The Danish international could have joined Chelsea as a 14-year-old.
Tottenham Hotspur playmaker Christian Eriksen has intimated that he is pleased he rejected Chelsea as a teenager.
The Danish star has spoken in the past of his visit to Chelsea as a youngster, but has not in the past made it clear he made the right choice in rejecting the overtures from London.
Tottenham’s Christian Eriksen before the match
The Spurs star has now made it clear he was glad he chose Ajax as a 14-year-old. Speaking to Fyens in Denmark he stated:
“In Denmark, you are sure to play if you were good, but Ajax played you do if you did not have the mentality and went 100 percent to it. It did not matter who you were. It was about getting better every day.
“If I had chosen Chelsea, then my situation today would be completely different. I’m sure.
Chelsea’s Eden Hazard and Tottenham’s Christian Eriksen in action
“Of course you never say never, because I would have been 100 percent into it, if I had chosen it.
“I just felt that there was more chance to fail than succeed.”
Ajax certainly developed Eriksen into a fine young talent and for that Tottenham Hotspur are now very grateful.
A move to Chelsea, as Eriksen admits, may have also worked out. But the likelihood is he would have spent most of his time out on loan at clubs around Europe and never made a breakthrough at Chelsea.
Tottenham’s Christian Eriksen applauds fans as he is substituted
Spurs fans are of course delighted he did not end up playing for their London rivals – as that would have made any eventual switch to White Hart Lane very unlikely.
Eriksen has cemented himself as a fan favourite since making the move to Tottenham from Ajax in 2013 and is now a regular first-team member at White Hart Lane.
The Chelsea connection is just ancient history.
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