Christian Eriksen Joins Manchester United on 3-Year Contract via Free Transfer

Manchester United has added midfielder Christian Eriksen on a three-year deal after his contract with Brentford expired last month.

The Red Devils announced Eriksen's signing on Friday:

“Manchester United is a special club, and I cannot wait to get started," Eriksen said in the club's announcement. "I have had the privilege of playing at Old Trafford many times, but to do it in the red shirt of United will be an amazing feeling."

The move has been expected, as The Athletic's David Ornstein reported on July 4 that Eriksen verbally agreed to join Manchester United.

The club offered Eriksen a deal in June, shortly before his deal with Brentford was set to expire. He signed with the Bees in January on a six-month contract in his comeback after going into cardiac arrest on the pitch during Denmark's opening match in Euro 2020 against Finland.

In a February interview with the BBC, Eriksen said he "was gone from this world for five minutes" before medical staff was able to revive him.

Over 11 appearances with Brentford, Eriksen scored one goal and had four assists.

Eriksen previously had stints with Ajax, Tottenham Hotspur and Inter Milan. He combined to score 80 goals in 382 appearances between the three clubs from 2010 to 2021.

He made 26 appearances (17 starts) in the 2020-21 season with Inter, helping them win Italy's Serie A. He also won three Eredivisie titles with Ajax and was named in the 2017-18 PFA Team of the Year while with Tottenham.

The Daily Mirror's David McDonnell noted that Eriksen won't immediately join his new club during the preseason tour in Australia.

"Instead, he will work on his fitness at United's Carrington training base, before meeting his new team-mates when they return from the tour," McDonnell wrote.

The Red Devils defeated Melbourne Victory, 4-1, as part of their Australian tour on Friday. They will also take on Crystal Palace (July 19) and Aston Villa (July 23) in Australia before returning to Europe to face Atletico Madrid in Oslo, Norway.

Eriksen's first opportunity to play at his new home, Old Trafford, will come July 31 against Rayo Vallecano.