- Jan 27, 2011
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I still think he leaves in the summer as he hasn't yet signed a new contract which strongly indicates he is looking at moving on.
Just saw this article posted.
Daniel Levy intends to make it as difficult as possible for Christian Eriksen to quit Tottenham this summer by sticking to his £140million valuation of the player, Football Insider understands.
The Spurs chairman will not allow elite clubs to prise away the Denmark playmaker for what he considers to be anything less than the player’s true value even though he is out of contract in 14 months.
A club source has told Football Insider that Levy’s masterplan to keep Eriksen both next season and in the long term involves using the staggering price tag as a tactic to bring him back to the negotiating table.
Talks over a new deal have been put on hold as the 27-year-old and his representatives assess the interest in him ahead of the summer transfer window.
Real Madrid are keeping close tabs on Eriksen as they prepare for a major overhaul following a wretched campaign and they are expected to make a move at some point.
The source explained that Levy intends to hold firm in the face of interest, block any hopes of an easy exit and then present a new contract offer to the attacking midfielder that would provide a significant upgrade on his current £75,000-a-week deal.
Levy regards Eriksen as in the same bracket as Philippe Coutinho, who joined Barcelona from Liverpool last year for a Premier League-record fee of £142million including add-ons.
Coutinho had signed a five-year a year before he left Anfield and was also two years younger than Eriksen is now, but the long-standing Spurs chairman is convinced the Dane is a player operating at his peak and one who can match that record sum in what is still a buoyant market.
I think it's as simple as this; he's not desperate to leave but he also wants to explore the possibility of playing for one of the big two in Spain. If the bid doesn't materialise (hopefully due to Pogba going to Madrid instead and Barca not having the money) I think he'll stay and sign a new deal. He's seemed to perk up since the stadium opened.
The issue will come if he thinks Levy is pricing him out of a deal. It's good to read rumours that Levy is going to be bullish about this but you know clubs like Juve and Bayern will be in his ear trying to get him to run his contract down. I assume this means Levy has a strong feeling he can be convinced to stay, or that Madrid would indeed pay silly money.