Manchester United should have signed Tottenham midfielder Christian Eriksen during the summer transfer window, according to Paul Scholes.
The Reds were linked with a move for the Danish playmaker, with the BBC reporting that they had even gone as far as holding talks with Spurs over a potential transfer.
And Scholes is of the opinion that the 27-year-old would have greatly improved things at Old Trafford.
Speaking on Robbie Savage’s Premier League Breakfast, as quoted by the Daily Mail, he said: “I was quite excited when Christian Eriksen got mentioned.
“He could have made a big difference to United in the way [Kevin] De Bruyne plays for City, creating chances and scoring goals.
“But they haven’t got that and they have some good players so the target is top four and I think they will make it.”
TiF Tactics – Would Eriksen have fitted in at Manchester United?
There is no doubting that Eriksen is a wonderfully gifted footballer.
The Dane has hit 66 goals and laid on 86 assists during his 277 appearances for Tottenham [Transfermarkt], and every time he receives possession in the final third, he looks as if he could tear a team to shreds with a single clever pass.
Last year, as an example, he completed 2.1 key passes per match in the Premier League, with that figure rising to 2.3 in European competition, as per Whoscored.
Not only can Eriksen turn it on though, but he does so with an impressively high level of consistency.
Last season, his pass completion rate in the Premier League was 81%, and that includes an average of 2.3 long balls per match as well [Whoscored].
In short, Eriksen is a playmaker who can mix his game up to suit a situation without letting his standards drop.
What team in the world wouldn’t want a talent like that?
Is he likely to stay at Tottenham?
The big concern going into the summer was that Eriksen would leave on a cut-price deal, with his current contract set to expire next year.
In one respect, the club has done well to keep hold of the Dane for this long, and they surely cannot lose him to a fellow Premier League challenger.
On the other hand, as reported by Football.London, Mauricio Pochettino has admitted that his side are still vulnerable to offers from European clubs for his best players, and Eriksen is surely the most likely to up-sticks and go before the end of the month.
That’s not to say that he will, of course, but certainly, there are nervy times ahead for Spurs.