Christian Eriksen

[nayimfromthehalfwayline]

I’m baffled by some supporters apparent indifference about Eriksen to United. Even if you don’t believe he would improve them much, losing him weakens us big time. He’s a very, very good player.

This goes beyond the economics of the situation. We need to make a statement and that statement is “We’re Tottenham, we’re one of the leading clubs with England and our best player is not joining a rival at any cost”. Do what Fergie did with Heinze. Do what we did with Modric. Do what Liverpool did with Suarez. Under no circumstances can he go there and I’ll be spitting nails if he does.

We might look like a billy big gonads club with our "We're Tottenham..." talk NOW. How silly will we look after a season of him underperforming and then leaving anyway? Only this time for free, leaving us with a harder time to replace him?

 

[nayimfromthehalfwayline]

Where do the United rumours come from, who’s actually said United are in for him?

One of many since last night:

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/man-utd-working-on-sensational-18837572

Man Utd 'working on' sensational Christian Eriksen transfer from Tottenham
The Dane and his representatives are reportedly keen on sealing the move before Thursday's transfer deadline

Manchester United are reportedly working on thrashing out a deal with Tottenham for midfielder Christian Eriksen before the transfer window slams shut on Thursday.

The Dane and his representatives are hopeful of sealing a move away from Spurs and the playmaker is top of United's list of priorities, according to the Mail.

Premier League clubs must finalise all their incomings by Thursday but will have until September 2 to sell any players, with Paul Pogba still being linked with a switch to Juventus and Real Madrid .

Eriksen's departure could have a knock-on effect for one-time United target Bruno Fernandes, who Spurs are keen on taking to north London.

Tottenham have also been strongly linked with a swoop of Real Betis star Giovani Lo Celso.

Eriksen had hoped to seal a move to Real Madrid but Los Blancos would rather lure Pogba to the Bernabeu, and are also interested in signing Donny van de Beek from Ajax.

If Eriksen fails to move before Thursday's deadline, Atletico Madrid and Juventus could join the race in a bid to land a cut-price deal in the region of £50million.

Spurs could be tempted to cash in given Eriksen has just one year left on his contract and could leave for free next summer.

Tottenham supremo Daniel Levy had initially slapped a £130million price tag on the 27-year-old, which clubs in England and across the continent balked at.

But United could bid around half that amount to try and get the deal done.

 

[harr1984]

Sell him abroad and threaten him with a season in the stiffs if he won’t move. Let him rot if that’s what we think will happen. We need to be ruthless on this one.



It goes beyond economics. Sell to United and we’re admitting they’re still a bigger, more attractive club than us even without CL football.

Man U are still a bigger club than us, why get so hung up on what it looks like? Figo went from Barca to Real, and there are countless examples of sales between rivals throughout the years - in the grand scheme of things it means naff all.

It all depends on what the interest in Europe looks like, and if anyone looks like a laughing stock it would be Eriksen if his dream move really does end up being Man U.....

 

[Abbeyspur]

Just not convinced about the Eriksen to United rumours. He stated at the start of the summer he wanted a new challenge but don't see a move to United fulfilling that objective given the current state of the club and Europa league football this season. Even if we were to get Lo Celso and Fernandez in to replace him we would be weaker this season given the time the new players will need to adapt. At the same time we would be strengthening a top 6 rival and threatening our Cl place for next season. Really hope there is nothing in this and given the absence of quotes from the Eriksen camp and short time before the end of window, just hoping this will not happen.

Don't imagine that Woodward will be looking forward to negotiating with Levy either!

 

[nayimfromthehalfwayline]

Man U are still a bigger club than us, why get so hung up on what it looks like? Figo went from Barca to Real, and there are countless examples of sales between rivals throughout the years - in the grand scheme of things it means naff all.

It all depends on what the interest in Europe looks like, and if anyone looks like a laughing stock it would be Eriksen if his dream move really does end up being Man U.....

Ive been thinking about it since last night and I still cant settle on where I am on it.

I seem to be strangely ambivalent to it, Im certainly not pulling my hair out at the idea.

Utd are a bigger club than us, fundamentally, and there is no denying that. Even while they are some way behind us, to play for them is to be on a much bigger stage.

However, I try to put myself in Eriksens shoes, and honestly the only thing that makes sense of going there is the money. Its a real mercenary move to make.

And then I wonder, how well will he adapt to that team, expectation, turmoil? And Im unconvinced he will really shine there.

I dont doubt his quality, at all. I do doubt his ability to step into a team and dictate. And I do wonder just how well he will play when the team isnt set up for him (like it so often is here).

All in all, for Utd, I think Eriksen would be a solid buy, but not a game changer. As eratic as Pogba is, he has the ability to take a game by the scruff of the neck, to win a match single handed, and to drag his team up around him. If I were to criticise Eriksen, Id say this is precisely what he lacks.

The idea of selling him? I see people talk of Carrick and Berbatov. This is nothing like that. When they went, they were taken. Utd looked down on us, pointed to our best player, took him and walked. This is FAR from that situation, and so I just dont have the same sort of animosity with it.

 

[DeanoAustin]

We might look like a billy big gonad*s club with our "We're Tottenham..." talk NOW. How silly will we look after a season of him underperforming and then leaving anyway? Only this time for free, leaving us with a harder time to replace him?

If he’s gonna leave, sell him abroad or put him in the stiffs. Don’t play him.

Do you think Klopp or Guardiola would sell to United. Over their dead bodies.

 

[nayimfromthehalfwayline]

If he’s gonna leave, sell him abroad or put him in the stiffs. Don’t play him.

Do you think Klopp or Guardiola would sell to United. Over their dead bodies.

Actually I do.

Then I think they would take the money, invest it well, then show Utd and the player what they are missing.

There is little room for sentiment in the game, but in the UK its basically a handicap. You dont get this kind of view abroad.


If he is going to leave, its going to be on his terms. You need to understand that. We dont get to sell him anywhere he doesnt want to go.

Our only options are to sell him, and lose him now. Or fudge him over for a year, and lose him for free in the summer.

If selling him to Utd is what HE wants, and it gets us good money to spend on replacing him, then thats the smartest deal.

 

[Kandi1977]

And people here laugh at deluded RAWK....

 

[billyiddo]

Because we will have refused to sell to a domestic rival.

That is a powerful statement about where we now stand, compared to the relatively recent days of Carrick, Berbatov and Keane - and it lets every other player at the club (and every other top 6 team) know exactly what our stance is.

When you are dealing daily in a world which talks in billions of pounds, I’d take the millions of pounds hit to make the statement. It should pay off in the long term.

Personally i think it's pretty small time to worry about making a statement in instances such as these - its the type of thing West Ham would do. Well run clubs act in their best interest and biting your nose to spite your face in such a manner as letting someone walk away on a free because you're too proud to sell to a rival is anything but.

 

[DeanoAustin]

Actually I do.

Then I think they would take the money, invest it well, then show Utd and the player what they are missing.

There is little room for sentiment in the game, but in the UK its basically a handicap. You dont get this kind of view abroad.


If he is going to leave, its going to be on his terms. You need to understand that. We dont get to sell him anywhere he doesnt want to go.

Our only options are to sell him, and lose him now. Or fudge him over for a year, and lose him for free in the summer.

If selling him to Utd is what HE wants, and it gets us good money to spend on replacing him, then thats the smartest deal.

Couldn’t disagree more. On rare occasions, you’ve got to look beyond the economics of the situation and this is one such time in my view.

To be honest, I’d be surprised if he wants to go there anyway.

 

[nayimfromthehalfwayline]

Couldn’t disagree more. On rare occasions, you’ve got to look beyond the economics of the situation and this is one such time in my view.

To be honest, I’d be surprised if he wants to go there anyway.

And what do you achieve, exactly?

Showing a big bravado now, and then what? Looking a mug when the player wanders off leaving you hanging while he gets his way anyway.

I genuinely do not see what it is we gain from "looking beyond the economics".

Especially when, if you actually consider the economics, you ideally end up shipping a player that doesnt want to be there* and bringing one in that does. And finish above Utd all the same.



*What cost of keeping a player who doesnt want to be there? What effect on performance? On the rest of the squad?

 

[DeanoAustin]

And what do you achieve, exactly?

Showing a big bravado now, and then what? Looking a mug when the player wanders off leaving you hanging while he gets his way anyway.

I genuinely do not see what it is we gain from "looking beyond the economics".

Especially when, if you actually consider the economics, you ideally end up shipping a player that doesnt want to be there* and bringing one in that does. And finish above Utd all the same.



*What cost of keeping a player who doesnt want to be there? What effect on performance? On the rest of the squad?

Will United want him after a year not playing? Doubtful. It probably wouldn’t get that far anyway. It didn’t with Modric and we sold him for less to Madrid than we would have gotten off Chelsea.

If Kane, Alli and our other top players see us selling one of our top players to a club who is behind us in every playing respect, what does that say to them? We’ve just built a billion pound stadium which was to put us at the top table and here’s one of our undroppables choosing a club with no CL football over us and we’re allowing it to happen? It would be an indictment of our club and our ambition in my view and it may cost us CL football the following season too.

Add to that, are Fernandes and Lo Celso going to come in and be as good as Eriksen? It’s a massive risk to think that they would.

 

[nayimfromthehalfwayline]

Will United want him after a year not playing? Doubtful. It probably wouldn’t get that far anyway. It didn’t with Modric and we sold him for less to Madrid than we would have gotten off Chelsea.

If Kane, Alli and our other top players see us selling one of our top players to a club who is behind us in every playing respect, what does that say to them? We’ve just built a billion pound stadium which was to put us at the top table and here’s one of our undroppables choosing a club with no CL football over us and we’re allowing it to happen? It would be an indictment of our club and our ambition in my view and it may cost us CL football the following season too.

Add to that, are Fernandes and Lo Celso going to come in and be as good as Eriksen? It’s a massive risk to think that they would.

Whether he has a season off or not, he is a high class player. And on a free is an absolute no brainer for just about anyone. If Utd want him now, they would still be interested next season.

What would selling say to Alli and Kane etc? Why would you assume they would judge Spurs negatively, and not Eriksen? As you say - "a club who is behind us in every playing respect". Why would we sell him? Because if we dont we lose money, and we are trying to build something that costs a lot of it. Players can see this. The bigger question, from their point of view - for me at least - is "Hey, Christian, what the fudge?!"

These players have all recommitted to the club. They have all seen it grow and develop. They have been what has taken it past Utd on the field. If one of them bails to take a step back - I imagine they would ask questions of him, not us for "allowing it to happen".

Because they will also see, despite them all finding contract negotiations positive, despite knowing the club has actively tried to get Eriksen to the table, HE is the one who has made this happen, not the club. Now its just the club trying to make the best of a bad situation.

It is no indictment of our club or ambition that a player decides it suits him better to leave, and manufactures that situation, and then goes to a club down the table in a mercenary move.

I very simply cannot get on board with your perspective on this at all. I think it is fundamentally wrong.


As to new players? We can only hope, and time will tell. Both look excellent, and both would appear to bring something to the team, right now thats about as much as we can hope for.

 

[Robbo]

Where do the United rumours come from, who’s actually said United are in for him?

"Sources".

 

[ricky2tricky4city]

I’m baffled by some supporters apparent indifference about Eriksen to United. Even if you don’t believe he would improve them much, losing him weakens us big time. He’s a very, very good player.

This goes beyond the economics of the situation. We need to make a statement and that statement is “We’re Tottenham, we’re one of the leading clubs with England and our best player is not joining a rival at any cost”. Do what Fergie did with Heinze. Do what we did with Modric. Do what Liverpool did with Suarez. Under no circumstances can he go there and I’ll be spitting nails if he does.

You can't go beyond the economics of the situation, if the economic of the situation forces our hand. None of us know but it could likely be so?.

 

[MKSpur]

"Sources".

GGG?

 

[ricky2tricky4city]

Couldn’t disagree more. On rare occasions, you’ve got to look beyond the economics of the situation and this is one such time in my view.

To be honest, I’d be surprised if he wants to go there anyway.

I get what you're saying, but it's too emotional.

Levy don't do emotional and he don't do 'looking beyond the economics'.

I love Eriksen but I don't feel outraged about it as I understand the predicament.

Maybe the rumours are all Spurs generated to fire some final interest from abroad...we can claim United want to pay £70m but if a club from the continent are serious they can have him for £55m. Makes negotiation easier that way as the foreign club think they're getting a bargain.

 

[NoLimits01]

One of many since last night:

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/man-utd-working-on-sensational-18837572

......

I think we just wrote our own headline

 

[nayimfromthehalfwayline]

I think we just wrote our own headline

Ha! You asked...

The other side of this is that Utd actually still want Fernandes, and are using it to push the price down with Lisbon.

Or they are just being desperate and trying to unsettle us going into the season because they know we are a big competitor for them.

Or its actually nothing at all and just the press posting gonads as usual...

 

[DeanoAustin]

I get what you're saying, but it's too emotional.

Levy don't do emotional and he don't do 'looking beyond the economics'.

I love Eriksen but I don't feel outraged about it as I understand the predicament.

Maybe the rumours are all Spurs generated to fire some final interest from abroad...we can claim United want to pay £70m but if a club from the continent are serious they can have him for £55m. Makes negotiation easier that way as the foreign club think they're getting a bargain.

Levy doesn’t really do emotional I agree although he did a bit with Modric. That’s why I think, if it came to it, he’d take the course of action you and Nayim are advocating. I’d normally be all for the all logic/no emotion course of action but in this case, I think we’ve got to show some steel. Be brave if you will