Christian Eriksen has verbally agreed to join Manchester United on a three-year deal, as confirmed by Fabrizio Romano on Monday via Instagram. Although official signings and formalities are yet to be carried out, the Denmark international is all set to join the Red Devils on a free transfer.
The news does come as a refreshing change for United fans from the mist surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo's future. With Feyenoord left-back Tyrell Malacia also set to join United, Erik Ten Hag will now switch his focus to his other transfer targets like Frenkie de Jong, Lisandro Martinez, and Antony, among others.
Christian Eriksen made a heroic comeback for Brentford FC last season after suffering a heart attack in the Euro Cup fixture against Finland in 2021. However, the former Tottenham Hotspur man is on the lookout for a new club following the end of his short stint with Brentford.
Earlier in the transfer window, the midfielder was linked with a move back to Tottenham as well as Brentford. However, considering Manchester United's activities in the transfer market, the 30-year-old preferred a move to the 20-time league champions.
How will Christian Eriksen fit in at Manchester United?
With the departure of some big names like Paul Pogba this summer, Christian Eriksen's inclusion does give Ten Hag quite a few options in midfield. Here are a few ways in which the Danish international could fit into Ten Hag's setup:
Bruno Fernandes’ replacement (4-2-3-1 formation)
Bruno Fernandes has become an integral part of Manchester United’s attacking midfield over the last two years. The Portuguese has played some of his best games as the No.10 in United’s 4-2-3-1 formation. The 27-year-old was the sole player who could fit into the role of a CAM perfectly last season.
However, with Christian Eriksen in the ranks, Ten Hag will have the luxury of rotating his players and using them accordingly. The Danish international is an excellent playmaker and was involved in five goal contributions in 11 games for Brentford last season.
With the World Cup happening later this year, managers will have to be mindful of the players' workload. In the wake of the risk of serious injuries, having Eriksen will help ease the workload of other players.
Orchestrating the midfield (4-3-3 formation)
Christian Eriksen fared well on the left side of the midfield for Brentford last season. With either Scott McTominay or Fred as the CDM, Eriksen can surely recreate his role with Bruno Fernandes on either side.
Despite battling a serious heart condition, the Dane has still managed to retain his mojo. According to Fbref, the 30-year-old averaged 3.7 key passes and 6.23 progressive passes per game in the Premier League last season.
With rumors of the possible arrival of de Jong, United will have one of the best creators in the midfield. However, the real question in this setup is whether Fred and McTominay have the required skill set to be the lone defensive cover ahead of United’s shaky defense.
Partnering with the likes of Fernandes and Van de Beek (4-4-2 formation)
Despite being an unorthodox formation for Manchester United, a 4-4-2 formation is the only way for Ten Hag to accommodate Bruno Fernandes/Donny Van de Beek and Christian Eriksen, with Fred and McTominay handling the roles of defensive midfielders. This setup opens up a wide array of roles and positions for United’s potential new arrival.
In their attacking setup, McTominay and Fred will be the double pivot in front of their defense, while Christian Eriksen will take on the role of the playmaker with Fernandes. If the 30-year-old is open to the idea of playing the role of Dusan Tadic of Ajax, he could also be a makeshift second winger for United’s center forward.
However, this setup has lots of ifs and buts and is thus unlikely to be an option for Manchester United.
Is Christian Eriksen's signing street smartness or just a gamble?
Christian Eriksen has provided the most assists since his debut, just behind Kevin de Bruyne. This makes him one of the best goal scoring threats in the league. Although the Dane has been an exceptional player, there is no guilt in admitting that at 30 years of age, he's in the latter phase of his career.
But considering the form he is in, the Dane is likely to thrive in United's setup. During his half-season stint at Brentford, Christian Eriksen bossed the midfield of Thomas Frank's team. According to Fbref, last season, he averaged 2.08 crosses per 90 minutes in the league.
With Cristiano Ronaldo's towering presence, having a decent crosser is not a bad idea. Apart from his crossing abilities, the midfielder also brings his set-piece skills to the table. Out of his four assists for Brentford, two of them have come from dead ball situations.
Eriksen's signing surely looks like a good signing for Manchester United. Under the guidance of former Ajax head coach Erik ten Hag, the 30-year-old is expected to play a very important role in United’s rebuild next season.