Spurs head coach reveals when Eriksen told him he was leaving the club

The Christian Eriksen saga finally came to a close this week as the Great Dane completed his move from Tottenham to Inter Milan in the January transfer window.

Eriksen had long been linked with a move away from White Hart Lane after a seven-season stay with the Lilywhites as his contract had just six months remaining.

This meant that the playmaker could talk to non-English clubs about a pre-contract deal that would see him leave on a free in the summer. However, Spurs were eventually able to get £16.9m for the player (BBC).

Even though he was destined to leave the club, Eriksen still played 28 games this season and netted three times for his club (Wikipedia).

Jose Mourinho has now revealed that the midfielder informed him of his decision to quit the North London club on his first day as the new head coach.

This gave the Special One a chance to start building for an Eriksen-less future, although he applauded the player for remaining professional.

Mourinho said (Football London): “Christian told me the decision was made and no way.

“It was a kind of moral agreement that we made with him I would never say to you, the day I arrive, first day, he told me I am not going to sign.

“From that moment I was just trying to build the team without him. That was the reason why I didn’t play him many, many times.

“At the same time, Christian being a good professional and having respect for the club and his team-mates I knew that with some limitations – there are always limitations with a player in his situation – that until his last day he tried to help the team and be a positive guy in the dressing room, which he was.

“Christian would always give us some of his talents until the end of the season. He is a good professional, respect to the club, respect to the dressing room, if he stayed here I think he would always give us something.

“Christian was a good guy in the dressing room, always a good professional, always a positive guy, with the limitations of somebody that wants to leave.

“You could feel in some matches he was not Christian. I feel that is normal, but he would always be a positive guy and a respectful guy. We were happy to have him here until the end of the season.

“It then becomes about the future of the team and the future of the team needs the deal that Mr Levy made.”

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