AC Milan legend Alessandro Costacurta has suggested Inter Milan should target Manchester United midfielder Donny van de Beek in a swap deal for Christian Eriksen.
Eriksen moved to Serie A last January after a protracted dispute with Tottenham over his future.
MEN Sport understood United explored the possibility of signing Eriksen last summer and the playmaker held talks with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer over a move to Old Trafford. The Reds ultimately ended their interest in the midfielder and went on to sign Bruno Fernandes from Sporting Lisbon six months later.
Eriksen has struggled under Antonio Conte and is expected to leave in the January transfer window. Despite only joining the club this summer, Van de Beek has also been linked with an exit due to his lack of minutes, though Solskjaer has stressed on multiple occasions he will get his chance at Old Trafford.
Nevertheless, Costacurta believes Inter could offload the former Tottenham man by swapping him for Van de Beek, despite United holding no interest in signing Eriksen or allowing Van de Beek to depart.
"Eriksen would be someone to exchange with someone who does not play in England," he said as quoted by Calciomercato.
"With Manchester United, Arsenal. Van de Beek, for example, could be a good idea for Inter."
Earlier this year, Eriksen shed new light on why his move to United never materialised.
The Denmark international was keen to try a new challenge and move abroad when leaving Tottenham.
He told BBC: "For a few years but it was never really likely. We did speak to them of course and we did hear what was possible and what wasn't possible.
"But, in the end, me personally, I wanted a new challenge. To stay in the Premier League would have been an easy solution.
"Of course, staying at Tottenham would also have been a solution but, for me, it just came down to wanting to try a new challenge in a new country. Once Inter came up it really wasn't a difficult choice."
