Fabrice Muamba has spoken about Christian Eriksen’s potential return to football.

Muamba, who suffered a cardiac arrest while playing in an FA Cup game for Bolton Wanderers against Tottenham Hotspur in 2012, has revealed his concern for Eriksen, amid interest from Fulham.

Eriksen also suffered from a cardiac arrest during Denmark’s opening Euro 2020 match against Finland, but is now seeking a return to football with reports linking him with a move to the Championship league leaders. 

Muamba spoke about how difficult it can be to retire from football, especially when it is forced upon you like it was for him following his heart condition. 

“I’ve said many times, football is the biggest drug ever and to be told to retire due to a condition you have no control of, it’s difficult to take,” said Muamba, via the Bolton News. 

“I find it difficult to understand the thought process of him running around and playing in an intense area.

“Does he really need to come back and play the game? He must have some unfinished business in football.

“The more I think about it, the more worried I get. The people who are looking after Christian, they need to look at the bigger picture.

“He has a young family. I just think the risk is too much.”

Eriksen hasn’t appeared since the European Championship last Summer. The playmaker was previously with Inter Milan, where he won the 2020-21 Serie A title, before having to leave the club.

Serie A does not allow a player to take to the pitch with a cardioverter defibrillator, so the club agreed to terminate his contract to allow him move to another club where he is available to play. 

Fulham are currently high flying at the top of the Championship table. Marco Silva’s side have scored 19 goals in their last three games, to leapfrog Bournemouth and take control of the automatic promotion places. 

Their next game comes against Stoke City, who are eight in the Championship. The two sides meet on January 22 at the Bet365 Stadium. 

The Verdict

Muamba has spoken at length about his experiences since he collapsed during that FA Cup tie. It ended his career in tragic circumstances which must have been extremely difficult for him.

While it is understandable where he is coming from, it is ultimately up to Eriksen what he does next in his career. 

The Dane will be receiving the best medical attention available and there’s simply no way he could be cleared to play if they didn’t believe he would be okay. 

Whether or not he moves to Fulham is yet to be seen, but it is encouraging that he is looking to return to action so soon after the incident.