Christian Eriksen: Antonio Conte offers Tottenham training opportunity

2 years ago 15

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Manager Antonio Conte says "the door is always open" for Christian Eriksen to train at Tottenham as he chases his dream of playing at the 2022 World Cup.

Eriksen, 29, suffered cardiac arrest while playing at Euro 2020 in June and said earlier this week that he "died for five minutes" when he collapsed.

He is looking for a new club after leaving Inter Milan as rules meant he could no longer play in Serie A.

Conte said Eriksen is a "really important player" and a "top man".

The Italian signed Eriksen from Tottenham during his time at Inter Milan.

Eriksen helped Conte win the Serie A title last season but was no longer able to represent the club as players fitted with the implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) he required after his collapse cannot compete in Serie A.

Eriksen has now been filmed striking balls on his own in training and this week said he feels "back in top shape" with an aim of playing for Denmark at the World Cup in Qatar.

Asked if Eriksen could train with Tottenham, Conte said: "For sure, it was great, it was fine, to see him on a pitch, to see that he is kicking a ball.

"What happened this summer was very not good, not good, for the people that worked with him, and the people that know him. I was scared in that moment.

"And now, to see him again ready to play football is great news. I think for Christian, the door is always open."

Son set to miss rest of January

Conte was speaking at a news conference before his side's FA Cup third-round tie with Morecambe, during which he also revealed forward Son Heung-min could be out for the rest of January with a leg injury.

Son had scans on a muscle problem following Wednesday's Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg defeat by Chelsea.

It rules him out of next week's second leg against Chelsea as well as the north London derby against Arsenal.

Conte said Son "could stay without training sessions" until the mid-season break starts on 24 January.

Son, Tottenham's leading Premier League scorer this season with eight goals, started against Chelsea in midweek, playing 79 minutes before being replaced.

"It was a strange situation," Conte said. "Against Chelsea I made two substitutions together, Lucas Moura and Son. Not for injury, but to try to give them 15 minutes of rest.

"The day after, Son felt a bit of pain in his muscle, in his leg and he had a scan. Now we have to make the right evaluations from the doctors."

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