According to 90min, West Ham United are among those interested in signing Christian Eriksen during the summer transfer window.
Describing Eriksen’s last 10 months as a rollercoaster would be an understatement following his cardiac arrest and subsequent comeback to football.
Eriksen has returned to the Denmark setup and joined Brentford earlier this year. With one goal and one assist in five Premier League games for the Bees, the former Tottenham ace has contributed to their revival, but it appears the west London outfit will struggle to hold on to him beyond the end of the term as the Hammers, amongst others, wait in the wings.
What impact would Eriksen’s arrival at the Irons have? We take a look at the potential consequences.
The spirit of Payet
Asking any West Ham fan, they will likely be able to name few players who have lit up Upton Park or the London Stadium as much as Dimitri Payet. The 35-year-old scored 15 goals and provided 23 assists in 60 games for the club, but his impact was so much more than a few statistics. The France international’s mercurial ability made him a fan favourite, even if his reputation was soured following his bitter exit.
Eriksen may not possess quite the same flair and trickery as Payet, but he is a wonderful technician whose end product is more proven than the current Marseille man, at least in the Premier League.
During his time at Tottenham, Eriksen scored 60 goals and provided 90 assists in 305 appearances – an average of almost one goal contribution every other game. He is a playmaker of true quality who could add a real bit of skill to Moyes’ side, just like Payet did in the past.
Danger for Lanzini
As a number 10, Eriksen’s arrival could spell bad news for Lanzini. The Argentinian has often been Moyes’ number-one pick in the attacking-midfield role, but just two goals and four assists in 24 appearances is hardly going to instil fear into a player of Eriksen’s quality.
The 29-year-old has been linked with a move away from West Ham, with him previously saying he would like to return to River Plate, and the arrival of Eriksen may only accelerate his departure. Unfortunately, Lanzini just does not exert enough influence going forward to make his position secure.
TIF Verdict…
With Tottenham amongst the clubs interested in signing Eriksen, it would be considered a coup for West Ham to convince him they are the right destination.
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The Brentford boss has been quick to praise the attacking midfielder after his return to action as he called him ‘unbelievable’.
Last season, little separated the Hammers and the Champions League positions, and their performances in the Europa League this season only go to show they can mix it with some of the continent’s top sides. Signings such as Eriksen may be the push they need to progress even further.