Zinedine Zidane’s return to Real Madrid could hurt Tottenham

Zinedine Zidane’s dramatic return to Real Madrid won’t cost Tottenham Mauricio Pochettino, but it may cost Spurs one of their best players. 

Tottenham fans rejoicing about Zinedine Zidane’s return to the sidelines for Real Madrid might want to put their celebration plans on hold. The move likely means Mauricio Pochettino will be staying in North London for the foreseeable future, but it may also increase the probability that Christian Eriksen will be headed to the Spanish capital.

Prominent journalist Guillem Balague insists that Eriksen and Chelsea attacker Eden Hazard will be Zidane’s top two targets this summer. News of Real Madrid’s interest in Eriksen is nothing new. They’ve been linked with him for quite some time. However, Zidane’s reappointment will likely mean Los Blancos will spend big money this summer.

In a perfect world, Tottenham would like to keep Eriksen. He’s a crucial part of Pochettino’s midfield and Spurs would really struggle to replace his class in the middle of their attack. However, his unwillingness to sign a new deal with the club may force Tottenham’s hand this summer. Selling him to Real Madrid for a massive fee wouldn’t be the worst outcome for Pochettino and company.

Naturally, any rumours linking Eriksen with a move to Real Madrid will naturally cause Spurs fans to dream of a swap deal involving Gareth Bale. In all fairness, Zidane’s appointment may increase the likelihood of the Welshman returning to England. Bale and Zidane clearly didn’t see eye-to-eye during the manager’s first tenure in charge. It remains to be seen whether or not things will change without Cristiano Ronaldo to dominate the ball.

At the very least, it’s safe to assume Tottenham will try to broach the subject of a Bale return if Real do make inquiries regarding Eriksen. Bale’s current wages will make any sort of swap deal difficult, but not impossible. Spurs could earmark some of the money in any deal to help defray Bale’s wages for the next few seasons.

Selling Eriksen to Real Madrid outright is still the more likely outcome though. That idea might not sit well with Spurs fans desperate to see the club hold on to their best players, but Eriksen doesn’t seem to hold the club in the same esteem as Englishmen like Harry Kane and Dele Alli. As such, selling him for a massive profit may be the club’s best move this summer.