Manchester United’s 2023–24 season hasn’t been great after such a successful season the previous year.

The Red Devils are currently sixth in the Premier League, making it an uphill task to play in the Champions League next season.

Erik-ten-hag-man United States Premier League
To be fair, Erik ten Hag has had difficulty selecting a stable starting lineup because of injuries, which is a major factor in the team’s lack of success.

Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen is among those who have had something of a horror run, both on the sidelines and in the team.

How much Christian Eriksen is worth now

Eriksen had a stellar tenure at Brentford, contributing five goals in ten appearances before joining Man United on a free transfer at the beginning of last season.

The veteran midfielder proved to be a valuable asset for Ten Hag during his first season as a Red Devil, as evidenced by the fact that he shared the best assist total in the Premier League with United’s previous season.

Premier League / Eriksen-Man / United / Hag / Chelsea
Although he was able to play in 25 Premier League games in 2022–2023 due to injuries, the 32-year-old has found it difficult to secure a berth this season, starting just nine games.

According to Transfermarkt, Eriksen’s projected value has dropped to £8.6 million as a result of this decline in minutes.

That represents a significant decrease from the £22 million that Old Trafford valued him at in the first few months of his contract. A string of lacklustre performances, along with an injury and diminishing worth, may raise the question: why did United cut Fred?

The 2024 transfer value of Fred

2018 saw the stunning Brazilian Fred sign for Jose Mourinho’s United from Shakhtar Donetsk for a whopping £52.5 million, becoming him the club’s third-most expensive acquisition ever.

Over 200 games were played by the number 17 for the Red Devils, but he was a player who frequently divided opinion. Football content developer Liam Canning called Fred “outrageous” and “infuriating.”

But the 31-year-old left Old Trafford last summer for Turkish outfit Fenerbahce, where he has flourished in a team that has only lost once in 30 league games, for a fee of £12.9 million.

The midfield player maintained his value even after leaving the Premier League, and Transfermarkt currently values him at £16.3 million.

The midfield squad value of Man Utd versus Fred

Participant

Worth

McTominay, Scott

£27 million

Casemiro

£26 million

Amrabat, Sofyan

£19 million

Fred

£16.3 million

Erik Christian

£8.6 million

Through Transfermarkt

Even yet, Ten Hag might have been better off keeping the Brazilian than keeping Eriksen and signing Sofyan Amrabat, even though he would still rank among the least valued midfielders from the current United draft class.

Fred has a reputation for being a great team player who can step up when necessary. This was especially evident when United played more formidable opponents the previous season. In the Europa League, for instance, the hard-charging defender had an impact by scoring and providing an assist during both legs against Barcelona.

Although Fred made ten tackles in the two games, demonstrating his defensive security, Eriksen struggles most in areas such as energy, tackling, and out-of-possession tenacity, as evidenced by the former Spurs player’s 0.9 tackles per game in the Premier League this season.

Final: Fred Man United FA Cup
Given that Fred’s profile is absent from the United team for Ten Hag this season, it is evident that letting him depart in order to retain a deteriorating Eriksen may have been a mistake.