Not long ago, Tottenham fans were beginning to get excited over the potential return of Christian Eriksen to N17. The Dane had admitted he would love to be back playing in the Champions League and staying in London seemed the most favourable option.
However, football.london now understands that Spurs haven't followed up their interest in Eriksen, since their contact with the 30-year-old's camp a few weeks ago. The midfielder made over 300 appearances for the Lilywhites and was a fan favourite.
His miraculous return to football, after his cardiac arrest last summer while playing for Denmark at Euro 2020, saw him move to Brentford on a short-term deal. This summer he will become a free agent and there are a number of clubs interested in signing him.
READ MORE: Christian Eriksen latest as Tottenham do not follow up interest in transfer return
The amount of offers Eriksen is receiving makes London less of a priority for the Danish international and it is now being reported that Brentford and Machestern United are leading the race to sign him. But it seems as though Fabio Paratici and Daniel Levy have other priorities, having already completed three transfers this summer.
Yves Bissouma was Tottenham's latest signing and is a strong addition to add to Antonio Conte's midfield options. However, with Harry Winks' departure looking likely, Spurs could do with more options in the centre.
This will not only allow the Italian to rotate his starting line-up, but it could also mean the 52-year-old could switch from a 3-4-3 setup, to 3-5-2. This could be beneficial in certain matches, or when games aren't going Tottenham's way and change is required.
Therefore another midfielder could be something Conte would welcome and football.london takes a look at three potential replacements for Eriksen.
Jesse Lingard
Lingard was a player on Spurs' radar in January and the club held talks with his representatives at the beginning of the year. The 29-year-old becomes a free agent this summer and there will be plenty of competition to sign the midfielder.
Lingard had a successful loan at West Ham and a return to the London side could be on the cards, as well as a potential move abroad. Paratici likes a free transfer and not having to spend any money on a new player only works to Tottenham's advantage.
The 29-year-old is versatile, having made appearances in a number of attacking positions last season. This could be beneficial in a Spurs squad, having a player that can adapt to various roles, as required.
The midfielder could also add more of an attacking flair to the central midfield positions. However, Lingard is likely to want regular game time, which is something Tottenham won't be able to promise.
James Maddison
Another homegrown player Spurs have been interested in for a long time is Maddison, even considering bringing him to the capital, before his Leicester move. The 25-year-old scored 12 goals and registered eight assists last season, proving his impact from the middle.
Most of Maddison's features did come from an attacking midfield position, but he is also a versatile player who can adapt to various roles. A few years ago, Gareth Southgate waxed lyrical about the Leicester man.
"He’s a player of outstanding technical ability. He has an eye for an incisive pass, his set-play delivery is world class – absolutely top," Southgate admitted. His passing ability was also pointed out by Brendan Rodgers just a few months earlier and it clearly highlights the 25-year-old's quality.
A transfer for Maddison would come at a cost, with the midfielder valued up to £42.8million, according to CIES. However if Conte believes he could add real quality to his side and the England international can be persuaded to leave The Foxes, could a deal be on the cards?
Lucas Paqueta
Another player who would come at a cost is Paqueta, who could cost Spurs up to £60million, according to CIES. football.london reported earlier this month that the Brazilian is someone Tottenham had been tracking.
Another player who has had interest from various clubs, including Newcastle, and also another who has shown his attacking contribution for his current side. The Lyon man scored nine goals and registered six assists in 35 Ligue 1 appearances during the last campaign, for the French side who finished eighth.
Just like the aforementioned duo, Paqueta is also a versatile player, a quality which has been previously praised. The 24-year-old has shown he has quality, but with no previous Premier League experience, he would inevitably take longer to settle in to a Tottenham side than Lingard or Maddison.
However, both Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur adapted quickly and made an immediate impact, which is what Conte will be hoping any other new arrivals are able to do. There are plenty of players for Spurs to pursue deals for and it will just depend who the Italian can see fitting best in his side.
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