What Man Utd can expect from Marcel Sabitzer

One of the shock deadline day deals this January could be Marcel Sabitzer to Manchester United as the club seeks to replace Christian Eriksen.

The Dane has been ruled out until late April at the earliest after he suffered an ankle injury during the FA Cup win over Reading. Andy Carroll's scissor tackle left its mark on the former Tottenham man and he is set for a long spell on the sidelines.

Eriksen has started all but two of United's Premier League games so far this season and has been instrumental in their rise up the table and successful cup runs.

A loan deal for Sabitzer from Bayern Munich is now being pursued and there is a lot of confidence that it will get done before the window slams shut. What can watching fans expect from the Austrian?

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Marcel Sabitzer's career path

The 28-year-old midfielder began his career in various different youth teams before getting into the Admira Wacker senior team. A move to Rapid Vienna followed and then 18 months later, he became one of the major parts of Red Bull's Rasenballsport Leipzig project.

He joined the club in 2014 and eventually became one of the most important elements of the side after a loan to RB Salzburg, and one that seemed destined for a move to a bigger club in the near future along with the likes of Timo Werner and Naby Keita.

He returned from his loan in Austria in 2015 and spent the next six years with Leipzig, showing his versatility and technical ability. He then joined Bayern Munich in 2021 for just €15 million despite clearly being worth much more than that.

One of his crowning moments during his time with Leipzig was this gorgeous strike against Zenit St. Petersburg in the Champions League.

Marcel Sabitzer's goals and assists record

Sabitzer has had a very healthy goals and assists record almost everywhere he has been, with Bayern Munich being the only real exception. The move south to Bavaria cannot really be called a success as whilst he has provided very useful depth, he hasn't been able to produce the same sorts of numbers.

The Leipzig stats are the best indication of what he can bring to United, as if he really is a direct Eriksen replacement, he could go straight into the team alongside Casemiro. The fact that his goals and assists are almost the same shows he is a real dual threat.

• Admira Wacker: 10 goals and 8 assists in 52 games
• Rapid Vienna: 12 goals and 8 assists in 57 games
• RB Salzburg (loan): 27 goals and 21 assists in 51 games
• RB Leipzig: 52 goals and 42 assists in 229 games
• Bayern Munich: 2 goals and 2 assists in 54 games

Marcel Sabitzer's style of play

Central midfield is where Sabitzer has been placed for the majority of his career but he does have the ability to play out on the right wing, as well as in a more attacking role down the middle.

He is quick on his feet and fairly nomadic in how he plays, much like Eriksen, He is technically very good, as shown by the goal above and this incredible effort against Hertha Berlin.

It is not hard to imagine United feeling as if they have landed on their feet after the Eriksen injury should the deal get over the line, so long as Sabitzer's confidence has not taken too much of a knock at Bayern.

He tends to move a little higher up the pitch than Eriksen but he has more pace than the Dane, meaning he can track back more effectively. He doesn't shirk a tackle and he can take the ball under pressure in a crowded midfield.