Christian Eriksen, a name well-known in the football world, finds himself in a curious situation. His contract with Manchester United ended last season, leaving him without a club. While he figures out his next big move, the Danish international has decided to keep fit by training with Malmö. It sounds like a sensible plan on the surface, but not everyone agrees with his choice.
Thomas Gravesen, a former midfield powerhouse for Denmark, certainly isn’t shy about his feelings. He’s come out swinging, openly questioning Eriksen’s decision. Gravesen believes this isn’t the kind of pit stop a player of Eriksen’s caliber should be making. He thinks Eriksen should have picked a different place to stay sharp.
“I can’t wrap my head around why he chose Malmö,” Gravesen told the Danish press, pulling no punches. “He can’t sign a deal with them, so it’s not a club he can actually join. We have several clubs right here in Denmark that are far superior to Malmö. It just doesn’t add up.”
Gravesen didn’t stop there. He painted a picture of Eriksen merely enjoying himself. “This whole thing just looks like a friendly kickabout, like Eriksen is just having a laugh with some buddies,” he added. “Where’s the drive to actually play professional football? He’s been without a club since January, meaning he could have inked a new contract months ago. He’s been dragging his feet for too long now.” Gravesen highlighted that players often sign new deals in January if their current contract is up in June.
The core of Gravesen’s frustration seems to be the message Eriksen is sending. “What kind of signal does it give, going to Malmö just to mess around with friends?” Gravesen pondered aloud. “I simply don’t get it. It doesn’t seem very serious to me. If he had real ambition, he would be training with a higher-level club. In my book, just going to Malmö for fun isn’t ambitious enough. Who’s watching him there? Absolutely nobody.”