Christian Eriksen started 2022 with his career potentially over and with his health in question. He starts the 22/23 season playing for the biggest club of his career after proving many doubters wrong.
Last summer there were credible concerns about the 30-year-old midfielder. He had suffered a dramatic heart attack on the pitch at the rescheduled European Championships, one that almost cost him his life. After a difficult season with Inter Milan he was then let go with Serie A regulations precluding his involvement after he was fitted with a pacemaker.
There are no such rules in the Premier League, and after regaining his match fitness with Erik ten Hag at his former club Ajax, he joined Brentford, showing his best qualities over the course of four months in the second half of the season.
Understandably, Brentford wanted to keep hold of Eriksen into the new campaign, and Tottenham were linked with a move to bring him back to North London, where he played the best football of his career so far. But while he was tempted to reward the loyalty of Brentford he decided instead to be reunited with Ten Hag, who has now taken over at Old Trafford. His arrival could help at United in several important ways.
First of all it is a huge bonus that he has arrived without carrying a transfer fee. United lost Jesse Lingard, Paul Pogba, Nemanja Matic, Juan Mata and Edinson Cavani, and there are reasons to consider that Mason Greenwood may never play professional football again. United had lost several players who play in the front six, and Eriksen is able to perform in most of them. As a free transfer he allows the club to focus elsewhere. Where does Eriksen fit in? Well, potentially everywhere over the halfway line, such is United’s need and the player’s versatility.
One more recent development is the potential exit of Cristiano Ronaldo which may have to be addressed. If the Portuguese striker leaves, then Bruno Fernandes may be called up to play as a false nine, leaving a gap for someone just behind the front three. If he stays, then he gives United’s most important player for the last few years the chance to take a rest when necessary. He is a vital player but he can't function alone, and needs time away from the pitch on the times he is not effective.
Anthony Martial is another player who could leave still, which would further open up space on the flanks. Eriksen has on occasion played on the right wing, cutting in, but to do so it would need Ten Hag to find a more attacking option at right-back than the staid Aaron Wan-Bissaka. He might be able to occupy a similar position on the left if Tyrell Malacia proves more effective than the underwhelming Luke Shaw.
Another option might be to consider three former Ajax players all in midfield. Donny van de Beek was given no chance by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and then allowed to move on loan to Everton. He played his best stuff with Ten Hag at Ajax and it would solve one of the problems in midfield if the Dutchman could reinvigorate his compatriot. Alongside him, should a deal be struck, would be Frenkie De Jong. It seems that a transfer is likely to go through and Eriksen, De Jong and De Beek would probably be more rounded and able than Fred, Fernandes and Pogba had been.
For now, United’s fans can be optimistic that Eriksen is just a small part of an extensive rebuild that is being carried out, but there are still many variables that could undermine his arrival. More signings are obligatory, and Ten Hag must revitalise a miserable atmosphere at Old Trafford. Every manager since Alex Ferguson has failed some variation of this task, and it remains to be seen how Ten Hag can be the difference.