Why it’s top-four within two years or no more Eriksen for Spurs

Christian Eriksen’s performances in a Tottenham shirt since arriving from Ajax are dropping a rather large hint that the Dane is the latest next-level star to hop off a recently reliable conveyor belt at the club.

The sole positive from the wave of signing’s made with the Gareth Bale money, the Danish creator took no time at all settling into the Spurs life and has found a new level of performance this season.

Having already equalled his goal tally of 10 from last season in eight less appearances, it won’t take long before the continent’s elite clubs are exploring the possibility of signing the attacking midfielder.

Although not renowned as a selling club in general, Spurs have a horrific recent history when it comes to keeping their stars.

Michael Carrick, Dimitar Berbatov, Luka Modric and Bale all climbed the footballing ladder just as the north Londoners were building towards better things and it is imperative for Mauricio Pochettino’s tenure that the same situation is avoided with Eriksen.

Tying the 22-year-old down to a better, longer contract is an obvious first step in that process.

Daniel Levy, possibly the shrewdest chairman in the Premier League, will be well aware that extending Eriksen’s deal beyond the current 2018 expiry (hiking up his wages in the process) will allow Spurs to receive a huge sum should they fail to keep the big-dogs at bay.

Qualifying for the Champions League by the end of next season is also crucial to the plan.

Both Carrick and Berbatov gave Spurs two seasons of top-four hunting service before they took themselves off to the guaranteed European spot Manchester United offered.

Modric and Bale both stuck it out for longer, but neither hung around for more than two terms after the Lilywhites’ one-and-only foray into the Champions League.

That gives the 7/1 top-four hopefuls at least one more season to satisfy Eriksen’s hunger before he bolts, if history is anything to go by.

Finally, for the sake of Pochettino’s job he must hang on to his man. No manager to sell the previous quartet of stars survived them for very long.

Martin Jol went just over a year after flogging Carrick, Juande Ramos lasted barely two months following Berbatov’s departure and although Andre-Villas Boas managed a whole season without Modric, he was gone before the next transfer window arrived after letting Bale leave two summers ago.

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