Frank opens the lid surrounding Eriksen links
Brentford boss Thomas Frank spoke out surrounding the recent links between the Bees and a potential move for Danish superstar Christian Eriksen.
Brentford head coach Thomas Frank says Christian Eriksen deserves to play at the highest level amid rumours the Danish midfielder could join the club! ? pic.twitter.com/i5VbSLvXvD
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) January 18, 2022
It was previously reported that Eriksen was in line for a shock return to the Premier League after the unattached creative midfielder was looking for a way back into top-flight football after former club Inter Milan released him due to Serie A rules that prohibit any player from competing with a heart-starting device.
The newly-promoted London outfit eventually was linked with a shock move for Eriksen that would involve a six-month contract with a possible extension for another season.
Eriksen has set himself out for a return to top-level football with the view of trying to wedge his way back into the Denmark fold under Kaspar Hjulmand with a view of making the squad for World Cup 2022 in Qatar.
But while Frank openly stated that Eriksen deserved nothing short of once again playing at the highest level in Europe, he quieted links that suggested Brentford – or himself – have approached the Dane in a potential shock move;
“We are flattered to be linked with Christian Eriksen, he absolutely deserves to play at top level. And no, I’ve not spoken to Christian at the moment.”
Danish star fits the Brentford transfer model
Despite being 29-years-old, Christian Eriksen is no longer the high-priced creative fulcrum that he was in years past after being on big wages at both Tottenham and Inter Milan.
To their credit, Brentford has gone about their business in the transfer market exceptionally well over recent seasons even in the wake of receiving big fees.
Brentford’s Ollie Watkins after the Sky Bet Championship play-off semi final second leg match at Griffin Park, London. (Photo by John Walton/PA Images via Getty Images)
The sales of Chris Mepham (£10m), Neap Maupay (£16.5m), Ezri Konsa (£10m), Ollie Watkins (£25m), and Saïd Benrahma (£17m) over the last four seasons have allowed the club to reinvest smartly through the lens of data analysis while efficiently replacing their outgoings with players as good, if not better, than those that departed.
BRENTFORD, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 19: Brentford’s Ivan Toney during the Sky Bet Championship match between Brentford and Reading at Brentford Community Stadium on December 19, 2020 in Brentford, England. (Photo by Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images)
Maupay was replaced with Watkins who in turn was replaced by current head front-man Ivan Toney. The sales of Maupay and Konsa paid for Bryan Mbeumo, Pontus Jansson, Mathias Jensen, Christian Nørgaard, Ethan Pinnock, David Raya, Shandon Baptiste, and Mads Roerslev; all players who have featured prominently both last season as well as the current 2021-22 campaign.
Adding Christian Eriksen to a long list of players who have been brought in for low fees – or no fee at all – while being given a platform to shine under Thomas Frank could be a masterstroke by a club with big ambitions despite their small stature across the football landscape.
