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FIGHTING FOR YOU
CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN has become the player Spurs cannot afford to lose.
He has one year to go on his £75,000-a-week contract and holds all the aces when it comes to negotiations.
The midfielder is vital to Mauricio Pochettino’s long-term plans as one of the best playmakers in Europe and able to unlock even the toughest game.
For once, chairman Daniel Levy has been outmanoeuvred and faces a dilemma this summer over whether to sell or allow Eriksen to run down his contract if he will not sign a new one.
Real Madrid and Inter Milan are watching, with the Spanish club seeing him as a potential replacement for former Spurs star Luka Modric.
Eriksen, 27, has stalled on an agreement and the club have put off talks until the summer. It remains to be seen whether he is pushing for a huge pay rise or wants a change after six years.
The whispers are he is tempted to try something new, although Spurs still hope to get a deal done, which could mean they have to offer about £200,000 a week.
Team-mate Danny Rose believes it is essential Eriksen stays as he showed on Tuesday against Brighton he can deliver big goals at important moments.
Rose said: “It’s obviously vital. Over the five years the manager’s been here, Christian has probably played the most games and that says a lot. When Christian doesn’t play, there are questions. We don’t look the same.
“He links everything up. He’s such a hard worker, so creative and I hope he does sign. The lads in the changing room trust the people upstairs to hopefully get him to do that.
“We’ve the foundations but it’s not just the foundations that attract players and make players want to stay or sign.
“We have to trust that the people upstairs will do whatever they see fit to help us make that next step.”