Antonio Conte has suggested that Tottenham were interested in re-signing Christian Eriksen during the summer, as the club prepare to face their former midfielder this week.
Eriksen was linked with a return to north London after his contract at Brentford expired at the end of last season, but instead signed for Manchester United on a free transfer.
The Denmark international previously spent six-and-a-half seasons at Spurs, while he also worked under Conte during his time at Inter Milan.
Eriksen has been excellent since his arrival at Old Trafford and Spurs will come face-to-face with their former midfielder when the two teams meet in the Premier League on Wednesday evening.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Conte was asked about Spurs’ reported interest in Eriksen and admits the 30-year-old is a footballer he would have liked to work with again.
“I don’t want to speak about player of other team. For sure, Christian is a player, I enjoy to work with him. He’s a player that I would like to train him again, to have in my squad. But you know very well, transfer market is very difficult and I think he made a big choice, a big choice to go to United, to sign for three years of contract. For him, I wish the best for him, for his family. Apart from the game against us! Then for the rest of the season, to be always the best on the pitch.
Asked specifically if Spurs were close to agreeing a deal to re-sign Eriksen, Conte suggested the north Londoners had made an approach.
“Now it’s not important to tell yes or not, you understand. But for sure I think Christian was a player that every club tried to bring into the team.”
