Erik ten Hag transfer dig highlights priceless Manchester United changes

There wasn’t too much sympathy for Erik ten Hag when he cited a lack of January investment at Manchester United.

In the wake of the weekend win over Fulham, which confirmed a third-place finish in the Premier League, the United manager made the point of how impressive the achievement was given the spending of his top-four rivals.

"The club knows that if you want to play top four, if you want to compete for trophies in this tough league, you have to invest, otherwise you won't progress because other clubs will.

READ MORE: United may spring a tactical surprise on City in FA Cup final

"We saw it in the winter. All the clubs around us invested. We didn't and still we made it. So I am really happy and proud of my team," he said in what appeared to be a dig at the board.

United were in need of reinforcements midway through the campaign in key areas that would heavily influence the success of the rest of their season.

Christian Eriksen was injured, Cristiano Ronaldo had just left, and Ten Hag was well aware that new bodies were needed to help his side cope with the bumper fixture schedule and get through by hook or by crook to the finish line.

With a limited budget and limited options, United signed Marcel Sabitzer and Wout Weghorst on loan. They both played a part in achieving the top-four finish, though they might not be around to hear the Champions League anthem echo around Old Trafford again.

These were bridge signings - players targeted to fulfill short-term objectives rather than long-term ones. They certainly weren’t of the quality of Arsenal’s mid-season moves for Leandro Trossard and Jorginho, Liverpool’s addition of Cody Gakpo, or the roughly £300m spent by Chelsea.

Rival fans were quick to point to last summer’s