Cristiano Ronaldo will love playing with Christian Eriksen - here's why

Suraj Radia

• 18 Jul 2022 18:12 BST
• 3 min read

Erik ten Hag has revealed his joy at securing the signing of Christian Eriksen and believes the move will not only excite Manchester United fans but also their strikers.

Eriksen has signed a three-year deal at Old Trafford after his short-term contract at Brentford expired, and the 30-year-old turned down interest from former club Tottenham to sign for United.

With Cristiano Ronaldo still pushing for an exit, Ten Hag believes the arrival of Eriksen could benefit everyone at the club due to his experience and quality.

“I think he is a magnificent football player and I think the fans will enjoy watching him, because he’s creative, he has ideas,” Ten Hag said.

“I think especially our strikers will also be happy because he’s the one who can involve them in the game.”

Is the signing of Eriksen enough to keep Ronaldo happy?

Ronaldo has yet to return for pre-season training after requesting to leave the club, with the official line that the 37-year-old is away dealing with family issues.

The legendary forward is desperate for an exit after just one year back at the club as he doesn’t believe United are in a position to compete for trophies, having missed out on Champions League football.

In particular, Ronaldo was said to be concerned at the club’s recruitment, although the club have brought in Eriksen as well as defenders Tyrell Malacia and Lisandro Martinez in recent days.

Eriksen’s signing is a step in the right direction for United, with the versatile midfielder having contributed to nearly 200 goals across more than 500 appearances, including five in 11 Premier League games last season.

Ten Hag also admitted that the club are working hard to bring in a world-class holding midfielder, with Barcelona’s Frenkie De Jong the long-time primary target, in a bid to bounce back from a disappointing season.

With the interest in Ronaldo seemingly more limited than he may have thought, the Portuguese star could benefit from listening to his manager’s praise of Eriksen and working with the club to improve.

While the free transfer may not be the marquee signing some expected, bringing in an experienced title winner like Eriksen could help United – and Ronaldo – reach the levels that they all aspire to be at.