Christian Eriksen Opens Up On Erik Ten Hag’s “Great” Influence As He Completes Manchester United Move

For the first time since signing for Manchester United earlier this month, Christian Eriksen carried out media duties for his new club.

United fans had been very eager to see the Dane repping the famous red and white, and the wait is officially over.

Speaking to the club website, Eriksen admitted that new manager Erik ten Hag was a huge factor in his reasons for coming to Old Trafford.

Eriksen said: “First of all, the football. I mean, I’m a guy who wants to play football and I think, with the idea of the manager coming in and the ideas he had, and also with my conversations with him, I mean I could see myself playing football in Manchester.”

The 30-year-old knows all about Ten Hag, having kick started his recovery to football from his shock cardiac arrest at last summer’s Euros with the youth team of the Dutchman’s Ajax side earlier in the season.

Eriksen’s senior career started in Amsterdam back in 2010, where he spent three years at the Johan Cruyff Arena before enjoying his first spell in the Premier League with Tottenham Hotspur.

Christian Eriksen left Brentford on a free contract this summer. (Alamy)

The Serie A winner spoke about the stature of United too in his interview. 

“It’s a very, very big club – if not the biggest”, said Eriksen. 

He continued: “If you pronounce it anywhere, they know where it’s from, they know where the locals come from.

“It has a big history and it’s a nice feeling to be part of something that is that big in history.”

In his career, Eriksen has played 16 times against the Reds, with his most recent matchup coming back in May where United triumphed by three goals to nil while he was at Brentford.

The Dane has scored twice against United, with the latter coming in the 2017/18 season where Eriksen scored inside a minute at Wembley.

Speaking further on Ten Hag’s influence, Eriksen said: “I want to come here to play football, I don’t come here just for the logo itself, I want to come here and play.

“Obviously, to speak with the manager and hear his ideas and have conversations with him on the football terms, was great and ideal for me to get the decision and the possibility of coming to Manchester United.”

Eriksen strengthens Ten Hag’s current midfield options, where numbers are currently thin due to the departures of Paul Pogba, Nemanja Matic, Juan Mata and Jesse Lingard earlier in the window, but is a position where the Dutchman still wants to improve. 

It’s unconfirmed yet as to which number Eriksen will wear, but one thing for certain is that he will bring bags of quality as well as Premier League experience to the side.

Eriksen will almost certainly gain his first few minutes in the side this weekend, featuring either against Atletico Madrid on Saturday or Rayo Vallecano on Sunday.

It has been reported that Ten Hag wants to play his strongest XI on Saturday to get 90 mins each in their legs, with a second-string side to play at Old Trafford on the Sunday.