Wolfsburg signs Eriksen on free transfer

Berlin, Sep 11 (IANS) VfL Wolfsburg have strengthened their midfield with the signing of Danish veteran Christian Eriksen, the Bundesliga side announced on Wednesday evening.

The 33-year-old joins on a free transfer after leaving Manchester United at the end of last season and has signed a two-year deal, and will wear the number 24 shirt.

For Eriksen, Wolfsburg represents his first experience in German football following spells in the Netherlands, England and Italy.

"VfL Wolfsburg is my first club in the Bundesliga, I am really looking forward to this new adventure," the Danish playmaker said.

"The conversations with the management were very positive, and I could immediately sense [head coach] Paul Simonis's clear vision for the team. Having several teammates from the national side here makes this step particularly attractive for me."

Eriksen arrives in Lower Saxony with a wealth of international and club experience. Denmark's record appearance holder with 144 caps and 46 goals, he has played in over 100 Champions League and Europa League matches and featured more than 300 times in the Premier League for Tottenham, Brentford and United. He also lifted the Serie A title with Inter Milan before returning to England in 2022.

Wolfsburg sporting director Sebastian Schindzielorz hailed the midfielder's arrival, describing him as "a leader who can make the difference on and off the pitch." Schindzielorz added: "We deliberately invested in young talents this summer, and Eriksen is the perfect complement to our captain Max Arnold. His experience, technical quality and personality will be invaluable, especially for our younger players."

The move also reunites Eriksen with several compatriots. In addition to CEO Peter Christiansen, Wolfsburg's squad currently features five Denmark internationals: Joakim Maehle, Jesper Lindstrom, Andreas Skov Olsen, Adam Daghim and Jonas Wind.

Eriksen's career has already been marked by a remarkable comeback. At Euro 2020, he collapsed on the pitch due to a cardiac arrest but returned to top-level football less than a year later. Since then, he has rebuilt his career with Brentford and Manchester United before taking on this new Bundesliga challenge.

The midfielder could make his debut as early as this weekend when Wolfsburg hosts Cologne at the Volkswagen Arena.

--IANS

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