The summer of 2022 may well go down as a pivotal one in the history of Manchester United.
Not only did the club finally hire the right manager for the job after a decade of searching but they backed him to the hilt. Erik ten Hag has had a transformative impact since taking over at Old Trafford and the club's trajectory is finally heading in the right direction again.
Practically every big decision he has made has proven to be correct and a lot of them have come in the transfer market. United have signed nine players so far in Ten Hag's reign and several have driven the side on to end their trophy drought and possibly claim two more.
ALSO READ: Christian Eriksen gives update on recovery from injury
Here's how the new arrivals have fared this season.
Casemiro
If it wasn't for the ridiculous Erling Haaland then Casemiro would be going down as the Premier League buy of the season and he wasn't even first choice. Ten Hag was desperate to reunite with Frenkie de Jong instead and only when it became absolutely clear the Dutchman wouldn't be leaving the Camp Nou did United look elsewhere.
They couldn't have landed on a much better alternative than Casemiro, who has become the lynchpin of the side and the force behind their upturn in form. He has brought much-needed steel and resilience to the midfield while also contributing an unexpected quality going forward with incisive passing and a keen eye for goal.
Lisandro Martinez
Maligned for his height before even kicking a ball, Lisandro Martinez has quickly gone about making a mockery of his early critics by patching up United's leaky defence and forming an excellent partnership with Raphael Varane. The Argentine is brains and brawns personified.
Without the ball, he is vicious in his pursuit of getting it back and his uncompromising approach has already made him a fan favourite. But in possession, he turns into an elegant playmaker from deep, able to lay the first building blocks of attacks with his fine range of passing.
Antony
The jury is still out on Antony. Ten Hag moved heaven and earth to sign the winger from his old club and United spent a massive £80million to do so. That is a huge outlay on a player who has been very inconsistent but there's clearly a lot of talent there.
The Brazilian does do a lot of good work off the ball which earns his inclusion but he hasn't been returning the best numbers so far, with only eight goals and assists in 30 matches. His strikes have tended to be important, though, like the winner against Barcelona.
Antony has shown flashes of his brilliance and his breath-taking skill on the ball is a sight to behold but he needs to start being more involved in games instead of passively going through them.
Christian Eriksen
Alongside Casemiro, Christian Eriksen has had a massive impact since his arrival. United's biggest problem area for years was midfield where there was a lack of defensive intelligence and any sort of technical proficiency. Eriksen has brought imagination and guile that has helped modernise United on the pitch.
Only Bruno Fernandes has more assists than Eriksen's nine and he has been sorely missed during his months on the sidelines with an ankle ligament injury. The Dane is expected back at the end of April and it can't come soon enough.
Tyrell Malacia
Ten Hag's first signing was his fellow Dutchman Tyrell Malacia. The left-back looked bright when he came into the side early on in the season but has had to play second fiddle of late due to Luke Shaw's resurgent form.
He has proven himself a capable player, though, and his willingness to play on either flank is very useful.
Martin Dubravka
The curious case of Martin Dubravka. Signed on loan to be second choice despite the more than capable Tom Heaton being on the books and then looked far from a safe pair of hands in his two Carabao Cup appearances.
Newcastle recalled him in January in a decision that would prove costly as they had to play third-choice Lloris Karius in the League Cup final against United as Nick Pope was suspended and Dubravka cup-tied.
Wout Weghorst
When Wout Weghorst was signed to replace the departed Cristiano Ronaldo in January it may have been underwhelming but it certainly had merit. The towering Dutchman had just shown the damage he could cause in a thrilling World Cup encounter with Argentina and with his nine goals in Turkey looked as though he could be a good option off the bench.
But instead, due to Anthony Martial suffering yet another injury, Weghorst has been relied upon to start every single match. He's done his best and earned Ten Hag's trust thanks to his tireless pressing and sharp build-up play but the reliance on him has exposed his shortcomings, namely in front of goal. Weghorst may have done enough to make his loan permanent and things might fare better next season if he doesn't have to be in the team all the time.
Marcel Sabitzer
Another January loan addition, Marcel Sabitzer was drafted in on deadline day to offset Eriksen's injury. The Austrian has slotted nicely into Ten Hag's set up and his versatility has been most welcome during a particularly difficult period with absences.
He scored a classy goal against Fulham to ensure passage to the FA Cup semi-finals and it may be smart to make his switch permanent in the summer for added strength in depth if a good deal can be struck with Bayern Munich.
Jack Butland
Brought in on loan from Crystal Palace as third-choice goalkeeper and is yet to play. With his contract at Selhurst Park up in the summer, he too could be at Old Trafford next season.
READ NEXT:
