Man Utd star confirms imminent departure as Bukayo Saka return date set

Christian Eriksen is set to leave Manchester United at the end of his contract this summer but the Denmark international has no interest in moving to the United States

The international break is here and while there may not be any big live action to get stuck into in the first half of this week, excitement is building ahead of Thomas Tuchel’s first game in charge of England.

And there is no shortage of transfer news already despite there being another two and a half months before the summer window opens, with Christian Eriksen confirming that he is set to leave Manchester United while ruling out two possible next steps.

Elsewhere, Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka has his eyes set on a return date while the future of Virgil van Dijk at Liverpool has been a hot topic in the Netherlands week ahead of the World Cup qualifiers getting underway.

Before then, here are the latest headlines…

READ MORE: Manchester United star to leave in summer – but rules out TWO transfer choicesREAD MORE: Jack Wilshere names next Arsenal ‘leader’ as he reveals Mikel Arteta impact

Eriksen future

Christian Eriksen has confirmed he will leave Manchester United this summer and the Denmark midfielder has already ruled out two options for his next move. Old Trafford chiefs have decided not to offer Eriksen a new deal as Ruben Amorim looks to reshape his squad for next season.

And Eriksen, 33, believes he has several seasons left at the top level so is already ruling himself out of a move to Major League Soccer in the United States or the Danish domestic league.

Asked what his next move is, Eriksen said: “I don’t know yet. I haven’t made any firm decisions. Before my cardiac arrest, I played in England for years, moved to Inter, and thought I’d never return. Two years later, I was back in England, and now I’ve been here for almost four years.

“Careers don’t always follow a set plan. I don’t have a checklist of things I need to do—I’ll see what comes and what’s best for me and my family.”

Saka targets Real Madrid return

Mirror Football understands that Bukayo Saka is on course to return to action in time for the first leg of Arsenal’s Champions League quarter-final clash against Real Madrid on April 8.

Saka has been out of action since suffering a torn hamstring against Crystal Palace on December 21 and the winger has been a huge miss. Speaking ahead of Arsenal’s win over Chelsea, Arteta said of Saka: “He’s getting closer, he’s stepping up and making very good progress I would say.”

Saka has made 22 goal contributions in 24 appearances across all competitions and the 23-year-old’s return would come as a major boost for the Gunners as they hope to win the Champions League.

Koeman drops Van Dijk hint

Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman says that Virgil van Dijk still wants to play at the highest level next season, suggesting that Liverpool only face competition from elite clubs. Van Dijk, 33, has entered the final three months of his current deal at Anfield, with rumours of a lucrative move to the United States or Saudi Arabia simmering.

But Koeman’s comments appear to have poured cold water on the idea of Liverpool’s captain not playing in Europe next season. “Whether he signs with Liverpool or another big club, that’s all good for me,” the Dutchman said on Monday. “We’ll see what happens, and what I understand from Virgil is that he is still looking for the level he is at now.”

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