‘A lightbulb went on’ – Pundit claims midfielder rejected Spurs’ approach in January 

Italian football pundit Paolo Bonolis has claimed that Christian Eriksen rejected the opportunity to return to Tottenham Hotspur last month choosing instead to stay and fight for his place at Inter Milan.

Eriksen was heavily linked with a return to Spurs during the winter transfer window with reports indicating that the North Londoner’s wanted to sign the Danish international as a potential Dele Alli replacement.

It was suggested towards the end of the window that one of the reasons that Tottenham pulled the plug on Alli’s proposed move to Paris Saint-Germain was due to the North Londoners’ inability to get the deal for Eriksen over the line.

Reports in the Italian press claimed a few days ago that Inter decided to take revenge on Daniel Levy for the Spurs chairman playing hardball on Eriksen’s price when he moved to the Serie A side in January of last year.

It was suggested that the Nerrazuri subsequently decided to reject Spurs’ proposal to sign the 28-year-old on a free, no-obligation loan move last month and instead, demanded sizable loan fee for the Dane.

However, Bonolis has now offered an alternative explanation on why the deal fell through, claiming that he heard that it was Eriksen himself who turned down the move.

The pundit told Calcio Mercato: “I heard this rumour that they wanted him at Tottenham in the winter transfer market, but then he refused, so he could stay at Inter.

“Probably a lightbulb went on and he decided to play the role with the class that distinguishes him but also with the competitive spirit that he lacked.”

Spurs Web Opinion

The Italian rumour mill is never burdened by facts and so I am sceptical about whether there is any truth to these assertions. However, I can see why Eriksen would have been hesitant to return to Spurs with his tail between his legs just 12 months after demanding to leave by declaring that he wanted a new challenge.

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