Former Manchester United defender Mikael Silvestre has said that new signing Christian Eriksen has made the most of a proper pre-season to prepare himself for a new chapter at Old Trafford.
Eriksen, 30, joined Manchester United on a free transfer earlier this summer after departing Brentford at the end of last season.
He has registered two assists in eight appearances for the Red Devils, bagging the club’s ‘Player of the Month’ award for September in the process.
Speaking to Betting Expert, Silvestre shared his thoughts on the former Tottenham Hotspur playmaker’s resurgence. He said:
“He looks like he’s found his rhythm again [from] before the incident and he’s shown his class. I’ve been impressed by how quickly he’s adapted to his teammates. He’s 30 now so he knows himself.”
He continued:
“But to get to know your teammates, their tendencies and their movements… that takes a bit of time. But for him, it was pretty quick. A lot of players have benefited from no summer tournament and a proper pre-season. He’s one of them. He had time to get ready and to adapt.”
Eriksen also shone for Denmark in the recent international break, starting in both his team’s 2-1 defeat against Croatia and a 2-0 win over France. He even scored a goal from distance against Croatia.
When asked about his pick of Manchester United players who will be crucial in the upcoming Manchester derby, Silvestre added:
“Raphael Varane for his leadership at the back. The partnership with Lisandro Martinez will be important, and Christian Eriksen for sure. Away from home, you need to work for the team and recover the ball, protect the back four.”
He continued:
“Again as soon as you manage to recover, you need to find those players that can keep the ball and play forward. So, he’s the man with Bruno. I think Christian has shown the reason why so far he’s been United’s signing of the summer.”
Manchester United are currently fifth in the 2022-23 Premier League table with 12 points from six games. The Red Devils will next face Manchester City at the Etihad on Sunday (October 2).
Manchester United set to trigger option to extend Marcus Rashford’s contract
According to Express, United are prepared to trigger a 12-month extension in versatile forward Marcus Rashford’s contract if they fail to tie the striker down to a new deal.
The Manchester outfit want the academy product to commit his long-term future to the club. However, they are aware that Paris Saint-Germain are monitoring the Englishman’s situation.
Rashford, 24, is in the final year of his contract at Old Trafford. He has scored 96 goals and contributed 60 assists in 309 matches across all competitions for the Red Devils, lifting four trophies in the process.