Man Utd handed huge boost in pursuit of creative midfielder as Eriksen injury leaves them scrambling
Manchester United have been handed a huge boost in pursuit of Bayern Munich midfielder Marcel Sabitzer as Chelsea are said to be focused on other options.
Both Man Utd and Chelsea are keen on adding to their midfield options. Christian Eriksen is set to be sidelined for the next few months with an ankle injury.
The Danish midfielder has been Man Utd’s most creative player this season as he has provided seven assists. Only Kevin De Bruyne has provided more assists in the Premier League during this campaign.
Erik ten Hag’s side are the lowest-scoring out of the top six and so it makes sense that they are looking to add another creative option.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Sabitzer wants to leave Bayern Munich as discussions between the clubs are currently ongoing.
Chelsea have also been linked with a move for the midfielder, although Romano states that they are “currently busy with other deals.”
Sabitzer moved to Bayern Munich in the summer of 2021, but he has struggled to establish himself as a regular first-team player.
During his debut season, 17 of his 25 league appearances came from the bench. That has mostly been the case for him this season too as eight of his 15 appearances have come as a substitute.
He spent his best years at RB Leipzig where he scored 52 goals across 229 appearances. As he has struggled to reach the same heights at Bayern, perhaps a move to Old Trafford could revive his career.
Losing Eriksen is a huge blow
There’s no doubt that Man Utd will be weaker without Eriksen in the squad. The 30-year-old has performed exceptionally well alongside Casemiro in midfield.
During a press conference to preview the EFL semi-final second leg against Nottingham Forest, Ten Hag clarified his stance on the injury.
He told the club website: “Of course, he is disappointed about it, we are disappointed about it,” he said. “It happens in top football, you have to deal with it.
“As you said, something coming out on deadline day is difficult and you can’t make policy on such bad injuries but we have players in the midfield department, good players, we also have players who can fill the gap.”
When asked if somebody would be able to replicate Eriksen’s characteristics, Ten Hag added: “Yeah, but I think you can never fill that because every player has their own characteristics and identity, so another player will always fill it in in a different way.
“So, it doesn’t mean that you have to be less successful but it’s quite clear that Christian Eriksen, for our squad, brings top quality and he has some specifics that are hard to replace. For instance, his impact in the final third, [with his] final ball.”
Long-term Man Utd target Frenkie de Jong has also recently been discussed as an option. The timing of Eriksen’s injury isn’t ideal, but they do still have time to find a replacement.
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