In his first move into the transfer market since taking the reins at Cardiff, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has acquired playmaker Magnus Wolff Eikrem from Dutch club Heerenveen. The 23-year-old arrives in Wales for an undisclosed fee and, having trained with the club over the last few days, was finally given clearance to seal the deal yesterday afternoon:
Speaking to the Bluebirds’ official website, Eikrem revealed he is desperate to make an immediate impact in his new surroundings:
“I can’t wait to get started. I’ve got a big chance now. It’s a massive step from The Eredivisie, but I think I can get us playing and as said, I can’t wait to get started. It’s up to me to show that I’m good enough and to get into the team. But I know I’ll have to work hard as there are a lot of good players here. I’m sure I’ll adapt and that the manager will put his things in place, which I will adapt to as well.”
The History
A product of the Molde youth academy, Eikrem was snapped up by Man United on his sixteenth birthday in 2006 after impressing in one of Solskjaer’s Norwegian “Soccer Schools” in his native Norway.
During his time at Old Trafford, Eikrem helped the club’s youth side to a couple of cup finals before making the step up to the reserve team – which was then managed by Solskjaer. A failure to break into the first-team eventually forced the midfielder back to Molde in January 2011 and, once again under Solskjaer’s guidance, he helped the club to back-to-back league titles, producing six goals and 12 assists from 68 appearances over two-and-a-half seasons.
Eikrem’s displays earned him a move to Dutch outfit Heerenveen on a four-year deal in June last year. During his time in the Eredivise, he played 13 times, scoring twice and providing a pair of assists. The 23-year-old has represented his country at youth level on 17 occasions, scoring once, and has also turned out for the senior side 13 times.
The Prospects
Given that this will be the third time the midfielder has worked under Solskjaer, it’s fair to say the Cardiff boss believes his new acquisition is a real talent. Speaking to the club’s official website yesterday afternoon, Solskjaer summed up just what we can expect from Eikrem:
“I’ve known Magnus for many years, having worked with him at Manchester United and then signing him for Molde. While I was there I had to sell him as he was our best player – and now I feel lucky to get to sign him again for Cardiff City for a reasonable price. I see this as money well spent. He’s a playmaker, a quarterback if you will, someone who likes to get on the ball and can see a pass. He’s technically very good, including set pieces and has great vision. Magnus will add a lot to Cardiff City and will blend in very well with the midfielders in the squad.”
Eikrem is adaptable enough to play in a deep-lying role or even in “the hole” in Solskjaer’s preferred 4-2-3-1 formation. Potentially, though, the “quarterback” comparison suggests he could sit in the double-pivot alongside a battler such as Gary Medel and be tasked with linking defence and attack via his eye for a killer pass. Certainly, the statistics suggest Eikrem is unlikely to make his way onto Fantasy radars anytime soon, with most content to initially observe and assess whether he is capable of making an impact in the English top-flight.
The new manager’s praise for Eikrem’s set-piece abilities is something of a worry for Peter Whittingham owners, though. The latter has been the Bluebirds’ main man up till now but, with a potential midfield reshuffle on the cards, the local press have even questioned his game time under Solskjaer – a real worry for the 5.3-priced Whittingham, who has played every minute of the season up until now and has produced more points than any midfielder under 7.0.
Certainly, the club’s home schedule offers reason for optimism as the new man in charge looks to climb the table. West Ham, Norwich, Villa and Hull are the next four visitors to the Cardiff City Stadium and, with a trip to neighbours Swansea also on their agenda over the next seven, Solskjaer will be confident of picking up the points.
Whilst Eikrem – who has yet to be added to the Fantasy Premier League game (4.5 to 5.0 can be expected) and is priced at 4.3 in the Sky Sports game – certainly has his manager’s faith, it’s perhaps best to wait until the transfer window closes until we get an idea of Solskjaer’s plans. Although Whittingham’s prospects may take a dive, Jordan Mutch, with four goals to his name and a price of 4.6, could turn out to be the best route into the Cardiff midfield if he can retain his current starting berth.
