Tottenham sell Christian Eriksen to Inter Milan for £17m
Spurs have exercised the option to convert the loan of Giovani Lo Celso from Real Betis to a permanent transfer.
Inter Milan have finally completed the signing of Tottenham midfielder Christian Eriksen.
The 27-year-old travelled to Italy on Monday for a medical and has agreed terms on a four-and-a-half-year contract.
His £17million move brings to an end a glittering six-and-a-half-year career at Spurs where he was one of the driving forces behind their ascent to the top of the English game under Mauricio Pochettino.
Spurs will see it as a good piece of business, having got a sizeable fee for a player whose contract was expiring in the summer and would have left for free.
The Argentinian, seen as a natural replacement for Eriksen, has joined from Real Betis for £27.2million on a deal until 2025.
A Spurs statement read: “We are delighted to announce that we have exercised the option to convert the loan of Giovani Lo Celso from Real Betis Balompie to a permanent transfer.
“The midfielder has produced impressive performances after establishing himself in the team following a hip injury which restricted his playing time in the early part of his loan at the club.”
After a slow start to life in north London, the 23-year-old has shown glimpses of his potential in recent weeks.
On Saturday, following his role in Spurs’ 1-1 FA Cup draw at Southampton, boss Jose Mourinho said his form had given Spurs “no choice but to execute the option”.
There was less fanfare around the departure of Eriksen, who leaves having scored 69 goals and provided 89 assists in 305 appearances.
“We wish Christian well for the future.”
Eriksen’s switch to Milan completes a saga that has been going on ever since he stated his intention to leave Spurs last June, citing his desire for a new challenge following last season’s Champions League final loss.
He turned down the chance to join Manchester United and went unsold in the summer transfer window.
New boss Mourinho was informed not long after his November appointment by the Denmark international that he would not be signing a new contract and that he wanted to leave this month.
Mourinho continued to play him, much to the annoyance of fans who believed his desire to move was affecting his commitment.
Inter offered him a way out, more than doubling his wages, but the Italian club’s behaviour this month angered Mourinho.
Despite an unsavoury end to his Spurs career, the Dane will be remembered as one of their greatest players in the Premier League era.
Combining with the likes of Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Son Heung-min, he was at the forefront of Spurs’ rise under Pochettino, though will be disappointed he leaves north London without winning silverware.
His departure means that only Erik Lamela now remains of the ‘Magnificent Seven’ – the players Andre Villa-Boas bought in 2013 with the money received for Gareth Bale.
Spurs are expected to do further business after agreeing a £25million deal for PSV Eindhoven winger Steven Bergwijn.
Bergwijn missed PSV’s game with FC Twente on Thursday in order to travel to London where he will undergo a medical and discuss personal terms.
Their pursuit of the Holland international, who is expected to go to Euro 2020, will not deter from the desire to bring a striker in before the end of the window.
