Newcastle United are being continually linked with out of contract ace Christian Eriksen. The Denmark international has left Premier League rivals Brentford after signing a short term contract with the Bees in January.
His stint with the Bees was an opportunity for the 30-year-old to return to the professional game having collapsed on the pitch at Euro 2020, suffering from cardiac arrest. The Dane made 30 appearances for the Bees last term, scoring his first and only goal for the club in a 4-1 win over near rivals Chelsea.
Eriksen and Brentford were unable to agree on terms for a new deal and the former Spurs and Inter Milan playmaker is expected to leave the Brentford Community Stadium for new pastures. Manchester United are among the frontrunners for his signature, but the Magpies have also been mentioned as a possible destination.
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As things stand, those links remain purely speculation but the Dane's spell in West London last year shows he still has plenty to offer. The Dane revealed he had died for five minutes after the incident at Euro 2020 caused harrowing scenes.
He made a remarkable recovery and was fit with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator device before returning to his family. While Eriksen has been passed fit to play by doctors, there remains a worry among some supporters about his health.
Nonetheless, that didn't stop the Dane enjoying a brilliant short term spell with Thomas Frank's side. But what could he offer Newcastle that they don't already possess?
The Toon scored 44 goals last year in the Premier League, a return that reflected their mid-table finish. Despite only playing 11 time for the Bees, the Dane notched four assists, just one less than Newcastle's leading player Allan Saint-Maximin with five.
Creating goals has long been a problem at Newcastle United and the next best assister was Ryan Fraser with three, while Fabian Schar, Javier Manquillo, Matt Richie and Jacob Murphy all had two to their name. Those stats only emphasise the need for the Magpies to invest in a creative midfielder who's able to create chances for the like of Callum Wilson to thrive off.
Those returns simply aren't good enough for a side with European aspirations. Of course, there's plenty work to be done in that department and the new owners know that it'll take time, but it's an area that needs addressed sooner rather than later.
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