Former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson believes that Tottenham Hotspur should break the bank to keep Christian Eriksen at the club.
The playmaker’s contract at the Premier League club is due to expire in the summer of 2020 and despite talks having been held between the club and his agent since the end of last summer, a new deal is yet to be agreed.
Merson, who now works as a football pundit has compared Eriksen to Manchester United legend Paul Scholes for his ability to pass the ball and his nature to stay out of the spotlight as a footballer.
Eriksen joined Tottenham from Ajax Amsterdam for a bargain £11.5million (BBC) in July 2013 and has become one of the club’s top players.
The Dane was recently linked with a move to Real Madrid and it is no wonder that clubs are starting to sit up and take interest considering his contract situation at Tottenham.
Merson told the Daily Star: “I think Eriksen is the club’s best player and most of this Spurs team-mates would probably agree. I’ve always been a big fan of his.
“He reminds me of Paul Scholes. They could both play the ball through the eye of a needle but they have similar personalities as well.
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“Eriksen just plays the game, goes home and gets on with life. He’s unassuming. He’s not in the headlines for the wrong reasons.
“He doesn’t even look like a footballer really, does he? If you saw him walking down the street and didn’t know who he was, you wouldn’t think “footballer” straight away.
“But what a player. His goal against Inter Milan on Wednesday might have saved Spurs in the Champions League.
“I just think he makes things happen for Tottenham. He’s a massively important player for them.
“Harry Kane gets all the plaudits, and rightly so. But as a centre-forward you’re only as good as the service you get. No service, no goals. And there aren’t many players in the league better than Eriksen at creating chances.
“That’s why they can’t let his contract run down. If I was a Spurs fan, I’d be worried because someone will come in for him.
“They need to sort that out and if it means giving him a fortune, then you have to do it. He deserves it.”
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