Manchester United have never been averse to splashing the cash, with their decorated history littered with tales of big-money signings. Some of those transfers delivered the desired return and interest on top, with the considerable value found in a testing market.
Not every deal can be a hit, though, and the Red Devils have also found out to their cost that digging deep is never any guarantee of success. Throwing money at a problem rarely solves it and some rather questionable business has been carried out in more recent times.
European target
Those at Old Trafford have, however, shown during the summer of 2022 that you do not need to break the bank in order to get quality through the door. That should stand them in good stead heading into a crucial campaign. As it stands, anybody considering a Premier League bet on Erik ten Hag’s side can get them at +170 for a top-four finish.
Having failed to hit that target in five of the nine seasons since Sir Alex Ferguson headed into retirement, United needs to find inspiration from somewhere in order to become Champions League regulars again and put themselves in contention for more major honors.
Born to wear Red 🔴🔥
📸 @ChrisEriksen8#MUFC pic.twitter.com/YmmTwl0z6S
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 26, 2022
The acquisition of Christian Eriksen could provide them with a much-needed spark. The Danish playmaker knows all about the demands of life in the English top-flight and is ready to slot seamlessly into a star-studded fold.
To have snapped up a player of his pedigree with no transfer fee required appears to be particularly shrewd business on the Red Devils’ part. An approach for his services had been considered in the past while starring at Tottenham, and it is safe to assume that he would not have come cheap had a deal been done back then.
Patience in Manchester has now been rewarded, with any concerns regarding Eriksen’s fitness being put to bed. He showed during a brief stint at Brentford last season that class will always be permanent.
If United can get him on the ball in dangerous areas of the field, them some serious strings will be pulled. He will also have the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Anthony Martial, and Donny van de Beek around him to help aid that quest.
Smart business
Ten Hag has tough decisions to make when it comes to the tactical approach that will be favored in 2022-23, with there almost too many creative attacking options at his disposal. That, though, is a nice headache to have and depth is always required in the most ambitious of squads.
Christian Eriksen settling into Manchester ❤️ pic.twitter.com/vAJlJaSeCh
— GOAL (@goal) July 26, 2022
It may be that Eriksen is rotated in and out of the starting XI, with an impact role off the bench also there for the taking, but he should expect to see plenty of game time across the multiple competitions that United will be pursuing ultimate glory in this season.
If he can find a spark early on, then opposition defenses had better watch out. He boasts the ability to pick the tightest of locks and will be relishing the opportunity to get an expectant fan base at the Theater of Dreams on its feet.
In many ways, he could end up being United’s best piece of business and, having arrived as a free agent, did not cost them a penny. This goes to show that it is not always the biggest cheques that deliver the greatest rewards.