Jamie Redknapp has urged Tottenham to keep hold of playmaker Christian Eriksen.
The Dane is currently at the centre of ongoing exit rumours, as reported by Sky Sports News, and started Saturday’s opening Premier League fixture against Aston Villa on the bench.
Spurs had to battle back from a goal down in a 3-1 win in that match, with all three of their strikes coming after Eriksen’s introduction to proceedings.
And Redknapp is of the opinion that they must do everything they can to ensure that the 27-year-old stays in north London.
Speaking on Sky Sports, he said: “The tempo changed, the pace of passing changed [when Eriksen came on].
“Every time a Spurs player got the ball, the first player they looked for was him.
“[The comeback] was more to do with him than anyone else… He showed he’s important to that team today.’
“Players like that are few and far between. They’ve gotta keep him. If he wants a bit more money, that’s what great players deserve.”
TiF Tactics – What does Eriksen bring to Spurs’ side?
More than anything, Eriksen brings creativity.
The Dane is, in many respects, the heartbeat of Spurs’ attack, and without him against Aston Villa, they looked a little stilted and off the pace.
After he was brought on, however, the game was turned on its head. He may have only been on the pitch for 26 minutes, but Eriksen managed three shots on goal, three key passes, and a pass completion rate of 79.2%, as per Whoscored.
His intervention elevated the side substantially, and the manner in which he floats into pockets of space and picks apart the scene around him with an incisive pass or two is genuinely world class.
As Redknapp says, keeping him is an imperative.
Is he likely to stay?
At the moment, who can really say?
Reports are conflicting, and while you have the likes of Sky suggesting that Real Madrid are still circling, you also have the Evening Standard claiming that Eriksen’s route to Spain has been blocked due to a lack of interest.
A move to a Premier League rival is obviously off the table, for the time being at least, but there will still be a worry that a European club could snap him up before the end of the month.
The only way that concern will be put to bed for good is if he signs a new contract, but at this stage, that seems like the least likely outcome and Daniel Levy will not want to lose him for free.