Former Arsenal forward Paul Merson has said that he was surprised that "every club in the country" were not in for Christian Eriksen this summer.

Manchester United are believed to be on the verge of signing the Denmark international on a free transfer following the expiration of his contract at Brentford.

The Bees are thought to have offered the 30-year-old another contract, but Man United have seemingly won the race to sign him, with Eriksen allegedly in line for a three-year deal at Old Trafford.

Merson has said that the playmaker is the ideal summer acquisition for the 20-time English champions, branding him a "quality player".

"Christian Eriksen is the player Man Utd have been calling out for. He's a quality player, top drawer. He sprays the ball round the pitch, makes things happen," Merson told Sky Sports News.

Merson has also claimed that he was "surprised" that every team in the Premier League, including Manchester City and Liverpool, were not interested in his services.

"That's what they need. A lot of teams come to Old Trafford and there is no fear factor anymore, so the game will open up and he can break people down. I'm a massive Eriksen fan, I'm surprised every club in the country wasn't after him. I mean that would be a massive coup for Man Utd," he added.

Man United had allegedly initially been confident of signing Eriksen this week to allow him to travel with the squad to Thailand on Friday for the first leg of their pre-season tour.

However, it is being reported that the Denmark international is more likely to meet up with the squad in Australia, once he has completed his medical and signed the paperwork.

As a result, Eriksen's debut for the 20-time English champions could arrive against Melbourne Victory on July 15, which comes before games against Crystal Palace and Aston Villa in the same country.

Eriksen had an implantable cardioverter defibrillator device fitted after suffering a cardiac arrest while representing his country at Euro 2020, which saw him leave Inter Milan.

The Dane moved to Brentford on a free transfer in January and made a strong impression for the London club, scoring once and providing four assists in 11 Premier League appearances.

"I have different offers and options, which we are considering, and then we make a decision. I would love to play Champions League football again. I know how much fun it is, but it isn't essential for me," Eriksen told Viaplay when questioned on his future earlier this summer.

Man United will not play in the Champions League next season due to their sixth-place finish in the 2021-22 Premier League table, which was only enough for a spot in the group stage of the Europa League.

The Red Devils have already confirmed the arrival of Tyrell Malacia from Feyenoord, while they are working on deals for Ajax duo Lisandro Martinez and Antony, in addition to Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong. body check tags ::