nayimfromthehalfwayline
Andy Thompson
I get what you are saying (especially that you never know in football) but I'm mostly with BoL here....
Eriksen on a free transfer will command wages that take into account the fact he is on a free transfer. If we look at Eriksen's worth and what has been paid to other players then I don't think it is a stretch to assume that he will earn £400,000 a week next year (and maybe even more than that). Once he is on that £400+k a week, it becomes very difficult for another team to pay a transfer fee for him and take on those wages.
I don't think anyone taking on Eriksen will be doing so in order to try to make a profit, I think they'll be doing so because they would like to bring in one of the most creative players in the Premier League. It also might be very difficult for a club to bench a player for a year or two and then expect somebody to buy that player off of them for a decent transfer fee and pay them the same wages.
Id rather not assume figures, and have made a point of not doing so.
I have also, explicitly (and about 3 times now), stated that I do not think any club will be taking Eriksen with the explicit intent to sell him on at profit.
Only ever that if they ended up selling him on, they would profit - so its a no lose or risk free move to make.
I agree with you that he is quality, and that any club taking him will be doing so because of that and not as if he were a car to trade.
The wages thing, Im sure you know better than I do - clubs will supplement a players wages if they need to to get him off the books.
It happened all the way back when Robbie Keane joined, its certainly not something new.
If Eriksen is on £400k, at Madrid, and they decide he isnt working out - they sell him to Bayern for £50m. Bayern take him on a 3 year deal but will only pay £200k, meaning Madrid need to stump up that extra £200k for the contract. Thats £30m(ish). They are still £20m up on this rather assumptive deal.
Reality is, IMHO, he would sell for more in the first place, already swinging the deal further in Madrids favour...