Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag will no doubt be sweating on the fitness of Christian Eriksen, with the Danish playmaker set to undergo a scan after sustaining an ankle injury during Saturday's FA Cup win over Reading.

The 30-year-old was forced off just after half-time as a result of a reckless challenge from opposition striker Andy Carroll. It is yet to be seen just how long the summer arrival will be ruled out of action, having featured in every game in all competitions so far this season aside from the goalless draw at home to Newcastle United in October.

A consistent presence in the team, the former Brentford man has been a mainstay alongside Brazilian sensation Casemiro in recent months, and United's squad resources now set to be tested even further with Donny van de Beek already having been ruled out for the season.

That dearth of options has ensured that the Old Trafford outfit may be forced to dip into the transfer market before the end of the January transfer window, with Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth having revealed that the severity of Eriksen's issue will determine whether or not a move is pursued.

One potential option to help ease the loss of the former Tottenham Hotspur gem and also bolster Ten Hag's midfield options in general could well be Leicester City's Youri Tielemans, with journalist Thomas Alencar sharing earlier this month that the Red Devils hold an interest in the Belgian.

CBS reporter Ben Jacobs has since suggested that the Premier League giants could be "ones to watch" in the race for the 25-year-old's signature, while transfer guru Fabrizio Romano revealed last week that United are "keeping an eye on the market" amid those links to Tielemans.

The former Monaco star could well represent a potentially astute low-cost option for Ten Hag and co before deadline day, with the "incredible" talent - as lauded by pundit Michael Dawson (Sky Sports News, 23/10/2021, 12:59) - having just five months remaining on his deal with the Foxes.

The £35k-per-week magician would be required to help fill the creative void of Eriksen if he were to arrive at the Theatre of Dreams, with the latter having already provided nine assists in all competitions so far this season.

While Tielemans only has one assist to his name for the struggling Midlands club so far this term, he has typically been a reliable threat in an attacking sense in recent years, boasting a haul of 53 goal contributions in 184 games during his time at the King Power Stadium to date.

The 5 foot 9 gem also notably ranks in the top 20% in Europe's big five leagues among those in his position for progressive passes, with that figure only slightly lower than Eriksen, who ranks in the top 12% in that regard.

Equally, while the latter has averaged 4.3 shot-creating actions per 90 over the past 12 months to illustrate his ability to make the difference in the final third, Tielemans has averaged only slightly lower at 3.3 per 90 for that same metric.

The former Anderlecht man would also offer the benefit of his ball-winning prowess, as he ranks in the top 17% for tackles made. He actually has a far superior record in that regard to the current United playmaker, who ranks in the bottom 2%.

Therefore, turning to Tielemans could well allow Ten Hag to find a player who can prove to be not only an ideal short-term solution, but also a long-term fit as part of the midfield ranks at Old Trafford.