Ajax schemer Christian Eriksen is a man in demand as several English, Italian and German clubs look closely at the possibility of integrating the 21-year-old prodigy into their squads.
Bayer Leverkusen recently failed in an audacious attempt to snatch Eriksen from under the noses of a clutch of bigger names waiting patiently to pounce. With his future still very much up in the air, which team will succeed in their pursuit of the most exciting talent to emerge from Denmark since the Laudrup brothers?
Eriksen's technical ability, probing passes and attacking instinct marked him out as a star from an early age. The youngster moved from Odense in his homeland at 16, going on to make a first-team debut for Ajax just shy of his 18th birthday. Head coach at the time Martin Jol instantly spotted the potential and even mentioned the midfielder in the same breath as Ajax alumni Wesley Sneijder and Rafael Van Der Vaart; high praise indeed for an inexperienced professional beginning to make his way in the game.
Having made a starting spot his own in Amsterdam, the skilful starlet performed a vital role in the heart of the side while Ajax swept to three successive league championships under Jol's successor Frank De Boer. Although reluctant to let go of his prized possession, De Boer accepts the time has come for Eriksen to spread his wings and develop further with another club.
Speculation mainly centres on major interest in the services of the midfield orchestrator from Borussia Dortmund, Liverpool and Milan.
Last season's Champions League runners-up Dortmund stole a march on Liverpool in the race to sign Henrikh Mkhitaryan earlier in the window, who plays a similar role to that of the Danish international. Whether that eliminates Jürgen Klopp's side from the reckoning remains to be seen, but it certainly heightens the urgency with which Liverpool will try to gain the upper hand over the German outfit on this occasion.
The biggest problem that at least partially damages Liverpool's chances of sealing a deal for the 2011 Danish Footballer of the Year is the lack of Champions League football at Anfield. Brendan Rodgers has the task of putting Liverpool back in contention for the top four places in the Premier League, but hasn't yet managed to haul them up to that standard in the short spell he's been on Merseyside. Ajax can offer such a challenge, therefore Eriksen may feel it unnecessary to join a club that currently cannot, despite Liverpool's glorious history.
Italian giants Milan appear in pole position to secure Eriksen for next season, as they attempt to close the gap on Juventus in the Serie A standings and guarantee their group spot in the Champions League via a play-off stage to be played in August. Milan are unaware of their definite opponents for that crunch clash, but nonetheless they'll feel confident of progression into the tournament proper whoever they eventually face.
Unless a last-minute and frankly unexpected bid comes in from Barcelona, Real Madrid or Paris Saint-Germain, then Milan look set fair to make Eriksen theirs. Having thought better of going up against Roma for PSV's Dutch international midfielder Kevin Strootman, one assumes Milan have lined up an alternative in the shape of the diminutive Dane.
Despite reported financial constraints holding Milan back in the transfer market this summer, the Rossoneri reserve the right to sell one of their current crop in order to fund the deal. Should a selection of sides firm up interest in unsettled Kevin Prince Boateng to the tune of £15million, the ammunition will go straight to chief executive Adriano Galliani to finally get his man.
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