Man Utd transfer news: How Mohammed Kudus became Ten Hag’s biggest mistake

Manchester United fans could be forgiven for wondering if Erik ten Hag was Ajax manager before moving to Old Trafford 18 months ago.

After all, that would explain why he was willing to approve a €95m deal in 2022 to sign Antony from the Amsterdam club while Mohammed Kudus was waiting in the wings to move for much less.

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Ghana international Kudus finally got his move, albeit to West Ham, but for a fee of €43m he proved infinitely better value for David Moyes’ side.

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Kudus’ quality was once again on display in Sunday’s Premier League encounter against Manchester City, a match in which he scored one of the goals of the season. With West Ham trailing 2-0, he collected the ball after a corner before firing it into the net with an exceptional kick.

It was the sort of moment you might have expected a €95 million man to produce on occasion.

And yet the most memorable thing Antony did in 18 months at Man Utd was turn the ball. It was a wonderful moment for meme creators. For Red Devils fans, not so much.

You can see why Ten Hag chose Antony instead pic.twitter.com/gpxmX04LOL

-Robin Bairner (@RBairner) March 14, 2024

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Antony’s lack of production this season is well established. In the Premier League, we don’t need to remind anyone, he only has one goal and one assist. In all competitions, he has three goals and two assists. This, remember, for €95 million.

Kudus, meanwhile, has eight goals and a further six assists in the league alone. In total, his return of 18 goals and seven assists cannot be disputed. He may have calmed down in the second half of the campaign, but his quality is unquestionable.

Antony, on the other hand, has just five goals and three assists in the Premier League in two seasons.

This stagnation is perhaps the most alarming thing about Antony’s time at Man Utd. Data analysis company SciSports shows that his level has been absolutely stable since his arrival at Old Trafford.

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Although experts believe there is room for improvement, there is little reason to believe it is imminent given what it has produced so far.

Kudus, meanwhile, has enjoyed a significant rebound since joining West Ham.

The way Ten Hag worked with the two at Ajax and the result is baffling.

Recruitment has been one of the key assets to beating the Dutchman since he took the reins at Man Utd over 18 months ago, and the case of Antony and Kudus is the starkest evidence yet that he is too wrong.