Erik ten Hag admitted it is impossible for Manchester United to replace Christian Eriksen after the midfielder was ruled out for at least three months.
Eriken will be out of action until late April or early May, after sustaining an anle injury in a challenge from Reading striker Andy Carroll in United's 3-1 FA Cup win on Saturday. The loss of Eriksen is a huge blow for United, with boss Ten Hag admitting there is no other player within his squad who can deliver the creativity provided by the Denmark international.
“Of course he's disappointed,” said Ten Hag. “We're disappointed, but it happens in top football and you have to deal with it. I think you can never fill that gap, because every player has his own characteristics and identification.
“Another player will always fill in in a different way, but it doesn't mean you have to be less successful.
“It's quite clear Christian brings top quality to our squad and he has some specifics that are hard to replace, such as his impacts in the final third with his final ball.”
Ten Hag ruled out United moving to bring in a replacement for Eriksen on transfer deadline day and claimed the void will have to be filled from within his existing squad.
“On deadline day it's difficult,” said Ten Hag. “You can't make policy on such bad injuries, but we have players in the midfield department, good players, so we have players who can fill the gap.”
One player who could come in for Eriksen is Fred, who partners United team-mate Casemiro for the Brazil national team.
“He's playing together with Casemiro in the Brazil squad and there's not a worse squad in the world,” said Ten Hag. “They have so many choices they can make, but they play together and that tells something about the quality Fred has and what he can contribute to the team.
“You see against Tottenham and Manchester City, and when he came on in the last game, he scored a goal, he has a lot of qualities and they're a good combination, Casemiro and Fred."
On United's transfer strategy, Ten Hag said: “I can't talk for other clubs, I'm talking for our club. We have a strategy and we keep the strategy. We want to restore Manchester United to where they belong.
“We are in a good direction, but it also has to match our financial frames. We started the season well, we keep consistent to that plan, to that strategy, and we develop as a club, as a squad.
“You also see the results in the process, we make progress, we keep the process going every day."
