Man Utd could sign another Eriksen next summer
FT Desk
- 18 Sept 2022 09:41 BST
- 3 min read
Manchester United are expected return with a big-money bid for Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong next summer, but Leicester's Youri Tielemans would be available on a free…
United spent much of the summer transfer window pursuing De Jong, with Erik ten Hag desperate to be reunited with a player he won the Dutch domestic double with at Ajax in 2019.
But De Jong wouldn't budge, with Barca - whom he described as his "dream club" on arrival - still owing him €17 million in deferred wages.
Man Utd's Frenkie de Jong scoring for Barcelona 😉pic.twitter.com/FcCqI3ZRyV
— Football Transfers (@Transfersdotcom) August 25, 2022
United were also unable to offer Champions League football this season - prompting Cristiano Ronaldo's search for a new club - but they look to be back on course under Ten Hag having won each of their last four Premier League games, including victories over Liverpool and Arsenal.
With a De Jong move stalling, United instead bought Casemiro from Real Madrid for €80 million, but the Brazilian has thus far played second fiddle to the incumbent Scott McTominay in central midfield.
Free transfers can work
United's budget remains formidable, even after also spending €165m on Ajax pair Antony and Lisandro Martinez, but Christian Eriksen has arguably been their best new signing, and he arrived on a free from Brentford.
A maker more than a taker of goals, Eriksen has assisted strikes in the Premier League and Europa League already this season, while his expected assists are higher than any other midfielder league-wide.
Tielemans might provide more thrust than Eriksen, with 25 goals and 25 assists in his two-and-a-half seasons with Leicester, but his profile complements the Dane's, and they could comfortably play together in the same side.
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And like Eriksen, Tielemans would cost nothing, with his contract at the King Power Stadium expiring next June.
Leicester managed to squeeze a world record £75m/€85.5m out of Chelsea for young centre-back Wesley Fofana last summer, but their bargaining position for Tielemans is significantly weaker.
Man Utd should pounce.
