Manchester United treble winner Peter Schmeichel has told Tipsbladet he is confident Christian Eriksen will be a success at Old Trafford.
Eriksen’s transfer to Manchester United was announced last Friday, with the Red Devils winning the race to sign the playmaker on a free transfer.
Schmeichel is delighted to see United sign a player from Denmark, especially one who is so highly regarded.
The most recent Dane to play for United before this was former goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard, the best part of a decade ago. But no player from the country has had quite the impact predecessor Schmeichel did in the 1990s.
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Peter Schmeichel confident Christian Eriksen will be a success
Schmeichel expressed his excitement at the deal, commenting: “Christian Eriksen is a class player, and we need them at United. It’s great to get a Dane to the club. That makes it more interesting for me.
“He must see it as a great opportunity to make an impression on football. It is a big machine that needs to be turned around, and if Christian Eriksen can take part in it, it will be a huge thing.
“All respect for Thomas Frank and Brentford, but Christian Eriksen is ambitious, and he has become even more ambitious after his accident. I could not see him take the chance with Antonio Conte again, nor could I see him stay.”
Schmeichel did have a warning for Eriksen, but believes the midfielder will be able to cope.
He said: “You do not know what the pressure is at Manchester United until you have tried it. The expectation is that you win every time. You have to do your best in every single match. The fans are patient but have a limit and when it is reached it creates a pressure.
“I have seen several talented footballers come to United without being able to cope with the pressure. But Christian Eriksen should not worry. He has the mental ballast he needs. He has already won the toughest battle of his life. I have no doubt that he will be a success. Fans already love him.”
Hopes Eriksen gets to play with Ronaldo
One uncertainty ahead for Eriksen is whether he will end up playing alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, who has an uncertain future.
BBC Sport report Ronaldo wants to leave the club, but Erik ten Hag has been very clear he wants to keep last season’s top scorer. Schmeichel believes Eriksen and Ronaldo could create a winning connection.
He said: “He must create goals. That’s what he can do. Christian Eriksen has a unique way of watching the football game. He can deliver passes that the defense cannot handle. In addition, he must be able to hold on to the ball on the last third, because that was a big problem for United last season.
“His qualities are seriously expressed when he has good players around him. Therefore, I think it would be fun to see him play with Cristiano Ronaldo. There you can talk about two well-developed football brains.”
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