Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag is set to oversee his first signing as the club’s new manager with an agreement in place to sign Feyenoord defender Tyrell Malacia.
The Dutch international will move to Old Trafford in a £14million agreement with the Eredivisie club as United make him their first arrival of the summer transfer window. Ten Hag is familiar with the player as an opponent in the Eredivisie.
United also have an initial transfer fee agreed with Barcelona for £56.2million to sign midfielder Frenkie de Jong, while they are keen to add Ajax duo Lisandro Martinez and Antony along with free agent Christian Eriksen this summer. However, Malacia is set to become the first summer arrival at the club.
Ten Hag will be wary of not falling foul of the same mistakes that have predecessor have made in the role in the Old Trafford hotseat. The list of recent first signings made by new United bosses have not made lasting impressions at the club.
The Dutchman’s immediate predecessor Ralf Rangnick did not oversee any signings during his time at the club, but the first arrival at Old Trafford under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was Aaron Wan-Bissaka. United spent £50million on the right-back from Crystal Palace and while he spent two-and-a-half seasons as the regular right-back under the Norwegian, he lost his place under Rangnick to Diogo Dalot and his future at the club is now unclear – with his market value decreased significantly.
The first arrival of Jose Mourinho ’s spell as United boss was central defender Eric Bailly from Villarreal in a £30million deal. The Ivorian started off his United career strongly but has been riddled with high-profile errors and fitness issues, limiting him to just 113 appearances in six seasons – averaging less than 20 per campaign. He is behind Harry Maguire, Raphael Varane and Victor Lindelof in the pecking order in the position.
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While the first arrivals at United after the appointment of Louis van Gaal was announced were Luke Shaw and Ander Herrera, those deals were put in place before the Dutchman’s arrival – which he gave the green light to announcing their completion.
The first United arrival that was sanctioned by Van Gaal was that of Marcos Rojo from Sporting Lisbon in a £16million deal. The Argentine international could play either in the heart or left-side of a back four but like Bailly, was troubled by fitness issues and erratic form – often leading to high-profile errors.
David Moyes inherited the signing of Wilfried Zaha, completed by Sir Alex Ferguson, yet Marouane Fellaini was the first arrival that was sanctioned by the former Everton boss. Fellaini spent five-and-a-half seasons at Old Trafford and was not without his qualities yet ultimately – and somewhat unfairly – became associated with the disastrous Moyes rein and subsequent below-par United results.
Even Ferguson’s first signing did not prove to be a particularly memorable one; right-back Viv Anderson arrived from Arsenal but he lost his starting slot after just two seasons, with midfielder Paul Ince preferred in the position for the 1990 FA Cup final. The signing of Denis Irwin that summer ensured Anderson had no meaningful future at Old Trafford.
