Ex-Prem boss tells Erik ten Hag 'I wouldn't take £70m Man Utd flops in the Championship'

Manchester United's recent record in the transfer market has been so poor that Neil Warnock says some of their major signings aren't good enough to play in the Championship

Neil Warnock has savaged Manchester United's recent recruitment, insisting he wouldn't take the club's £70million flops in the Championship.

The 74-year-old, who had stints in the Premier League with Sheffield United, Crystal Palace and QPR, last managed Huddersfield, who are 21st in the Championship. Warnock left the club in September after a poor start to the season, but claimed his side would have been worse off if they had some of Erik ten Hag's signings in their team.

"The money that he’s spent, people forget. Whatever you think about the owners they've spent some massive money," he told talkSPORT. "Some of the players, they’ve spent £60-70m. I wouldn’t have had them with me at Huddersfield."

Ten Hag's future at United is in serious peril after his side were mauled 3-0 by Newcastle in the Carabao Cup, days after losing to Manchester City by the same scoreline. Securing a top four finish and landing the club's first piece of silverware in six years last season bought him room to stumble, but he won't last long if he fails to stop the rot.

Warnock added: "I don’t think he will last, personally. I’m not sure he wants to last either. I think he knows he’s banging his head against a brick wall."

The vast majority of Ten Hag's major signings at United have failed to live up to expectations. Antony has looked nowhere near an £85m player, while the likes of Rasmus Hojlund and Mason Mount, who joined for a combined £120m this summer, have made little impact yet.

Andre Onana, who was brought in to replace stalwart goalkeeper David de Gea, has had a calamitous start to life at Old Trafford. While Casemiro, who was admittedly one of United's best players last season, is showing signs of significant decline which, considering he has three years left on a £300,000-a-week contract, is bad business.

The only real success story has been Lisandro Martinez, who has looked a bargain at £47m. But injury has disrupted his 2023/24 season so far.

Providing he keeps his job, Ten Hag will almost certainly dip into the transfer market in January, and soon-to-be minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants to work closely with him. Though judging by the ex-Ajax boss' recent record, perhaps not too closely.