Arsenal have been reportedly offered a chance to sign ex-Tottenham star Christian Eriksen as Inter Milan eye a swap deal for Granit Xhaka in January.
According to a report from Italian publication Corriere dello Sport, as relayed by the Metro, Inter Milan are eyeing a blockbuster swap deal with Premier League giants Arsenal that would see Christian Eriksen move to the Emirates with Granit Xhaka signing for the Serie A outfit.
The 28-year-old Eriksen joined Inter Milan in January earlier this year after having spent close to seven years at Arsenal’s bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur. However, the Danish international has struggled to adapt to life in Italy and has found it hard to carve out a place for himself in Antonio Conte’s side.
Eriksen recently admitted that he is not entirely happy with his situation at Inter and would be open to the possibility of an exit in the January transfer window.
At the same time, the Nerazzurri’s manager wants to bolster his midfield, with Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante being a long-term transfer target. However, with the Blues unlikely to sell the Frenchman, Conte & co. are looking at possible alternatives, with Arsenal ace Granit Xhaka emerging as a viable option.
The Swiss international has had a remarkable turnaround at the Emirates over the past year, having come very close to leaving in January after swearing at the Gunners’ supporters during a match last season. However, Mikel Arteta’s arrival has changed things drastically, with Xhaka once again establishing himself as a key member of this Arsenal side.
But the possibility of signing a Premier League-proven playmaker like Eriksen might appeal to Arsenal, as they have had a lot of problems due to a lack of creativity in the final third this season. With Mesut Ozil frozen out of the squad by the manager, the Gunners lack a genuine chance-creator which could be addressed by the signing of someone like Eriksen.
However, his past allegiances with Tottenham, where he spent the majority of his senior playing career, having joined in 2013 from Ajax, could prove to be a stumbling block. In addition, given Xhaka’s importance to the side, the possibility of Arsenal considering such a swap deal does seem highly improbable.
Rumours of a potential swoop for Hungarian international Dominik Szoboszlai are gaining weight with each passing day, which could solve the aforementioned issues for Arsenal in the attacking third. As far as Eriksen is concerned, an exit from Inter Milan in January is a strong possibility, but might be unlikely that he ends up at the Emirates.
