Manchester United might fancy the idea of signing Christian Eriksen in January, but there’s no chance Spurs will send the midfielder to Old Trafford.
If officials at Manchester United really believe they have a chance to sign Christian Eriksen this January they need to get their heads examined. The chance of Tottenham officials agreeing to such a deal are located squarely between nil and none.
According to The Sun, officials at Old Trafford are already plotting a cut-rate move for the Danish maestro when the winter transfer window opens. The logic is that Tottenham will be desperate to offload Eriksen for an appreciable transfer fee rather than lose him for nothing. That line of thinking might hold true at some clubs, but it’s not going to rule Spurs in a few months.
Firstly, Eriksen is still an integral part of Mauricio Pochettino’s team this season. Giovani Lo Celso may ultimately replace him at Tottenham, but it’s highly unlikely he’ll be ready to take on that responsibility in January. If Spurs sell Eriksen in January it would effectively be admitting they aren’t pushing for trophies this season. There’s no way Daniel Levy and company will sanction such a disheartening move for the club’s fan base.
Even if Spurs were to seriously consider moving Eriksen in January, there’s no chance they will allow him to leave for a direct Premier League rival. Shipping him abroad to somewhere like Real Madrid or PSG would be painful for the North London club, but seeing him ply his trade at Old Trafford would be downright disgusting. If Eriksen is sold it will be to a rich club that plays outside the Premier League.
Frankly, Eriksen being sold in January is only the third most likely outcome of his current standoff with Spurs. Perhaps the most likely eventuality is that Eriksen will leave for free. If he’s truly disenchanted with Pochettino’s project he can negotiate a bumper contract with a new club in January. Keep an eye on Juventus if this happens. The Old Lady have made a recent habit of paying massive wages to players who arrive in Turin via a free transfer.
Even the chances of Eriksen reversing course and signing a new deal with Tottenham are better than the odds of him being sold in January. That outcome may seem unlikely at the moment, but if Spurs get on a roll it’s easy to envision a scenario where Eriksen starts to rediscover warm feelings about the club. Remember, Spurs have already offered to double his wages. It’s not as if they aren’t willing to meet some of his negotiating requirements.
Add it all up, and Manchester United officials need to make other plans in January. They can chase Eriksen all the want, but Tottenham will not be selling their talisman to a Premier League rival in a few months. The idea of Eriksen moving to the Theatre of Dreams this season is pure fantasy.