Tottenham midfielder Christian Eriksen has been at the centre of debate involving Sky Sports’ pundits today (Sunday).
Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher, Graeme Souness and Roy Keane were in the studio reacting to Liverpool’s 2-1 win over Spurs at Anfield.
The 27-year-old’s future at the north London club is in doubt, especially because his contract expires this summer.
The Dane has been linked with moves to Manchester United and Real Madrid previously, but Carragher and Neville were divided on how good the playmaker actually is.
And here is everything the quartet had to say on him.
“I thought Eriksen was really poor, I thought he looked disinterested today,” Neville said.
“If I was standing up for him a little bit. To put him up on that right hand side up against Robertson. I mean he didn’t want to do that. He was disinterested.”
Before Carragher said: “I’m not just talking about this game. I think back to the Champions League final. Spurs dominated the Champions League final in terms of between the boxes. Getting on the ball, keeping possession, Liverpool were poor in the final.
“If you're Eriksen and you're talking before the game about where you need to be and what clubs are after him. I don’t think he is anywhere near that.
“Eriksen for me is a really good player for Tottenham. Like everyone in that team, they are not better than Tottenham. They are really good players for Tottenham.
“But he keeps getting talked about like this player who could play for Real Madrid, and he can’t.”
“He’s acting like a kid who couldn’t get the sweets he wanted in the shop. He wanted to go to a club and didn’t get what he wanted,” Neville added, before believing the big clubs would have him. “Yeah absolutely. No problem. Yeah they would take him tomorrow.
“I think he would because at the minute what we are seeing from Eriksen is a player who isn’t buying in to what is happening, he is disinterested.
“He’ll switch it back on again when he goes to another club.
“I’m saying will Manchester United take him? Will PSG take him? Will probably Real Madrid take him? Yeah they will for free, yeah they will.”
Roy Keane then weighed in, saying: “I think he will get a move because he’s on a free. But I don’t think he will improve those teams.
“He won’t make Man United better but having said that Man United bought Fred.
Souness then questioned where he belongs on the pitch.
“You have to play him in the right position,” the Scot said.
“He was played out wide today because they were concerned about Liverpool’s power in midfield and they aren't going to compete with that.
“So you think you will have him in your team because he will come up with a cute pass, he will do something clever during the game that might lead to a goal.
“But what he doesn't want to do, what he spent most of the game doing, is running back in the wide area defending.
“He doesn't want to do that, he doesn't want to be chasing the full-back.
“He’s a clever, cute little player, but he has to be in the right team.”
Carragher then added: “If he is that good with a year to go on his contract then you would pay money for him. You would have anyone for free, wouldn't you?
“Who wouldn’t take someone for free. This summer he wanted to go, he made it known publicly and no one even come in for him.
“I think Eriksen has been fantastic for Spurs. He’s not better than Spurs. Yeah he might go to PSG, these clubs, but he won’t make them better.”
To which Neville replied: “I think he could play for the top clubs. He has proved over the past three or four years. He’s proved he is a top player and he works hard. This is not a reflection of him here.”
Before Carragher concluded by saying: “He’s a very good player, a top Premier League player, but when you're talking Madrid, Barcelona and PSG who want to win the Champions League, Eriksen!"
Leaving Neville with the last word: “I think United would pay for him in January. United are struggling to get players in for less than 50 to 60 million. And I think they would pay that for him.”
