The Danish sport media must have thought this year was the year.
After pushing the prospect out there repeatedly, and believing any outlandish Spanish rumour, largely regardless of the source, when Christian Eriksen said he was up for a transfer, there must have been an assumption a big move was on the way.
Surely the Tottenham player wouldn’t have gone public without knowing a big move was on the way, and it was the Spanish pair of Real Madrid and Barcelona who were linked most.
Yet despite the Spurs star putting himself out there, the bait was left dangling. Spanish newspapers pushed several rumours but it wasn’t blanket coverage and there didn’t feel an awful lot of conviction behind it.
Now, with the windows all firmly shut, Eriksen remains at Tottenham with less than a year left on his current contract.
Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet reports he has ‘three scenarios’ for his future and ‘doesn’t regret’ going public with his transfer comments.
He’s happy in London, an important player at Tottenham, so sticking around wouldn’t be such a chore.
The next scenario is a winter move, with it being suggested Real Madrid could move for Eriksen at that time for a cheaper price, and that a ‘power play’ between Mauricio Pochettino and Daniel Levy could see the Dane out of the team ahead of the January window, with it being pointed out such a measure would make a transfer easier.
Lastly, he could run his contract down, carrying on negotiations with Tottenham yet get nowhere, turn it all into a game and leave next summer for nothing… giving him choice over his destination and a huge signing on fee.
Of course, all this depends on what the clubs involved want. Not just Tottenham, but those who Eriksen and the Danish media would love to be interested.