Christian Eriksen's short-term contract at Brentford expires at the end this season; midfielder impressed in goalless draw against former side Spurs; Bees boss Thomas Frank: "I am very positive and very hopeful that he will stay but it will be a decision at the end of the season"
Sunday 24 April 2022 08:56, UK
Thomas Frank says he is "hopeful" Christian Eriksen will decide to stay with Brentford when his future is decided in the summer.
Eriksen's short-term contract expires at the end of the current campaign and his performances for the Bees in recent weeks will have attracted the attention of some of Europe's biggest clubs.
Tottenham will be one of those and the Dane, who later backed his old club's bid to claim a Champions League spot, showed the visitors what they were missing as he was the most creative player on the pitch in a goalless draw on Saturday evening which dented Spurs' top-four hopes.
Frank is desperate for Eriksen to remain in west London but says a decision will be made when this campaign is over.
"I would love to say that I am confident, I am very positive and very hopeful that he will stay but it will be a decision at the end of the season," he said.
"I will do what I can but it's down to Christian, where it's like everything if you decide to go to one club or another, you buy that house or another house, you take that job or another job.
"There must be pros and cons and I always say if you make it an eight-two decision, where you have eight pros and two cons, then you are in a good position.
"I hope Christian makes the right choice for him and his family and I really hope it will be us."
Spurs would have loved Eriksen in their side at the Brentford Community Stadium as they were devoid of all attacking creativity and went through a second successive game without registering a shot on target.
The Denmark international, whose recovery from a cardiac arrest last summer has been miraculous, created both of Brentford's best chances as Ivan Toney twice hit the woodwork from set-piece deliveries.
Spurs boss Antonio Conte, who has previously said he would be open to working with Eriksen again having been together at Inter Milan, chose not to discuss the possibility of a summer move.
"First of all, I was pleased to see Christian play and to play in this way," Conte said. "You know very well to speak now about the transfer market about players that are not in my team, I think it's a lack of respect for the team that the player is playing for and also for my players.
"For sure I worked with him two years at Inter Milan and I enjoyed this. I am very happy to see him in this fantastic form because don't forget only eight months ago what happened. Now I am pleased to see Christian play football in this type of level."
Eriksen received a warm ovation from the travelling Spurs support, and the 30-year-old signed a fan's shirt after the game.
Asked whether it was an emotional occasion, Eriksen, who spent six-and-a-half-years at Spurs, told Sky Sports afterwards: "No, I think I've played all of the emotional games already. Today was more the excitement of going into a game.
"Obviously it was the first time playing against Spurs since I left so it would be special, but I'm okay with a draw.
"I was extra (nervous)…but it was lovely."
Eriksen helped Spurs to their first Champions League final in 2019 but the club have not appeared in the competition for two years.
Asked whether he wanted to see Spurs finish in the top four, he responded: "Of course. I'm still a Spurs fan. I hope they get in the Champions League."
