The prospect of Manchester United adding Christian Eriksen to their midfield options this summer has left many supporters scratching their heads and wondering why Erik ten Hag is so keen on signing him.
United entered this summer's transfer window with the priority of strengthening their midfield options, but via the route of signing a defensive-minded midfielder. Instead, the club has identified Barcelona ace Frenkie de Jong and free agent Eriksen as its top targets.
De Jong is a box-to-box midfielder who likes to get on the ball, dictate games and play through the lines, while Eriksen is a seasoned creator, who thrives on creating chances and scoring goals. Signing both players would significantly improve United's midfield, but it would not solve their biggest issue.
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De Jong, who first attracted interest from United almost two months ago, is capable of operating as a defensive midfielder if needed, but deploying him in that role would be a waste of his talent. United would not see the best of him by asking him to sit deep and protect the back-four.
It is why the club's pursuit of Eriksen, who has reached a verbal agreement with United to join the club, has been met with even more bemusement. He is an experienced attacking midfielder who fulfils a similar role to that of Bruno Fernandes, in the sense that he likes to get high up the pitch and shoulder the responsibility of architect-in-chief.
If United are to sign both Eriksen and De Jong, it would be dangerous to field the pair of them in a midfield-three with Fernandes. However, in games where United are expected to dominate and boss proceedings, it could be a risk that Ten Hag is prepared to take. That is because Tottenham Hotspur head coach Antonio Conte, who worked with Eriksen at Inter Milan, trialed him in an unfamiliar position.
The Italian chief, who was linked with replacing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at United last year, made it his mission to deploy Eriksen in an unfamiliar deeper role, admitting that he hoped he could make things happen from being situated in front of the defence, as opposed to playing as an attacking midfielder. It was a risk that Conte was prepared to take.
"We have to get the best out of our squad," said Conte, speaking back in January 2021. "It is inevitable to have him [Eriksen] behind Brozo [Marcelo Brozovic] because we don't have a player like this in the squad who can be a playmaker in front of the defence line.
"We're trying to get the best out of Christian in that position, even if he's already playing as an attacking midfielder and a midfielder who goes deeper. This is good for the team and I myself have the opportunity to use it in a different role in midfield."
Conte's admission about Eriksen being capable of playing deeper could serve as a useful nugget of information to Ten Hag. As outlined above, playing a midfield trio of De Jong, Eriksen and Fernandes carries a degree of risk, as it lacks any defensive nous, but it could be deployed in games where United are overwhelming favourites to win.
Furthermore, if United signed a defensive midfielder and Eriksen, but not De Jong, it could be possible that Fernandes and Eriksen, with the support of a defensive midfielder, could play together in the same team. Eriksen's ability to drop deep and create could be a useful tool.
There are also other midfield variations and scenarios that could present themselves, but the Denmark international's ability to drop deep could give Ten Hag food for thought.
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