Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho said that Christian Eriksen made it clear he wouldn’t sign a new contract.
The Danish international’s contract scenario at Spurs was something which was talked about for a long time. He eventually joined Inter Milan during the recent-concluded transfer window.
SEE MORE: Premier League referee Mike Dean lifts lid on Tottenham goal celebration
Mourinho said that Eriksen had already decided to leave Spurs by the time he became the club’s manager and this was why the Dane was often left out of the starting XI. As quoted by Goal.com, the Portuguese said”For a long time, we knew. We didn’t tell because of a moral agreement with him but from the first day I arrived, he told me he was not going to sign.
So then it was an experienced and intelligent way for me and Mr. [Daniel] Levy to manage the situation. For me, to try to have still a player without great motivations but still a player with a good sense of professionalism and respect for the club to give us what he could. And Mr. Levy on the business side managed to do a great deal with six months on his contract.
“I tried to persuade Toby [Alderweireld to sign a new deal] when Toby told me he was having some doubts but Christian told me the decision was made and no way [did I try to persuade him]. From that moment, I was just trying to build the team without him. That was the reason why I didn’t play him many, many times. At the same time, Christian being a good professional and having respect for the club and his teammates I knew that with some limitations – there are always limitations with a player in his situation – that until his last day he tried to help the team and be a positive guy in the dressing room, which he was.”
Eriksen will undoubtedly go down as a Spurs legend with 69 goals and 89 assists in 305 appearances across all competitions for them. The Danish international made his debut for Inter in their 2-1 win over Fiorentina and there’s a good chance of him starting in this weekend’s Serie A fixture against Udinese.
Tottenham might have wanted Eriksen to stay but they do have players who are capable of doing well in that attacking midfield position.
Spurs are currently sixth in the Premier League table with 34 points and next play Manchester City tomorrow.
