‘Not in shape’ - Ex-Real Madrid and Everton man claims injury-hit Man Utd star shouldn’t be at Euro 2024

Former Everton and Real Madrid midfielder Thomas Gravesen has slammed the Denmark manager Kasper Hjulmand for his decision to call up an ‘out of shape’ Christian Eriksen and believes the Manchester United midfielder should be nowhere near the team’s Euro 2024 squad.

Gravesen, who played 66 times for Denmark between 1998 and 2006, believes that Hjulmand’s job is on the line after a disappointing group stage exit at the World Cup and claims he is making the wrong decision by siding with the old guard despite their lack of match fitness.

“Hjulmand has selected the players he trusts, and then we are back to the same song as we usually do – he does not see the Superliga and the players who play at home. He has again selected players who are not in shape, do not have rhythm and do not play on a daily basis.” Gravesen said.

The former Celtic star added that Matt O’Riley should have been a shoe-in for the team: “There are players I would much rather see in the national team than some of the players who have been injured or haven’t played at all. We have a player who has helped win the championship in Scotland and we have a player who has dominated the [Danish] Super League.

“I am of course talking about Matt O’Riley and Nicolai Vallys. Why aren’t they there? The two deserved a chance, but Kasper Hjulmand won’t give it to them. Many of the players who are abroad are sitting on the bench. They don’t play football. They are not in shape.” He told the Scottish Sun.

Gravesen went on to launch a scathing verdict on the decision to include Eriksen. The 32-year-old has played 128 times for the Danes, establishing himself as a great of the modern era, but has struggled for regular football this season with many of his 22 appearances for the Red Devils this term coming from the bench.

He added: “Is [Christian Eriksen] at 80 percent? Or is he at 70 percent? Or 50? Or 20? We have no idea, because he doesn’t play, and that’s a problem. Christian Eriksen at top level is an exceptional player, but where is he at the moment?”

Denmark have been drawn in Group C of the European Championships alongside England, Slovenia and Serbia. 

They face England in their second game on Tuesday 20 June in a game which could see Eriksen come head to head with Red Devils team mates Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire and Kobbie Mainoo. However, Eriksen will not come against his Manchester United team mate Marcus Rashford who was omitted from the squad after a lacklustre campaign which saw his goal tally drop from 30 in 2022/23 to eight in all competitions.