Christian Eriksen believes Tottenham have a better chance of signing top-class players if they are involved in European football next season.

Spurs are likely to qualify for the Europa League for the fifth season in a row but nearly every year there have been repercussions for the club’s domestic campaign. Tottenham have qualified for the Champions League only once, in 2009/10, when they had no European commitments.

Annual Champions League football is the goal of the White Hart Lane hierarchy yet Eriksen insists Europe’s secondary competition remains attractive to players when deciding on transfers.

“Is it a factor when the club are trying to sign players? I think so. It certainly was for me when I moved from Ajax two years ago,” said Eriksen. “I don’t know if it is for anyone else but I think so.

“I always want to play in Europe, to be seen on that stage or in the Premier League. It was a big chance and for me it was a nice thing when I came to Tottenham.

Southampton v Tottenham - player ratings 20 show all Southampton v Tottenham - player ratings 1/20 Kelvin Davis: 5 Little to do until he failed to keep out Lamela’s unusual equaliser and might have done better with Chadli’s. GETTY 2/20 Nathaniel Clyne: 6 Asked to attack and defend and performed competently in both disciplines. Could be one of his last games as a Saints player. 3/20 Maya Yoshida: 6 Along with Fonte, he kept Kane quiet before the break. Held off too easily by Chadli for Spurs’ send goal. Getty 4/20 Jose Fonte: 7 Solid display crowned by blocking Mason’s fierce first-half volley, and saw a late header cleared off the line. 5/20 Ryan Bertrand: 6 Pushed forward well but didn’t close down Dier for the cross that let in Lamela for the visitors’ first goal. 6/20 Toby Alderweireld: 7 Playing in midfield instead of defence, the Belgian stuck close to Eriksen and did a good job of keeping him quiet. SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 13: Toby Alderweireld of Southampton in action during the Barclays Premier League match between Southampton and Newcastle United at St Mary's Stadium on September 13, 2014 in Southampton, England. (Photo by Richard Heathco 7/20 Sadio Mane: 8 Playing centrally, his pace worried Spurs and caused the mix-up for Pelle’s opener, and he created havoc for Fazio all afternoon. Getty 8/20 Steven Davis: 5 Like Bertrand, he should have been tighter to Dier for Spurs’ first. Two bad misses early in the second half. Booked. Sub (81 mins): Eljero Elia 6. Sent on to add extra pace to Saints’ attack. 9/20 Graziano Pelle: 8 Two chances, two goals. Was controlled well until he escaped Mason and Davies to give Saints the lead before his brilliant header restored it. GETTY 10/20 Hugo Lloris: 6 Back in the side after a month out, he showed few signs of rustiness and was as positionally savvy as always. 11/20 Eric Dier: 7 Set up both Spurs’ goals and was doubtless relieved not to have to mark an orthodox winger. Good tussle with Bertrand. GETTY 12/20 Federico Fazio: 6 Outjumped by Pelle for the second goal and never looked happy when Mane ran at him but did well to nod Fonte’s goalbound header off the line. Booked. GETTY 13/20 Jan Vertonghen: 6 Like Fazio, prefers the physical battle to the one-on-one duels with quick forwards. Did better against Pelle than his partner and ended the game at left-back. Booked. GETTY 14/20 Ben Davies: 5 Made some useful surges from left-back but was at fault for both Southampton’s goals. Sustained what looked a bad arm injury. Booked. Sub (76 mins): Vlad Chiriches 6. Sent on after Davies was injured and played in the centre. GETTY 15/20 Ryan Mason: 7 A hard-working display was blighted by the slip that let in Pelle to put Saints in front but his energy at this stage of the season was superb. GETTY 16/20 Nabil Bentaleb: 7 Had his work cut out in an attritional battle against Alderweireld and Schneiderlin in the centre but like Mason, seems still to have fuel in the tank. Sub (88 mins): Roberto Soldado. Thrown on late as Spurs tried to get the winner. GETTY 17/20 Erik Lamela: 6 Bizarre equaliser was the high point of a display that was rarely effective. After two seasons as a Spurs player, he remains an enigma. GETTY 18/20 Christian Eriksen: 6 Barely given enough room to breathe by the marking of Alderweireld. Some classy touches but he looked a little tired. GETTY 19/20 Nacer Chadli: 7 Classic Chadli. Ineffective for 70 minutes, before a smart run and excellent finish brought Spurs level a second time. Sub (83 mins): Mousa Dembele 6. Struggled to make an impact in the short time he had. GETTY 20/20 Harry Kane: 6 Clever run created space for Dier’s cross for the opener but like Eriksen, he looks to be feeling the strain of a long season. GETTY 1/20 Kelvin Davis: 5 Little to do until he failed to keep out Lamela’s unusual equaliser and might have done better with Chadli’s. GETTY 2/20 Nathaniel Clyne: 6 Asked to attack and defend and performed competently in both disciplines. Could be one of his last games as a Saints player. 3/20 Maya Yoshida: 6 Along with Fonte, he kept Kane quiet before the break. Held off too easily by Chadli for Spurs’ send goal. Getty 4/20 Jose Fonte: 7 Solid display crowned by blocking Mason’s fierce first-half volley, and saw a late header cleared off the line. 5/20 Ryan Bertrand: 6 Pushed forward well but didn’t close down Dier for the cross that let in Lamela for the visitors’ first goal. 6/20 Toby Alderweireld: 7 Playing in midfield instead of defence, the Belgian stuck close to Eriksen and did a good job of keeping him quiet. SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 13: Toby Alderweireld of Southampton in action during the Barclays Premier League match between Southampton and Newcastle United at St Mary's Stadium on September 13, 2014 in Southampton, England. (Photo by Richard Heathco 7/20 Sadio Mane: 8 Playing centrally, his pace worried Spurs and caused the mix-up for Pelle’s opener, and he created havoc for Fazio all afternoon. Getty 8/20 Steven Davis: 5 Like Bertrand, he should have been tighter to Dier for Spurs’ first. Two bad misses early in the second half. Booked. Sub (81 mins): Eljero Elia 6. Sent on to add extra pace to Saints’ attack. 9/20 Graziano Pelle: 8 Two chances, two goals. Was controlled well until he escaped Mason and Davies to give Saints the lead before his brilliant header restored it. GETTY 10/20 Hugo Lloris: 6 Back in the side after a month out, he showed few signs of rustiness and was as positionally savvy as always. 11/20 Eric Dier: 7 Set up both Spurs’ goals and was doubtless relieved not to have to mark an orthodox winger. Good tussle with Bertrand. GETTY 12/20 Federico Fazio: 6 Outjumped by Pelle for the second goal and never looked happy when Mane ran at him but did well to nod Fonte’s goalbound header off the line. Booked. GETTY 13/20 Jan Vertonghen: 6 Like Fazio, prefers the physical battle to the one-on-one duels with quick forwards. Did better against Pelle than his partner and ended the game at left-back. Booked. GETTY 14/20 Ben Davies: 5 Made some useful surges from left-back but was at fault for both Southampton’s goals. Sustained what looked a bad arm injury. Booked. Sub (76 mins): Vlad Chiriches 6. Sent on after Davies was injured and played in the centre. GETTY 15/20 Ryan Mason: 7 A hard-working display was blighted by the slip that let in Pelle to put Saints in front but his energy at this stage of the season was superb. GETTY 16/20 Nabil Bentaleb: 7 Had his work cut out in an attritional battle against Alderweireld and Schneiderlin in the centre but like Mason, seems still to have fuel in the tank. Sub (88 mins): Roberto Soldado. Thrown on late as Spurs tried to get the winner. GETTY 17/20 Erik Lamela: 6 Bizarre equaliser was the high point of a display that was rarely effective. After two seasons as a Spurs player, he remains an enigma. GETTY 18/20 Christian Eriksen: 6 Barely given enough room to breathe by the marking of Alderweireld. Some classy touches but he looked a little tired. GETTY 19/20 Nacer Chadli: 7 Classic Chadli. Ineffective for 70 minutes, before a smart run and excellent finish brought Spurs level a second time. Sub (83 mins): Mousa Dembele 6. Struggled to make an impact in the short time he had. GETTY 20/20 Harry Kane: 6 Clever run created space for Dier’s cross for the opener but like Eriksen, he looks to be feeling the strain of a long season. GETTY

“I’d rather play in Europe than nothing. There are many games, of course, but if you have a big squad as we have, it shouldn’t be a disappointment to play in Europe. A lot of players want to be in Europe. We’ve been fighting to get into the top four and we still have a little chance.

“Of course, it is easier to get into the top four if you are not in Europe. There are so many games and we have played more games than most teams in the Premier League this season.

“But if you’re playing, you only get better, so I don’t see an issue in playing. At the start of the season we can probably count it (the number of Europa League games) but later in the year we’d hope to go and win it.”

Even though he is tiring a little, Eriksen has been one of the stars of the season for Spurs, scoring 12 goals in all competitions and establishing himself as the team’s most creative player. At times, the campaign promised much: towards the end of January, Pochettino’s side were involved in three cup competitions and pursuing a top-four finish.

The outcome is likely to be the same as it was 12 months ago, when Spurs finished sixth in the table, with 69 points. Tottenham have 58 points now and with only four games remaining, they appear unlikely to match last season’s total.

Despite that, Eriksen is confident things are improving. Last season, Spurs suffered heavy defeats to Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea and the Dane is encouraged by their better form against the top sides this term.

He said: “It has been a little better than last season, with not so many ups and downs. Of course, there have been a few, but there haven’t been the stupid results, so in that respect it’s a bit better.

“We have a really young team and it’s a good team to build on. That is one of the things we will do better next season, because everyone knows what to do. The manager is still here and the players are still here.”

Pochettino’s exacting training methods have certainly made their mark on Spurs’ playing style. The statistics show that Spurs players have covered far more ground this season than they did last – yet there is still little difference in terms of results.

As Pochettino prepares for his second campaign, Eriksen hopes the benefits will show. He added: “In the first season, we had to learn what he wanted and he had to learn what we did. There needs to be a balance but it’s a good start to run a lot, and after that we see we to go.”