While Jadon Sancho looks increasingly likely to be a Chelsea player by the time the clock strikes eleven, Manchester United have not exactly been inundated with offers for some of their other fringe players.
But thanks to a rather unlikely source, the Red Devils may yet find a solution to their Antony and Christian Eriksen problems.
Eriksen, falling further and further down the pecking order at Old Trafford, has not even got off the bench so far this term. Antony, meanwhile, looks to be Manchester United’s £82 million, third-choice right-winger these days thanks to the explosive emergence of Amad Diallo and Alejandro Garnacho.
In an ideal world, Ineos would have sent them out the same door as Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Donny van de Beek and Anthony Martial.
But with offers few and far between – Anderlecht this week admitted that Eriksen was simply too expensive – Man United could be stuck with the two Erik ten Hag-era signings until the winter at the earliest.
Manchester United offered Christian Eriksen hope
Unless a deal that takes Nabil Fekir to the United Arab Emirates side Al-Jazira Club opens up a window of opportunity in the final few hours of the window.
The Daily Mail reports that Real Betis are interested in both Antony and Eriksen, seeing the duo as loan options.
And, according to Mundo Deportivo, the La Liga outfit plan to offset Fekir’s departure by bringing in not one but two players. There is interest in former Betis stars Dani Ceballos and Gio Lo Celso – benchwarming options at Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur these days – but Eriksen and Antony could also fill that Fekir-shaped hole.
The Man United duo are, of course, very different players.
But Fekir was utilised as a creative number eight at times during his Real Betis stint and, at others, as a right-sided winger. Eriksen would tick that first box. Antony is less likely and is particularly determined to stay at Old Trafford.
Real Betis want to replace UAE-bound Nabil Fekir
“It is difficult to be able to give an opinion on this matter. (Fekir) will not be here tomorrow,” manager Manuel Pellegrini said on Thursday, via Mundo Deportivo, the former Manchester City, West Ham and Real Madrid boss confirming his desire to bring in a replacement or, perhaps, two.
“When Nabil is not here, we will see what we lose with Fekir or gain with the player who arrives.”
Eriksen has been told in no uncertain terms that, should he stay welded to the Man United substitute’s bench, he could lose his place as the totem of the Danish national team.
Interim Denmark coach Lars Knudsen this week said that the veteran playmaker is in an ‘unsustainable’ position at Man United, Eriksen’s place likely to be hanging by a thread should he remain behind Kobbie Mainoo, Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro and the incoming Manuel Ugarte.
“Christian is a player who can still contribute a lot. We also saw that during the European Championships,” Knudsen tells Bold, Eriksen rolling back the years with a fine strike against Slovenia in the group-stages.
“But it is clear that his current situation is unsustainable in the long run.
“I hope Christian will play football. Whether it’s at Manchester United or somewhere else, time will tell. The fact is that he has to play more.”
- READ MORE: Manchester United confirmed signings, transfers in, out, loan exits, releases for 2024/25
Jadon Sancho to Chelsea latest
Manchester United are continuing talks with Chelsea over out of favour winger Jadon Sancho.
The Athletic report talks are ongoing with the London club to try and find a solution, and they are ‘expected to reach agreement’ before the transfer window closes.
United want any loan deal to contain an obligation clause, and negotiations centre on how much that total fee might be.
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