A Manchester United scout has revealed the club's scouting department has been "crazy" about Christian Eriksen for "several years".
The Denmark international, 30, recently signed a three-year deal with United after leaving Brentford earlier this summer. He joined the Bees on a short-term contract in February and played a crucial role in keeping them in the Premier League, making 11 appearances.
Eriksen is regarded as one of the best playmakers in European football, winning three Eredivisie titles at Ajax and Serie A with Inter Milan. He is vastly experienced, playing over 750 senior games for club and country over the last 13 years.
Eriksen is best remembered for his six-and-a-half-year spell at Tottenham, helping them reach the Champions League final and finish second in the Premier League. During his time at Spurs and Brentford, he wracked up 52 goals and 71 assists in the English top-flight.
As such, it's no surprise new United manager Erik ten Hag was eager to bring Eriksen to Old Trafford. According to United's Danish scout Tommy Moller Nielsen, the club have been monitoring the player's career for some time and are glad to finally get their man.
"You hear all the time that people are happy and excited," Moller Nielsen told Tipsbladet, via Sport Witness. "Now there is finally a Dane and then it’s also Christian Eriksen. No one talks about his injuries. People are looking forward to it and looking forward to it. A lot of people came in and said, ‘that was great’. It’s a Dane who comes to a big club. It’s exciting."
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Moller Neilsen went on to say: "I’m the first team scout, so we’re talking about all players we’re going to buy. Especially when he’s from Denmark. He hasn’t played here [Denmark] for many years, and the English scouts know him more from everyday life than I do.
"Of course, I cover all the internationals, but that’s something else. But of course, things get talked about, it does with all players we buy. That’s what we have that department here for. So, we’ve talked about him."
Eriksen's life was in danger after he suffered a cardiac arrest at Euro 2020 last summer. He was unable to carry on playing at Inter after having an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) fitted, a device that can kick-start his heart if necessary.
Serie A rules do not allow those with an ICD fitted to play. Inter cancelled Eriksen's contract in December to allow his career to resume elsewhere and he's since re-established himself as one of the Premier League's finest attacking talents.
Moller Neilsen added: "Our English scouts have been crazy about him for several years, because he delivers. He has a very good level. The better the players he plays with, the better he will be. It is clearly an important factor he has delivered over a longer period of time. It has played a role in this signing.
"Then the coach knows him too. During his rehab, he trained at Ajax. On top of being a good player, he is a likeable person who they know can take the pressure of the Premier League. Everyone at the club and all the fans are very happy with the signing."
