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17 Jan, 2022 22:10

Cardiac arrest victim Eriksen could make shock Premier League return (VIDEO)

The Denmark ace who suffered a heart problem at Euro 2020 is reportedly in talks with Brentford
Cardiac arrest victim Eriksen could make shock Premier League return (VIDEO)

Ex-Tottenham and Inter Milan star Christian Eriksen is negotiating a possible move to Premier League side Brentford with an eye on making the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, according to reports.

The 29-year-old is currently a free agent after his former employers and Serie A champions Inter had to release him due to league regulations in Italy prohibiting the use of internal defibrillators.

One of the devices had to be fitted to Eriksen after the playmaker collapsed and suffered a cardiac arrest while playing for Denmark against Finland in Copenhagen at Euro 2020 in June 2021, and he has not played since.

While his client prepared for his comeback by training alone at Swiss club Chiasso, an hour away from Milan, Eriksen's agent, Martin Schoots, confirmed recently that the former Ajax playmaker is raring to go.

"It is going really well for Christian," the representative told the Daily Mail"He had all the checks just before Christmas and the results were so good that we expect him to be involved in group training with a team some time later in January. Christian is very ambitious."

Schoots added that Premier League clubs were interested in Eriksen joining their squad.

One of these teams can now be confirmed as English top-flight new boys Brentford.

Numerous outlets claim Eriksen is in talks with the London club, and The Athletic has reported that there is an offer on the table for six months with an option to extend for an additional year.

Should the move materialize, it would give Eriksen valuable playing time at a club which is currently 14th in the Premier League.

Eriksen was one of the best midfielders in England for prolonged periods of his time at Spurs, earning a place in the players' Team of the Year in 2018, when he also won the Goal of the Month for April.

Eriksen would almost certainly be a starter for Brentford if he shows the form that twice won him Tottenham's Player of the Year honor.

Regular Premier League football would also increase his chances of making the World Cup, which takes place in Qatar in November and December, with Denmark, which he recently revealed to Danish channel DR1 is his goal and has been his "mindset all along" since his scare.

"It's a goal, a dream – whether I'll be picked is another thing," he stated. "But it's my dream to come back.

"I’m sure I can come back because I don’t feel any different. Physically, I’m back in top shape.

"That’s been my goal and it’s still some time away, so until then I’m just going to play football and prove that I’m back at the same level."

Part of his ambition is to play again at Parken, where Eriksen had to be resuscitated while his teammates formed a shield around him before he was hospitalized amid fears for his life during his tournament ordeal. 

"[I want to] prove that it was a one-timer and that it won’t happen again," he said of the scare. "I want to prove that I can move on and play for the national team again.

"Again, it’s up to the manager to assess my level. But my heart is not an obstacle."

Eriksen appeared more than 300 times for Spurs between 2013 to 2020,  making England a special place for him.

Schoots told BBC Sport that a return to the country would feel like a homecoming for the 109-cap international and his family.

"Christian has been treated exceptionally well by the British public, not only because of his top football skills, but also because of his human values, his modesty and altruism," said Schoots.

It is understood by The Athletic that Eriksen also prefers London above all other destinations in the UK.

Players who have suffered cardiac problems can play in England after being assessed and cleared by a sports cardiologist, with the country's Football Association saying in October that it will not ban anyone from playing "based on a cardiac screen".

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