Christian Eriksen’s future at Tottenham remains unclear following statements to Danish media stating that he would like to “try something new.” (Ekstra Bladet).
However, with Real Madrid reportedly turning their interest to Manchester United’s Paul Pogba (Goal), the Danish maestro finds himself in limbo, unsure of what his next move in his career will be.
Eriksen’s future has been a vast talking point throughout the entire season, and it seems as if Spurs are preparing for the Dane’s departure, reportedly negotiating with a number of cubs for potential replacements.
Spurs have been linked with a variety of players, including Giovani Lo Celso, Tanguy Ndombele, Donny van de Beek, Bruno Fernandes, and Nicolo Zaniolo (Standard).
We will list the players that we think are viable options to replace Eriksen in order from 1-5, with 1 being the player Spurs should prioritise, and 5 being the least suited candidate to replace Christian Eriksen should he leave the club this summer.
2. Bruno Fernandes
Bruno Fernandes speaks wonders in terms of statistics.
32 goals in 53 games (60.37%) is enough to impress the world’s biggest clubs, which he is currently doing.
2018/19 was somewhat of a breakout year for the 24-year-old Portuguese international at Sporting CP. In eight Europa League appearances, he scored three goals with two assists. Additionally, in the Taca de Portugal Placard, he featured seven times, boasting six goals and two assists.
97% of the season Fernandes was part of the starting eleven, and played in 96% of the total minutes for the season, racking up 4,688 minutes.
Fernandes averages a goal every 147 minutes, compared to Eriksen’s 413 minutes and Lo Celso’s 219 minutes per goal.
The Portuguese sensation is valued at approximately $55 million according to Transfermarkt, with Sporting CP reportedly wanting $70m – an unlikely figure which would likely drop down to around $45m (Telegraph).
Once again Manchester United are interested in a player linked to Spurs. United have been attempting to finalise a deal for Aaron Wan-Bissaka, which has prompted Spurs to step up their efforts to sign Fernandes, whilst Manchester United focus on other players.
The addition of Fernandes would bolster Tottenham’s midfield and attacking depth.
One concern over Fernandes is the fact that whilst he has extraordinary statistics, these were acquired in the Portuguese league, arguably not of the same calibre of the Premier League or La Liga for example.
Any transition to the Premier League would require a significant step up and would potentially take longer to settle in based on the quality of football in Portugal compared to the Premier League.
Transfer probability: Somewhat likely depending on other transfer activity.
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