Christian Eriksen has developed into a better footballer since leaving Tottenham Hotspur for Inter Milan, former Serie A star Massimo Donati told Football Italia.
If you are only a casual observer of Italian football, you might be surprised to read such a statement.
After all, Eriksen’s first 12 months at the San Siro had been about as underwhelming as a Netflix-produced teenage slasher flick; the odd glimmer of excitement sandwiched by prolonged spells of nothing much.
In fact, Inter director Beppe Marotta even admitted that the Denmark international was up for sale heading into the January transfer window; his one year anniversary as an Inter player seemingly set to coincide with a premature departure.
Just three months ago, you would have got long odds on Eriksen kick-starting his ailing San Siro career, forcing his way into Antonio Conte’s starting XI after spending the last few months wasting away on the sidelines.
But that is exactly what has happened.
Since the turn of the year, Eriksen has been a man reborn, sacrificing his attacking instincts while blossoming into a deep-lying play-maker at Inter.
“There are many players who need to settle in. Eriksen needed to know what Antonio Conte wants from him. He needed a different intensity to impose himself,” Donati, the former Milan and Celtic ace, explained.
“He understood quality was not enough, he understood he had to add something extra, more runs, more sacrifice and now you can see all his qualities.
“I think he is different because he is playing a different (style of) football. When he was at Tottenham he had more attacking duties. Therefore, he was fresher when he had the ball in the final third.
“Overall, however, I think he has improved. Conte is capable of making his players evolve and I think Eriksen is a better footballer now.”
A stunning, stoppage-time winner against bitter rivals Milan in the Coppa Italia in January felt like one of those sliding doors moments for Eriksen.
Did that two-minute cameo in the Milanese derby save his Inter career? It certainly did his reputation no harm.
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