Christian Eriksen was attracting interest from both English and Spanish clubs last month before completing a move to Inter Milan, according to Denmark’s manager Age Hareide.
Eriksen’s contract at Tottenham was due to run out at the end of the season and completed a £16.9 million transfer to the San Siro in the final week of the January transfer window (BBC) rather than lose him for free in the summer.
The midfielder’s form had been poor for the best part of a year and it came as no surprise when the Lilywhites decided to cash in last month.
However, the Denmark international was also previously linked with a move to Manchester United with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer reportedly being a big admirer of the 27-year-old (El Desmarque).
Hareide has now revealed that the former Ajax man not only attracted interest from the Red Devils but also Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona. He insisted that it was Antonio Conte’s persistence that saw Inter get the deal over the line.
Speaking to Norway’s Viasport (as relayed by the Manchester Evening News), the Denmark manager said: “There were clubs in England that were interested in him.
“Manchester United were interested in Christian Eriksen. I know that Ole Gunnar [Solskjaer] was. There was talk of Real Madrid and in part Barcelona … but mostly Real Madrid.
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“But along the way, Inter and [Antonio] Conte showed their interest. And they showed real interest in Christian, and that was the most important thing.”
Spurs Web Opinion
I doubt either Real Madrid or Barcelona would have made a play for Eriksen last month as his form has simply not been good enough to warrant a move to those clubs. Eriksen has only himself to blame for his downward career trajector as it was due to his poor recent form that he ended up going to Inter instead of an elite club like Real Madrid.
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