Soccer-Muamba worried about Eriksen's potential return with Brentford


FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Euro 2020 - Group B - Denmark v Finland - Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark - June 12, 2021 Denmark's Christian Eriksen during the match Pool via REUTERS/Hannah Mckay/File Photo

(Reuters) - Former Bolton Wanderers midfielder Fabrice Muamba said he was worried by the prospect of Christian Eriksen signing for English club Brentford following the Denmark international's cardiac arrest on the pitch at last year's European Championship.

Eriksen, who has not played since collapsing during Denmark's opening game of Euro 2020 against Finland in June, has been offered a short-term deal by Brentford, according to British media reports.

The 29-year-old midfielder said earlier this month that he intended to return to football to play for Denmark at the World Cup in Qatar, but his future is still up in the air.

Eriksen's former club Inter Milan terminated his contract in December because the heart starter device he had implanted following his cardiac arrest is not permitted in Italy's Serie A.

"Like everyone else, I am excited for Christian Eriksen that he could be returning to the Premier League ... But I am sure you can understand why I am anxious too," Muamba wrote in The Times on Tuesday.

Muamba himself was forced to retire at the age of 24 after collapsing on the pitch in an FA Cup match in 2012 and was technically "dead" for 78 minutes.

"As someone who has suffered heart failure on the football pitch... I find myself struggling to think I could go to watch Christian play," he said.

"The medical help that Christian received so quickly and effectively, conscious as he left the stadium after his cardiac arrest, is perhaps one reason why he can hope to resume his career.

"Daley Blind plays with a pacemaker, so it can be done at the highest level. But it's not just physical condition but the psychological aspect and the feelings of family because it can be toughest for them."

(Reporting by Silvia Recchimuzzi in Gdansk; Editing by Christian Radnedge)

Get 20% OFF The Star Digital Access

Monthly Plan

RM 13.90/month

RM 11.12/month

Billed as RM 11.12 for the 1st month, RM 13.90 thereafter.

Best Value

Annual Plan

RM 12.33/month

RM 9.87/month

Billed as RM 118.40 for the 1st year, RM 148 thereafter.

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!

Next In Football

Soccer-Brentford sign Sangare from Lens for club-record fee
AFF Cup: Harimau Malaya suffer first defeat to Thailand 2-0
Soccer-Consortium led by Staveley to buy Gold family's stakes in West Ham
Soccer-Bournemouth sign Portugal centre-back Silva from Benfica
Factbox-Soccer-Timeline of FIFA's stake sale plan: from proposal to dismissal under opposition
Soccer-UEFA welcomes FIFA's decision to scrap stake sale
Soccer-Infantino's FIFA future in jeopardy after private equity gamble backfires
Soccer-Reaction to FIFA backing down on World Cup sell-off plans
Soccer-Infantino faces crisis as UEFA, CONCACAF declare lost confidence over scrapped World Cup deal
Soccer-CONMEBOL seeks more information, launches consultations on FIFA World Cup stake sale proposal

Others Also Read