AS his transfer was finally confirmed earlier this week, Christian Eriksen was unveiled using an image of him at La Scala, the famous theatre found in the heart of Milan. Of course, it will not be on that stage where the Danish midfielder is expected to shine, the Nerazzurri instead hoping that he will prove to be the final piece in a title-winning jigsaw at San Siro, the northern Italian city’s other iconic venue.
With steeply sloped stands suspended from those famous concrete pillars, the old stadium has been home to some of football’s most revered sides, and it is on that same pitch that Antonio Conte will demand that Eriksen’s guile, vision and creativity fold themselves into the hardworking, relentless team he has built.
There will be no shortage of familiar faces as the 27-year-old takes his first steps in black-and-blue, his move from Tottenham seeing him become the latest member in a growing group of former Premier League stars at the club. Manchester United seem to be their team of choice, taking Romelu Lukaku, Alexis Sanchez and Ashley Young from Old Trafford, but they have recently joined by ex-Chelsea man Victor Moses, while Borja Valero and Andrea Ranocchia spent time at West Brom and Hull City respectively.
Lukaku will be able to quickly explain what Eriksen can expect, an interview earlier this week revealing just how hard the Inter boss will push his newest acquisition. “Everyone around us is very enthusiastic, but in the dressing room we are very focused,” the Belgian told Sky Italia this week. “During the first training sessions, I wasn’t used to the intensity. The Premier League is known for its physical approach, but nobody trains as hard as here. At first I told Conte that I was suffering during practice, but he was always there to support us. Sometimes the coaches joke around, but he is always there to spur you on.”
That will have been made even clearer on Wednesday evening as the newest Inter signing made his debut, introduced as a second half substitute during the Coppa Italia clash with Fiorentina. They won to advance to the semifinals, but it is in the league where their priorities undoubtedly lie, hoping they can be the ones to end the monopoly Juventus have exerted over the Serie A title in recent years.
It was of course Conte himself who began that cycle of success in Turin, but he would relish nothing more than being the one to topple the Old Lady and Inter have certainly given him everything he has asked for in pursuit of that goal. The squad is tailored perfectly to the coach’s system; three solid, dependable central defenders led by Diego Godin, a plethora of energetic wing-backs who can interchange and rotate in order to remain fresh enough to keep up the relentless tempo Conte demands, and genuine quality in attack where Lukaku is joined by the increasingly impressive Lautaro Martinez.
Sitting between the two is a high-octane, intense bunch of midfielders including Marcelo Brozovic, Stefano Sensi and Nicolo Barella who have solidified their places as the first-choice trio. With that, as well as Conte’s steadfast adherence to the 3-5-2 formation, it is difficult to see where Eriksen will fit in.
There has been some suggestion that there could be a shift to 3-4-1-2, but that would be a surprise given that with Juve, Italy and Chelsea, his framework has never altered in almost a decade. The only viable alternative is that Eriksen – or one of Sensi or Barella – slips into Brozovic’s role as the deep-lying playmaker, something that would be alien to them, but which represents the best use of the available talent if Conte refuses to tinker with his formation.
Eriksen makes his long-awaited San Siro debut ⚫ pic.twitter.com/VyaQRSGdNM
— 433 (@433) January 29, 2020
Either solution will push the coach or his newest signing outside their comfort zone, but that is arguably what it will take if they are indeed to beat Juventus to the title. Sitting second (and three points) behind the Bianconeri, it is – despite how impressive Inter have been thus far – going to take something extraordinary to bridge the gap, and that is the gamble that Eriksen represents.
Clearly a gifted player who is capable of unlocking any defence, he was going to be out of contract at the end of the season and could have agreed a free transfer for the summer during this coming weekend. Instead, Inter handed Spurs €20 million plus add-ons, a surprising move and one that will look ill-advised if they do fall short this season because they could’ve waited a few days and signed him for nothing.
He does of course have major value as an asset, a player they could sell for a huge profit given the fee they paid, yet that decision to meet Daniel Levy’s demands represents the all-in manner with which the Nerazzurri have approached this entire campaign. From signing Lukaku to handing Godin a contract that runs beyond his 36th birthday, the club are clearly convinced that Conte can steer them to glory, that the time has arrived to just go for it, consequences be damned.
Christian Eriksen is the embodiment of that, and while the caption of that first social media post was aimed at the city’s elegance, Inter will hope it is Juventus that is “about to meet its match.”
