‘Not a Barca player’: Danny Murphy suggests reality has hit Tottenham ace

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Christian Eriksen is edging closer to the Tottenham Hotspur exit door.

Danny Murphy has suggested that reality has hit Christian Eriksen, who would have felt he could have played for a Real Madrid or Barcelona ahead of his Tottenham Hotspur departure.

The TalkSport pundit made it clear that he was ‘not being disrespectful’ to Eriksen but he thinks that he’s ‘not a Barca player’ because they normally go for the ‘best of the best’ and the Tottenham playmaker doesn’t fall into that category.

Sky Sports recently reported that Eriksen has landed in Italy for a medical ahead of his proposed move from Tottenham to Antonio Conte’s Inter. The deal is thought to be worth in the region of £16.8 million, with Eriksen earning £320k-a-week – he has been earning £75k-a-week at Spurs [Spotrac].

Speaking to Jim White on TalkSport (27/01/20 at 12:35 pm), ex-Spurs midfielder, Murphy, shared his honest thoughts on Eriksen leaving Spurs.

“The big thing for Eriksen is that I think he expected at some point probably be having more options than he’s got,” Murphy told TalkSport.

“I think he felt that he could go and play at a Madrid or a Barca. He’s not a Barca player. No, no! Any player of Eriksen’s quality going into a midfield of Busquets and Xavi, you are always going to look a good player, aren’t you?

“I think in terms of Barca [wanting to be] champions of Europe and winning the Spanish league every year, they are going for the elite. The best of the best, aren’t they?! They went and took Suarez from Liverpool. They go and take the best from the best.

“I don’t think Eriksen’s is the best of the best. He’s a super player. I am not being disrespectful to him. I think he probably thought [he could get a big move] but none of the big boys have come in for him.”

There’s no doubt that the back end of Eriksen’s reign at Tottenham has ended sour and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he isn’t waved goodbye in a pleasant manner, for now.

But in the long-term, he will be appreciated for the work and performances he put in for the North London club, who enjoyed a huge five-year transformation under Mauricio Pochettino and with the Dane his main source of creativity.

Eriksen now faces a different challenge at Inter because under former Chelsea boss, Conte, he is hoping to win the Serie A title ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo-led Juventus, who are managed by another Blues boss in Maurizio Sarri.