BBC pundit Noel Whelan has said that Tottenham did the best bit of business in the Premier League this summer by holding onto Christian Eriksen.
Eriksen was linked strongly with a move away from Tottenham this summer and had admitted himself that he was ready for a new challenge.
Just a few days ago Mauricio Pochettino was saying that Eriksen could still leave the club.
However, the European transfer windows shut on Monday with Eriksen still at Spurs and Whelan thinks that could be the catalyst for another top-four finish.
“Tottenham have done well to keep hold of Eriksen, Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen and Danny Rose, they are all massive players,” Whelan said to Football Insider.
“But Eriksen is the most important. He’s irreplaceable. It’s the best business of the summer by any Premier League club. Eriksen’s that important. To get rid of him would be ludicrous. He is the one player at Tottenham who can open up a team with his passing.
“That’s why Barcelona and Real Madrid wanted him. If Eriksen leaves, I would worry about Tottenham getting a top-four place. With him, they can get top four and challenge for trophies.”
Brilliant business or missed opportunity?
Christian Eriksen is a hugely important player for Tottenham and keeping him makes the squad much stronger.
However, this is a problem that hasn’t gone away, it’s just been shelved temporarily.
Eriksen admitted he wanted to move over the summer and after the transfer windows shut he revealed he wished he could control his future as if he was playing Football Manager. [Ekstrabladet]
That doesn’t sound like a player who’s now fully committed to the cause in north London and ready to sign a new contract.
In fact, the Daily Mail reported that his agents have told the club they’re not interested in further talks.
Eriksen is out of contract next summer and is free to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with overseas clubs in January. There’s a very real possibility that he could leave for nothing next summer.
Added to that is the fact that Pochettino has previous when it comes to playing unsettled players. Alderweireld was frozen out of the team towards the end of the 17/18 season and if Eriksen refuses to countenance a new Tottenham deal then this could be a problem that resurfaces.