Christian Eriksen's cardiac attack was less than a year ago. His remarkable return to football and huge impact at Brentford have now brought his amazing comeback story to Old Trafford.
Christian Eriksen's cardiac attack was less than a year ago. His remarkable return to football and huge impact at Brentford have now brought his amazing comeback story to Old Trafford.
The Manchester-based midfielder will play a crucial role in Erik ten Hag’s plans to revive United.
Ten Hag, United boss, has been a significant part of Eriksen's story. He gave the Dane the chance to get back in shape at Ajax in January before his deadline to move to Brentford.
Eriksen's future was uncertain at the time. He wasn't sure if he would be able to return to pro ranks or regain his best form.
Ten Hag and Eriksen will reunite this summer, with the playmaker being re-established in Europe as one of Europe's greatest creators. He could be a great recruit for United, which last season badly lost his craft and composure.
United were eighth in goals scored in 2021/22 while they were 18th for goals made from set pieces. Eriksen will undoubtedly improve both stats.
He ranked third in the Premier League division for opportunities created and passes into third place, his first Premier League game for Brentford being on March 5. He had two of his four assists from dead-ball situations. His delivery was flawless and his outside-the-box ball-striking earned him some fine goals for Denmark when he returned to international competition.
He was a transformative figure for a Brentford team that had suffered from a weak start to their Premier League campaign. They won seven of the ten games Eriksen played. Six of the 28 other games were won by them.
After Eriksen's outstanding performance in the 4-1 win over Chelsea, Brentford boss Thomas Frank stated that Christian is a "top player", an "unbelievable character" and brings calmness and quality to the team. Christian will always find a solution. It was amazing how fast it took to get to this point.
This form is a nod to his glory days in Tottenham, when he scored more goals, had more chances, and recorded more assists than any other Premier League player.
Ten Hag hopes Eriksen will bring a similar boost to United's fortunes, which was just 12 points better than top-flight newcomers. It remains to be determined where he will fit in.
Eriksen was a great player on the left side, whether he was playing in a 4-3-2-3 or 3-5-2/5-3-3-2 formation.
However, Ten Hag used 4-2-3-1 at Ajax as his go-to setup. It is also believed that it was his primary plan at United – . Cristiano Ronaldo's future may change that.
Eriksen could challenge Bruno Fernandes to the No10 position in that system. When he arrived in the north-west, the Portuguese were his talisman. He was far from his best and Eriksen (2.9), while he remained United’s chief creator, outperformed Fernandes (22.6) in chances created per 90 minutes.
The Denmark star had a higher passing accuracy than the rest, underlining his suitability for Ten Hag's style. Ten Hag requires that players keep possession in order to maintain pressure on their opponent.
Eriksen could also move to the left, filling in the spaces he used so well for Brentford. Or, he could move to the right where he played for Spurs. This would enable Ten Hag to deploy both playmakers, but it would also put Eriksen up against flying wingers like Jadon Sancho or Marcus Rashford.
These options may give Ten Hag the flexibility to face different challenges. They will be stronger with Eriksen at their side.
Eriksen's Denmark team-mate Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg from Spurs, described him as the "main focus" of the national team. There are many stars at United - but there will be more recruits to make this squad capable of performing and excelling in the way Ten Hag envisions.
Eriksen is a great fit for Ten Hag, and there will be much focus on the next chapter of his story after a remarkable twelve months.
Sky Sports Summer transfer window
Who will be moving this summer? The transfer window opens June 10, and closes 11pm September 1.
Stay up to date with the latest transfer news on Sky Sports Digital platforms. You can also keep up-to-date with the latest news and analysis at Sky Sports News.