Trainer Erik ten Hag and Manchester United have found a replacement for the injured Christian Eriksen in Marcel Sabitzer. The Austrian is rented from Bayern Munich until the end of the season.
Ten Hag was forced to look for an extra midfielder in the last hours of the transfer market, because Eriksen turned out to have sustained a serious ankle injury. The playmaker is out until at least the end of April.
In the search, Ten Hag and United ended up with 28-year-old Sabitzer, who has mainly been on the bench at Bayern Munich in recent months. The midfielder came over from RB Leipzig for 15 million euros in 2021 and has since played 54 games for ‘Der Rekordmeister’.
Sabitzer’s departure is good news for Ryan Gravenberch, who loses a competitor in the midfield of the Bundesliga leader in the Austrian. Gravenberch has had to make do with raids lately.
For Manchester United, Sabitzer is the third reinforcement in the winter transfer period. Earlier, the English record champion surprised with the arrival of Wout Weghorst as a replacement for the departed star Cristiano Ronaldo. Goalkeeper Jack Butland was also hired from Burnley.
With Sabitzer in the selection, Manchester United must secure a ticket for the Champions League in the coming months. Ten Hag’s team currently occupies fourth place in the Premier League. The top four teams qualify for the million-dollar ball at the end of the season.
Southampton and Nottingham Forest are also doing business
Southampton and Nottingham Forest also struck on the last day of the transfer period. Southampton takes over former Ajax target Kamaldeen Sulemana from Stade Rennais and Nottingham Forest picked up Keylor Navas from Paris Saint-Germain.
For Sulemana it means a definitive switch to the Premier League. The attacker, who seemed to be on his way to Ajax in the summer of 2021 and was in the picture at PSV this winter, will earn Stade Rennais around 25 million euros. He signs a 4.5-year contract with Southampton, who are battling relegation this season.
Navas strengthens Nottingham Forest on loan for the rest of the season. The 36-year-old goalkeeper from Costa Rica was reserve behind first goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma at Paris Saint-Germain. He still has a contract with the club from Paris until mid-2024.
