Sizeable loan fee likely to dash Tottenham hopes of playmaker deal

Mourinho.Tottenham.TEAMtalk

Tottenham are unlikely complete the signing of a Serie A playmaker in January, with his club reportedly wanting a sizeable loan fee.

Spurs old boy Christian Eriksen is the player in question, with Inter Milan keen to ship the flop out this month.

The Denmark star has been transfer-listed by Inter less than a year after arriving from Tottenham for £17million.

The 28-year-old has struggled to earn a regular place in Antonio Conte’s starting XI. To that end, he has been linked with a surprise return to north London.

Eriksen was outstanding during his first few seasons at Spurs but his form dipped alarmingly over the last two.

That prompted Daniel Levy to cut his losses on a player who would have been able to leave on a free last summer.

However, there have been strong rumours that Tottenham are willing to take Eriksen back.

But transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has told Sky Sports News, as cited by Sport Witness, that Inter are not prepared to let Eriksen leave unless they can recoup some of his fee.

 

With no clubs interested in a permanent deal, it’s now expected that Eriksen will stay in Italy until the summer.

The former Ajax star has featured 14 times for Inter in all competitions this season, but made very few starts.

Keane questions Mourinho part in Bale return

The lack of starts Gareth Bale has had since returning to Tottenham has led Roy Keane to question whether Jose Mourinho actually wanted to sign the Real Madrid winger in the first place.

Bale has only featured in 11 of Spurs’ 25 matches in all competitions since arriving on loan from the Spanish giants.

Gareth Bale, Jose Mourinho, Ledley King Tottenham

Indeed, the forward was an unusued substitute once again on Sunday as Tottenham recorded a 3-1 win at Sheffield United.

However, Bale’s failure to make the starting XI led to a heated debate between Keane and fellow pundit Graeme Souness.

Speaking before the clash at Bramall Lane, the two have labelled his situation as “strange” and “bizarre”.

“It’s strange that he’s involved, on the bench, suggesting he’s OK,” said Souness. “OK [he] can’t truly be match fit but good for 15 minutes, half an hour.

“Start him, give him 45 minutes. There’s not attempt to get him match fit.”

Keane then added his own theory and said: “I start to worry if Mourinho really wanted him. Maybe it was the chairman that brought him in because…not to be given many minutes.

“Bizarre.” Read more…