Former Manchester United defender Paul Parker admits he would have loved to see the Premier League giants bring in Pierre Emile-Hojbjerg from Tottenham Hotspur during the summer of 2023.
And there was a time, too, when that seemed that a very real possibility. Albeit briefly.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Tottenham’s tough-tackling Denmark international, emerged as a potential Manchester United reinforcement late in the summer window, with the Red Devils struggling to come to an agreement with Fiorentina over Sofyan Amrabat at the time.
And regardless of serious United’s interest really was – or whether Hojbjerg was ‘offered’ to the Red Devils rather than the other way around – Parker would have welcomed the former Southampton skipper with open arms.
Man United hero a big Pierre-Emiler Hojbjerg fan
“I have always loved Hojbjerg, I just have to say that. I was a big proponent of Manchester United signing him this summer,” Parker, a two-time Premier League champion under Sir Alex Ferguson in the 1990s, tells Tipsbladet.
“His situation (at Tottenham) very problematic because he does not play when everyone is ready. He has had plenty of minutes, but it has been due to suspensions or injuries.
“He needs to leave Tottenham but they won’t let him go here in January. They can’t do that with the players they have going to the Africa Cup of Nations.”
Hojbjerg, a team-mate of Christian Eriksen and Rasmus Hojlund at international level, has started only five Premier League games this season, Ange Postecoglou demanding a little more thrust and creativity from his first-choice midfielders.
The chance of a January departure look slim, however, and not just because of Tottenham’s reported £25 million valuation. As Parker points out, Spurs will not be rushing to sell after losing Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma to AFCON.
Denmark ace urged to consider Spurs exit
“I believe that (Hojbjerg) can still play for teams that play for the biggest trophies,” Parker adds. “He must switch to a team that uses him in the same way that Denmark uses him. He is still a key player for Denmark, and that also shows that he still has the level (to play at the top).
Man United appear unlikely to make any permanent January additions with Financial Fair Play concerns limiting Ineos’ impact in the transfer market. A short-term loan is not out of the question, however, though one potential target Timo Werner is now a team-mate of Hojbjerg at Tottenham.
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