Former Real Madrid player, Thomas Gravesen, has blasted Christian Eriksen’s selection for the Danish national team and had some harsh words to say about the Manchester United playmaker.
After playing a key role for United last season, after arriving on a free transfer in 2022, the Dane has barely featured in this campaign.
Eriksen played 44 games in all competitions for the Red Devils and alongside Casemiro, he formed part of Erik ten Hag’s first choice midfield in the 2022/23 season.
However, this campaign has not really got going for the former Tottenham man, as he has only played 20 times and has provided one goal and two assists.
The player has struggled to keep up with the play and while there were hints last season, it looks like he has well and truly lost his legs for the Premier League midfield battle.
In fact, in the last seven league games he has not made it off the bench six times and only played 37 minutes against Fulham. The last time the Danish international completed 90 minutes in the Premier League was in the 2-1 defeat at the City Ground against Nottingham Forest, in the final game of 2023.
Therefore, his selection for the most recent Denmark national team has raised some eyebrows in his home country with former Everton midfielder, Gravesen, having some choice words about the United player’s inclusion.
Speaking to Tipsbladet, Gravesen accused the national coach, Kasper Hjulmand, of choosing players for the wrong reasons.
“It is completely scandalous that he has not selected Nicolai Vallys. It’s a scandal of great proportions that we have a national coach who looks so little towards Denmark when there’s a player running around with those qualities”.
“When you look at the way he is playing football at the moment. And then they choose to take out a player who has sat on the bench at Manchester United, Christian Eriksen, just to maintain relations”.
Elaborating further on his irritation he exclaimed, “he’s not that anymore. The Christian Eriksen we all know, he is no longer there. Christian Eriksen doesn’t play football anymore. Christian Eriksen sits on the bench and watches football. Christian Eriksen as we know him, he is no more. You must not fall back on the fact that you are only selected on merit. One must not single out Christian Eriksen only on his merits”.
It has been reported that the former Ajax midfielder has also grown tired of falling down the pecking order at Old Trafford and is absolutely not happy and “wants out” of the club.
The Danish manager has also had his say, pleading with the United boss that the 126 capped player earns more regular minutes at Old Trafford.
However, it was relayed by The Peoples Person that Ten Hag has quashed rumours of discontent on Eriksen’s side claiming, “he will certainly still be very important for us. His qualities are progressive passing, and we will really need that in this competition”.
Moreover, he labelled talk of an exit as “supporter talk. Nothing more than that”.
