Some Manchester United fans expected Christian Eriksen to leave in the summer. Dutch giants Ajax were interested in his services, per the Athletic. However, that transfer exit never materialised —many were concerned that he would come to regret not leaving, but this appears unlikely.
The Danish playmaker is now on fire, reminding Manchester United supporters of what he's all about with impressive performances in United's 3-0 win over Southampton and 7-0 thrashing of Barnsley. With Manchester United's match against Crystal Palace this weekend, there is even a debate about whether he should start or not.
Christian Eriksen, the solution
Manchester United needed to bounce back after losing 2-1 to Brighton and 3-0 to Liverpool before the September international break. Erik ten Hag needed to find a solution to get his squad back on track, and Eriksen was the answer, replacing Casemiro in United's engine room.
In the match against Southampton, he instilled composure into United's engine room by playing as a deep-lying playmaker. Against Barnsley, he was the driving force behind United's assault, showcasing his outstanding ability to hold onto the ball, make sound decisions, and remain inventive.
Christian Eriksen’s game by numbers vs. Barnsley:
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) September 17, 2024
96% pass accuracy
64 total touches
4 passes into the final third
3 ball recoveries
2 chances created
2 shots
2 goals
Class is permanent. 👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/2nCOZIP3Xj
Eriksen speaks of his future at United
The Dane was one of the midfielders rumoured to be on his way out of United in the summer. However, he did not leave, and as quoted by Fabrizio Romano, he has hinted as to why, saying:
"If they told me to leave, I would leave, but I didn’t hear that. I feel very good being at United...
I’m also a guy who likes being in a place where my family is settled and where I can benefit and play; that’s always going to be my aim."
Given that his current contract expires next summer, it will be intriguing to see if he can play himself into a new one. But it's likely he's ready to serve until Manchester United tell him he's no longer needed; whether that will be the club not renewing his contract will have to wait and see.
Nonetheless, Christian Eriksen has been an excellent asset to Manchester United since joining on a free transfer in July 2022.
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