Manchester United agree Sabitzer loan from Bayern after Eriksen injury | Manchester United

Manchester United have agreed to loan Marcel Sabitzer to Bayern Munich after Christian Eriksen suffered an ankle injury which could rule him out until early May.

Sabitzer agreed to the terms and is expected to join the team until the end of the season without an option to buy, subject to a medical. He took a flight to Manchester.

The 28-year-old Austria international joined Bayern from RB Leipzig in 2021 and has started seven Bundesliga games and three Champions League games this season. He mainly plays as a central midfielder but can also be used in a more attacking role.

Erik ten Hag moved to Sabitzer on a day when the manager slammed Andy Carroll for the challenge which hurt Eriksen, saying he had “no place on the pitch”.

The Reading striker’s slot came in Saturday’s 3-1 FA Cup win at Old Trafford and means Ten Hag is without a key midfielder for the majority of the rest of the season through injury at the ankle. United’s displeasure with Carroll, who was not given a caution but was later sent off for two further fouls, was underscored by the defiance mentioned in the club’s injury statement.

Ten Hag said of Carroll’s tackle: “I’m disappointed about it. Football must set limits, restrictions, to protect the players. What football wants is the best players available on the pitch. This tackle and the two tackles after it have no place on a pitch because there is a high risk of injuring your colleague. I wonder about [why it occurred].”

Ten Hag was asked if he believed Carroll wanted to hurt Eriksen. “I make up my own mind about it,” he said. “I think my thoughts were pretty clear.”

The manager also cited how Lisandro Martínez needed long treatment in the draw at Crystal Palace a fortnight ago after an nudge from Jean-Philippe Mateta, who also escaped censorship. “It’s an injury risk for the player,” he said.

Scott McTominay, a potential replacement for Eriksen, is also out for up to three weeks with a muscle problem and fringe player Donny van de Beek is out until next season with a knee injury.

Ten Hag described Eriksen’s absence as “a concern” but said: “Those are things you have to deal with… In January Donny also drops out and Scott McTominay is unavailable for a week, two weeks , or even more. So we have a challenge there. We have quality players there, it’s obvious, but the depth is no longer there.

Martínez previously operated in midfield. Ten Hag said, “He’s done it before, so it’s [an option]. You have to be creative in such situations.

Ten Hag expects to have Anthony Martial and Jadon Sancho, who has not played since October, in his squad for Wednesday’s Carabao Cup semi-final second leg at home to Nottingham Forest.