Erik ten Hag may have signed his De Jong alternative for free

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Manchester United’s pursuit of Frenkie de Jong fell flat after weeks attempting to sign the Barcelona midfielder.

BBC Sport reported a £63.5 million deal was agreed for the Dutchman, but he was unwilling to make the move to the Premier League.

An unexpected deal to sign Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro saw United land the top midfielder Erik ten Hag desired, even though the Brazilian is a very different style of player.

This is where the qualities possessed by free agent addition Christian Eriksen come in particularly useful.

READ MORE: Confirmed Manchester United transfers, ins, outs, loans, releases for 2022/23

De Jong alternative

De Jong at his very best is a ball progressor, a player who turns defence into attack with his ability to quickly transition between phases.

The Netherlands midfielder’s stubborn desire to stay at Barcelona has led Erik ten Hag to a tactical rethink, which may end up being for the betterment of Manchester United.

Casemiro is a more orthodox defensive midfielder, a role United needed. There were concerns whether De Jong would have left United too open at the back, and whether he could provide the back four the protection they require.

Christian Eriksen meanwhile can provide United with the on-ball qualities De Jong would have brought to Old Trafford, and has fitted in almost seamlessly.

The Dane has played a key role for United in the past three games, proving he can play alongside Bruno Fernandes, and is more than a back-up.

Eriksen has showed an ability to drop deep, and help United dictate the tempo of games. He has started all five matches for United under Erik ten Hag, and while this will change due to rotation purposes, the midfielder has clearly been earmarked to play a key role.

He has been doing so alongside Scott McTominay over the past three matches too. Eriksen will shine further when it is Casemiro anchoring the midfield instead.

Frenkie de Jong may have remained in Spain, but Eriksen can provide similar qualities. Landing him on a free transfer looked like an excellent deal at the time, and the early signs are promising.

The best is yet to come from Eriksen. He has sacrificed some of his individual flair for the good of the team, to do precisely what Erik ten Hag has been asking. It’s clear the manager has big plans for him.