Eriksen rejects contract extention

[Brwned]

Ajax sports director Marc Overmars has told Danish newspaper BT that Eriksen won't extend his current contract (expires June 2014).

Eriksen does not want to extend his contract. It runs until 2014 so Ajax will be forced to sell him the coming winter transfer window or in the summer for a cheaper price.

Pisses me off that he feels done at Ajax despite being just 20.

I could definitely see him playing further back than Kagawa. More in a Xavi role.

Worth a look if he's available at a cut-price deal or will he simply get in the way of Kagawa, Cleverley etc.? Would fit in nicely at Liverpool but I imagine he has bigger ambitions if he's already intent on leaving a CL team that took the piss out of City.

 

[Ralaks]

According to himself he hasn't said he wouldn't extend it, just that he haven't decided about it yet.

My lousy translation:

I still have a contract till 2014 and I feel well settled at Ajax. I do understand why they want to extend my contract, but I also feel like I want to try something new at some point. My agent is currently talking with the club and I've not said yes or no to anything.

Obviously just trying to pressure him into signing a new contract.

 

[Raoul]

I could see the dippers making a move for him in Jan given that Rodgers wants to sign players during the winter break.

 

[Carl]

I really do wonder whether Fergie knows what to do with this kind of player.

Unless he actually could be moulded into a much deeper position than the one he plays now.

 

[Wumminator]

I keep reading that he has stalled massively and is at risk of losing his place in the national side.

 

[Skywarden]

I'd break the bank for him. 20 years old and full of energy, maturity and talent.

 

[Wumminator]

I'd break the bank for him. 20 years old and full of energy, maturity and talent.

Ah sweet, a Dutch poster! Or someone who follows Ajax closely!

How has he been playing this year? Why did he begin to stagnate? How did he do when he was forced to play up front for a few games? What type of midfielder is he?

I've only seen him briefly against City, it's good to have someone who has watched him play regularly
.

 

[apotheosis]

I really do wonder whether Fergie knows what to do with this kind of player.

Unless he actually could be moulded into a much deeper position than the one he plays now.

We don't have to wonder, we know he is not very adept at taking foreign midfielders and integrating them into our 4-4-2 system. Atm it would be a pointless signing imo, SAF would either play him on the wing, or next to Carrick.

Until we change to a 3 man midfield, i cannot see us having any success converting players who have grown up playing in some type of 3 man midfield, into an effective part of a 2 man central pairing in the EPL.

Which is why, in my view, SAF has regularly struggled to identify 'midfielders who could improve us'.

 

[Brightonian]

Do not want. I've watched him a lot, and never seen any evidence that he's especially better than Cleverley or Anderson. He just looks better occasionally because he's being played in a 3 man midfield, a luxury which Fergie inexplicably continues to deny our boys.

 

[Massive Spanner]

He's very talented, but not in the same bracket as the likes of Gotze and Isco, for me anyway. I wouldn't be bothered about signing him.

 

[Ole90+3]

For some reason I could see him going to Madrid and sitting on the bench for 2 year before going to a Serie A team.

 

[Joemo]

For some reason I could see him going to Madrid and sitting on the bench for 2 year before going to a Serie A team.

I think the complete opposite. He seems a very off-field intelligent player, who understands he needs game time to further his development. He rejected a move to Barca at 16 because he knew he wouldn't get the constant game time he had at Ajax.

 

[apotheosis]

I think the complete opposite. He seems a very off-field intelligent player, who understands he needs game time to further his development. He rejected a move to Barca at 16 because he knew he wouldn't get the constant game time he had at Ajax.

I agree it seems he is a man with a plan. I can only see him going somewhere which he feels is right for his continuing development.

 

[I'm always right]

Do not want. I've watched him a lot, and never seen any evidence that he's especially better than Cleverley or Anderson. He just looks better occasionally because he's being played in a 3 man midfield, a luxury which Fergie inexplicably continues to deny our boys.

He's very talented, but not in the same bracket as the likes of Gotze and Isco, for me anyway. I wouldn't be bothered about signing him.

As above.

 

[marjen]

I'd take him. He could be an option playing off the left side of midfield as well.

 

[Raoul]

Do not want. I've watched him a lot, and never seen any evidence that he's especially better than Cleverley or Anderson. He just looks better occasionally because he's being played in a 3 man midfield, a luxury which Fergie inexplicably continues to deny our boys.

I tend to agree with this. His hype seems to be greater than his performances. Might be one for Spuds or the Dippers.

 

[Joemo]

Whenever I've seen him he's blown hot and cold, but was very impressive in the two ties against City recently. He's certainly got the technical ability, and the intelligence to really make it at a top club. Now he's said he won't sign a new deal, do you think there's any chance of a cut price, or will they cash in big on him now?

In terms of potential I'd rank him on par with Isco, but slightly lower than Goetze.

For what it's worth, ajaxsuarez is a great poster in the newbies and is phenomenally informative about his club. I think it was him who said Vurnon Anita would be a great player, months before Newcastle were even linked with him. And he says Viktor Fischer, who we have been linked with, has all the ability to become a top, top player.

 

[Steven Seagull]

He'd look more at home in Liverpools midfield than an ageing Gerrard does.

 

[VoetbalWizard]

i'd sell anderson and buy him.

we've given anderson almost 5 years now. i'd like to see what eriksen would do in tha ttime.

 

[apotheosis]

i'd sell anderson and buy him.

we've given anderson almost 5 years now. i'd like to see what eriksen would do in tha ttime.

Hypothetically, i think he would struggle to adapt from playing in a midfield 3 for most of his life, to running round at a hundred miles an hour alongside Carrick in a central pairing in the EPL. Similar to Anderson really.

 

[marjen]

If we buy him we'll utilize him on the left instead of Young.

 

[Brightonian]

He's exactly the sort of player I think we should stop buying for a while. We've got a lot of solid to very good players throughout the team. We should only be buying to replace a major departure (if Nani were to go, for example ), or to get someone world-class who will definitely improve out first eleven, like Van Persie.

Otherwise we should be giving a chance to some of our own youngsters. They're coming through thick and fast, it's time to start using them.

 

[I'm always right]

i'd sell anderson and buy him.

we've given anderson almost 5 years now. i'd like to see what eriksen would do in tha ttime.

Sell Anderson just as he's starting to show matirity and consistency? Good call.

 

[redmeister]

You can be sure that no matter who is the coach at Spurs come Jan, Daniel Levy will bid for Eriksen. I doubt he'll be interested in a move to Spurs, but there is no way Levy would miss the opportunity to buy a young talented player, who only has 18 months on his contract and will be on relatively low wages.

 

[Skywarden]

Ah sweet, a Dutch poster! Or someone who follows Ajax closely!

How has he been playing this year? Why did he begin to stagnate? How did he do when he was forced to play up front for a few games? What type of midfielder is he?

I've only seen him briefly against City, it's good to have someone who has watched him play regularly
.

I want to go back to my initial post and say I jumped the gun as I completely forgot about Kagawa. They are essentially occupying the same space. In short, I don't believe there's room for Eriksen in our midfield right now.

I don't know what this stagnation is you are referring to; at his age he's bound to have ups and downs like any other youngster if that's what you are referring to. Otherwise I'd make a case for him being their top performer together with Siem De Jong this season. He's had a lot of minutes this season which is good, it gives him time to express his talent as well as learn how to move on from his (weak) performances.

His strengths lies in creating chances and provide key passes - and I think he's doing it with good success. Excellent on the counter with his high burst and good close control.

He thrives in the 4-3-3 formation but I think with his intelligence he'll be capable of adapting to a 4-4-2 later on in his career, if required to. Though I see no reason to force him into such role if he continues to develop with the 4-3-3.

 

[Joemo]

He's exactly the sort of player I think we should stop buying for a while. We've got a lot of solid to very good players throughout the team. We should only be buying to replace a major departure (if Nani were to go, for example ), or to get someone world-class who will definitely improve out first eleven, like Van Persie.

Otherwise we should be giving a chance to some of our own youngsters. They're coming through thick and fast, it's time to start using them.

Like who exactly? The only players who occupy the same position as him are Daehli, Pereira, Cole, Powell, Lingard and Januzaj. All of these are years away from making the first team, although they all show great potential. Cole will have to go on loan in order to develop further, Lingard is on loan at the moment for the first time (I believe). You could argue the case for Petrucci, although his progress appears to have stagnated too.

Out of interest, what youngsters do you think we should start using?

 

[Brightonian]

Like who exactly? The only players who occupy the same position as him are Daehli, Pereira, Cole, Powell, Lingard and Januzaj. All of these are years away from making the first team, although they all show great potential. Cole will have to go on loan in order to develop further, Lingard is on loan at the moment for the first time (I believe). You could argue the case for Petrucci, although his progress appears to have stagnated too.

Out of interest, what youngsters do you think we should start using?

At the moment, none. There's no gap for that sort of player, which is why it would be ridiculous to buy Eriksen. Especially as we'll have a puzzle to solve fitting in Kagawa, who is a far better player.

If there was a gap which we were considering Eriksen for - say we hadn't bought Kagawa and were looking for someone who could both be injury back-up for Rooney or play the odd game on the wing - then I'd say gamble on Lingard. By then he'll have had most of a year on loan. He performed better than most of our first-teamers on this year's pre-season tour. Of course it's a gamble, but it's a gamble that we have to start making if we want to develop a tradition of home-growing players. And as we've seen with Pogba, the good ones tend to flourish fast once they are given their chance in the first team, rather than potter along looking confined and bored in the reserves.

Besides like I say, we're not talking about stepping right into a position of major responsibility as the only player available or anything. If we were to suddenly lose Rooney or Nani or Carrick I wouldn't want us to promote a youngster. But I also don't rate Eriksen as good enough to replace one of our big first team names either. Lingard may not be as good as Eriksen at the moment, but then he's not been given the chance, has he? Eriksen has the good fortune of being at a team who threw him into their first eleven at a young age, and he's evidence of how much better that often is for a player's growth than letting them stew in the reserves.

 

[AttackingFlair]

Ajax sports director Marc Overmars has told Danish newspaper BT that Eriksen won't extend his current contract (expires June 2014).




Worth a look if he's available at a cut-price deal or will he simply get in the way of Kagawa, Cleverley etc.? Would fit in nicely at Liverpool but I imagine he has bigger ambitions if he's already intent on leaving a CL team that took the piss out of City.

He would work well with Cleverley imo. Hypothetically, Carrick and Cleverley in midfield with Kagawa, Rooney and Eriksen interchanging positions behind RVP would be interesting.

 

[Snow]

There's a reason he was given an opportunity at such an early age. Also a reason he was the youngest player at the last World Cup. He just finished bossing the City midfield in both legs. 3 man midfield or not he was up against Barry, Garcia and Toure in the first leg. He was highlighted i our show and you could just see how he made the Ajax team tick with his movement and one touch passing.

He's got a lot of potential. Was 18 last time he was in the CL ans dome people were disappointed that he wasn't MoM every match.

He'll be sold in the summer if he isn't signing a new contract, that's for sure. I don't know if we're the right club for him or not. The progress of our wing play is hardly promising at the moment and maybe this is SAF's last season here. The transfer policy might change a bit.

 

[BD]

If we're moving away from wingers, to playing attacking midfielders a bit wider like Chelsea and City, he could be a handy player to have. Otherwise, we have too many attackers to squeeze him in.

 

[RyanGoggs]

Saw him live in the home leg of the Europa last year and thought he looked a very graceful player. Would love him here

 

[Fergus' son]

I think he has shown more than Cleverley and Anderson so far in his career, but it's not really a signing worth making.

I don't think hes too good to miss out on, in the same manner that Goetze is.

 

[Brightonian]

I think he has shown more than Cleverley and Anderson so far in his career, but it's not really a signing worth making.

Than Anderson yes, but Anderson's looked very good in all his games this season (except when Giggs was his sole midfield partner, which is understandable). I don't think Eriksen's shown more than Cleverley, game by game. And unlike Cleverley he's always been played in a system and a position that suits him.

 

[Fergus' son]

Than Anderson yes, but Anderson's looked very good in all his games this season (except when Giggs was his sole midfield partner, which is understandable). I don't think Eriksen's shown more than Cleverley, game by game. And unlike Cleverley he's always been played in a system and a position that suits him.

Really? I don't think there's a huge difference to be fair but I'd still say Eriksen has shown more, not enough to make me even consider swapping them though like I said.

Eriksen has more skill, better dribbling, and a better final ball in comparison to Cleverley IMO.

Does Cleverley get played out of position?

 

[Will Absolute]

If there was a gap which we were considering Eriksen for - say we hadn't bought Kagawa and were looking for someone who could both be injury back-up for Rooney or play the odd game on the wing - then I'd say gamble on Lingard. By then he'll have had most of a year on loan. He performed better than most of our first-teamers on this year's pre-season tour. Of course it's a gamble, but it's a gamble that we have to start making if we want to develop a tradition of home-growing players. And as we've seen with Pogba, the good ones tend to flourish fast once they are given their chance in the first team, rather than potter along looking confined and bored in the reserves.

Imo, Lingard hasn't looked a class above in the reserves, as Morrison and, sporadically, Pogba did. Those mentions by Fergie have elevated expectations beyond anything that he's really shown so far.

 

[Ekeke]

He's very talented, but not in the same bracket as the likes of Gotze and Isco, for me anyway. I wouldn't be bothered about signing him.

While I agree, who is to say we're going to get either of the other two?

 

[Brightonian]

Imo, Lingard hasn't looked a class above in the reserves, as Morrison and, sporadically, Pogba did. Those mentions by Fergie have elevated expectations beyond anything that he's really shown so far.

No, he's not as good as either Morrison or Pogba. I don't know what Fergie mentions you're talking about, I haven't heard them. He showed in pre-season that he could handle playing with the first team. He was one of our better players on the tour, actually.

I'm not saying he's as good as Eriksen, obviously. But Eriksen would not get into our first choice XI. So why buy him when someone like Lingard can come in as an option or back-up next year and get a chance to show us what he can do?

Eriksen has more skill, better dribbling, and a better final ball in comparison to Cleverley IMO.

Eriksen has more flair, and more goal threat. But he blows very hot and cold, and often the game just seems to pass him by. Cleverley is a better passer, a more intelligent reader of the game, and is supremely consistent. He hasn't had a bad game since the Olympics started, and he's always influential, never goes missing. It's a Xavi vs Iniesta thing. Yes, Iniesta is always going to produce more eye-catching dribbles and score more goals, but the team would suffer more from Xavi's absence because he sets the tempo and keeps the team in control of the match.

Does Cleverley get played out of position?

Both players suit a 3-man midfield. Eriksen gets played in one, Cleverley doesn't. More work, more responsibility.