Internazionale have decided to terminate their contract with midfielder Christian Eriksen, who suffered a cardiac arrest earlier this year in the Euro 2020 while representing Denmark. The reigning Serie A champions have announced the news, stating that it was a sad way to end affairs, but a strong bond will remain between the club and player.
“The club and the entire Nerazzurri family embrace the player and wish him the best for his future.
The best moments, the goals and the victories, the embrace of the fans outside the San Siro in celebrating the Scudetto: everything will always remain fixed in the history of the Nerazzurri,”
the statement from the club said.
The Dane, who had a magnificent stint with Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League for seven years, moved to Italy in 2020 after struggling to find enough playing time under Jose Mourinho. He found life difficult at the club due to the language barrier but scored a few crucial goals in helping them win their first league title in over a decade.
During Denmark’s Euro 2020 opener against Finland, he collapsed on the pitch after suffering a cardiac arrest. He received immediate treatment on the pitch, before he was rushed off to the hospital. The footballer made a speedy recovery, but it became increasingly unlikely for him to continue playing, and hasn’t featured in a professional football game since then.
In Italy, footballers are not allowed to play if an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator is implanted. With Eriksen getting one of those after his cardiac arrest, he was deemed ineligible to play in the country. He had been practising lately at the facilities of his youth academy in Odense, but there is no confirmation on whether or not he will be able to make a comeback.
The Danish attacking-midfielder made his presence felt at Ajax, which earned him an 11-million-pound transfer to Spurs in 2013. He instantly became a star and won the club’s player of the year award two times. He was also named PFA Player of the year for the 2017/18 season and was a pivotal member of Mauricio Pochettino’s team that reached the 2018/19 Champions League final.