Danish international Christian Eriksen is not too far from ending his stint at Tottenham Hotspur. Having rejected a number of contract extensions in London, the playmaker is now a transfer target for a number of clubs in Europe.
And a report in Italy now claims that the Serie A giants Inter Milan are ready to swoop for Eriksen and are happy to offer Uruguayan midfielder Matias Vecino as a part of the deal.
Is this a deal Jose Mourinho would like?
Losing Christian Eriksen
Having joined Spurs back in 2013, Eriksen has been one of the most crucial players in what has been a revolutionary decade for the club.
Playing all across the midfield, the 27-year-old registered 69 goals and 89 assists in 302 games across all competitions, creating some memorable moments for the club.
He failed to lift any silverware in this time, which may be a reason for his decision to quit the club but Eriksen has also sported the captain’s armband at the club and has ensured he will be spoken of in glowing terms in the club.
At 27, he is now in his prime as a footballer and is a player Mourinho will not want to lose. The manager’s long term plan may yet be to convince the Dane to stay but at the moment, Eriksen’s mind seems to be elsewhere and letting him leave might be the best move for all involved.
But Mourinho cannot afford to lose a creative midfielder at this time of the season and should try and keep the player at the club at least till the end of the season.
Matias Vecino Offer: What Should Jose Do?
This is what makes Inter’s reported offering of Matias Vecino interesting for Mourinho.
The Uruguayan star is not a creative player like Eriksen but can play in a box-to-box role, adding some strength to both ends of the field.
Matias Vecino adds balance to the midfield, and at 28, will bring a lot of experience to the Spurs side, which could be crucial for Mourinho to turn them into a more compact and balanced outfit.
However, new signings Tanguy Ndombele and Giovanni lo Celso are already struggling to break into the first team and Vecino may not be above them in the pecking order.
The Uruguayan is a decent squad option to have and could be a good fit for Mourinho’s style of play but losing Eriksen removes a lot of creativity in the side, that is almost irreplaceable in this transfer window.
Dele Alli and Erik Lamela can do a job but if Spurs sell Eriksen, they will have to spend on another world-class player for this role, which is not possible in January.
So Mourinho will want to keep the squad as is and should keep Eriksen at the club till the end of the season if Spurs are to fight for a place in the Champions League next season.
Stats Courtesy: Whoscored