware of the financial backing that was available last year and the importance of the budget not being wasted.