Christian Eriksen verbally agrees to three-year Manchester United move

Central midfielder Christian Eriksen verbally agreed to sign for Manchester Untied on a free transfer on Monday, according to David Ornstein of The Athletic.

The Denmark international, whose half-season contract with Brentford expired in June, will join United on a three-year deal once he signs his contract and completes a medical examination.

Eriksen will become Erik ten Hag’s second signing of the summer, following United’s deal to bring Dutch left-back Tyrell Malacia from Feyenoord to Old Trafford. Malacia completed the second part of his medical and signed his contract on Monday, per Fabrizio Romano.

Brentford offered to re-sign the 30-year-old midfielder during United’s pursuit of his signature, but the Dane was lured to the Theatre of Dreams instead. Tottenham Hotspur, who Eriksen represented from 2013 to 2020, also expressed interest in signing their former player.

Eriksen signed for Brentford on January 31 after Inter Milan terminated his contract in December 2021 due to Serie A’s regulations stating that players are not allowed to play with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators. The Dane had been fitted for such a defibrillator after suffering a cardiac arrest while representing Denmark in their UEFA Euro 2020 match against Finland last summer.

Prior to joining the Bees, current United manager Erik ten Hag welcomed the Dane for training sessions at Ajax, where he began his senior career, during January as Eriksen was without a club and preparing for his move to London.

Ten Hag is well aware of the playmaker’s ability on the ball and wanted Eriksen to join him in Manchester.

Despite doubts about how he would perform in the Premier League after his cardiac arrest, Eriksen proved to be a star for Brentford in the second-half of the 2021-22 Premier League season, tallying a goal and four assists in 11 matches.

United will be the third Premier League club Eriksen will represent, having previously played 305 matches in all competitions for Tottenham. He recorded 69 goals and 90 assists in his seven-year career in North London.

It is yet to be determined where Eriksen, who usually plays as an attacking central midfielder, will slot into ten Hag’s squad, but the Dane undoubtedly brings veteran experience and quality to United’s midfield depth.