‘Erik said…’ - £150k/wk Man Utd star reveals Ten Hag told him he’s out of the team because of £10k/wk man
Manchester United midfielder Christian Eriksen has revealed that he has told manager Erik ten Hag he is unhappy with his lack of playing time at the Old Trafford club.
The Denmark international has started 11 of the 21 games he has featured in this term but has increasingly been spending more time on the bench in recent months.
Ten Hag has preferred Kobbie Mainoo, who earns £10,000 per week ahead of Eriksen, who earns £150,000 weekly, with the teenage sensation now a regular fixture in the starting XI given his impressive form.
“I have had a conversation with Erik that I am of course dissatisfied with the situation and that I would like to play as much as possible,” the 32-year-old told Danish outlet Tipsbladet.
“But that I am available and must be available for the team, which I am and always will be. Erik said Kobbie Mainoo is doing well, and the rest of the midfield is also performing well, so there is competition for places.
“Of course, you can be concerned in the long run because I want to play as much as possible. You don’t want to always sit on the bench all the time. I don’t have that approach to it, but it’s not something that worries me right now. It’s often when you change teams and win, you don’t change the winning team, and I respect that.”
The Man United academy graduate has started 17 of all the 20 games he has featured in so far this term since making his bow for the campaign against Everton last November.
Mainoo has featured in all of the last 17 games the Red Devils have played across all competitions, putting in another top performance as his side ran out 4-3 winners over Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-final on Sunday.
On the other hand, Eriksen has made just six appearances within the same timeframe, replacing the 18-year-old for the final ten minutes against the Reds.
The former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder is out of contract at Man United in 2025 and it is safe to say that an extension for him is not on the cards following the emergence of Mainoo.
Eriksen brings experience and quality to the table but has been unable to reach the heights of his Spurs days since joining the Red Devils in 2022, and a summer exit could be best for both parties as he is unhappy with his lack of regular playing chances.