Did Spurs Get Their Money’s Worth From Christian Eriksen?

The sale of Christian Eriksen to Inter Milan in January for a mere £17 million seemed like a terrible piece of business on Tottenham's part. But the sad fact of the matter was there were only six months left on the playmaker’s contract and it would have been even worse to let him leave for free in the summer. On top of that, the 28-year-old was disillusioned and itching for a move. Rather than feel sad about the gaping hole Eriksen has left in the side or dwell on the meagre sum of money Spurs received in his sale, let’s look back and assess the impact the Dane had during his spell at White Hart Lane and Wembley.

Bought For a Steal

It could well be argued that Spurs got their money’s worth for Eriksen over the six-and-a-half seasons he spent at the club. The Danish attacking midfielder joined the Lilywhites in 2013 for a fee of around £11 million. This was a steal at the time considering Tottenham had just bagged more than £77 million from the sale of Gareth Bale to Real Madrid. When you think that Spurs made a £6 million profit from Eriksen and made good use of him for so long, it does seem like value for money.

During Eriksen’s time in the side, Spurs were continuously pushing for top four finishes and were often favourites with the bookies to achieve the Champions League spots. They finished 3rd, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th in the 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18, and 2018-19 seasons respectively.

With the 28-year-old now playing in Serie A, the odds on Spurs finishing in the top four in 2019-20 don’t look as likely. According to today's football bets and odds, Jose Mourinho’s side can be backed at 12/1 to end the season in the Champions League places. This highlights just how much of a key part Eriksen had in Spurs’ recent success, although there have been a multitude of issues around the team which have contributed.

Became World Class at Spurs

Although it was unclear at the time of his signing how much of an integral player Eriksen would become, the technical wizard was transformed into a star player under the tutelage of Mauricio Pochettino. He was named the Tottenham Hotspur Player of the Year in 2013-14 and 2016-17, and was runner-up UEFA Midfielder of the Season in 2018-19.

While at Spurs, it could be argued that Eriksen was one of the top two playmakers in the Premier League. In 226 appearances in the division, he scored 51 goals and assisted 62. Eriksen’s main competition for best playmaker was Kevin De Bruyne. The Manchester City man has registered 31 goals and 62 assists in 146 matches, which is a slightly better record.

It is clear that Spurs had some of the best years out of Eriksen, and his returns and contribution to the team were well worth the £11 million that the club paid for his services. So in terms of return on investment, Eriksen was one of the top value players in the club’s history. It is sad that he moved on, but Spurs fans can look back fondly at some great memories of a glittering career.

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