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Amid continued speculation linking him with a move to Real Madrid, Christian Eriksen has finally chosen to speak out.

For so long the Danish midfielder has kept his own counsel, saying little as his £70,000-a-week Tottenham contract ticked towards its final 12 months while Mauricio Pochettino's men fought for a top four finish and the Champions League.

Having achieved the former they missed out on the latter on Saturday night, a disappointing display leading to a 2-0 defeat in Madrid at the hands of Liverpool, and the 27-year-old has now opened up on his desire this summer.

And that, it would appear, is to move to the Santiago Bernabeu.

(Image: Kiko Huesca/EPA-EFE/REX)

He told Ekstra Bladet: "I feel that I am a place in my career where I might want to try something new.

"I have the wildest and deepest respect for everything that has happened in Tottenham, nor will it be negative. But I have also said that I would like to try something new."

Eriksen's statement was backed up by his agent, Martin Schoots, who informed Standard Sport: “Last season there were three clubs, two English and one foreign, interested in paying a huge amount to Spurs.

“For the club it was then a no-go area and for Christian not a must-have. I have the impression we are in a new situation now.”

For Spurs, after a season in which Eriksen has again been crucial, making 51 appearances, scoring 10 goals and offering up 17 assists, it is far from ideal.

(Image: Reuters)

So why has Eriksen gone public at a time when fans are still reeling from the defeat in Madrid?

When chairman Daniel Levy has told president Florentino Perez over dinner at Madrid City Hall on Friday night that a contract renewal for the ex-Ajax star was his priority and he doesn't want to sell.

Now, after Eriksen's comments, Spurs will demand a staggering £130million - £60million more than Madrid have wanted to pay.

So why now?

Basically, because Eriksen wants it done.

(Image: Reuters)

But his public declaration is a smart play from one of the Premier League's most cerebral stars, because Eriksen has simultaneously put Madrid up against the clock while calling their bluff.

He's made clear his feelings, but has also offered Spurs clarity and left himself open to a renewal; witness the second part of his statement.

“Real Madrid is a step up but then it would take Real Madrid picking up the phone and making contact with Tottenham and say that they want Christian," he added. "And that they haven’t done, as far as I know.

“It all depends on Daniel Levy and there has to be another club too. Or I will sit down, myself, at the table and negotiate a new contract. You can’t set a date yourself. There aren’t many boxes that Tottenham don’t tick so if I have to move away, it would have to be a step up.”

It is very much a come-get-me plea, but a shrewd one.

(Image: REUTERS)

Because this is not as simple as Madrid want Eriksen, Eriksen wants Madrid, so a transfer occurs. Far from it.

Los Blancos completed the signing of Luka Jovic for a potential £60million on Tuesday, adding the Serbian to £45million Porto centre-back Eder Militao and Santos youngster Rodrygo, for whom the initial outlay was in the region of £35million.

Chelsea star Eden Hazard is expected to be the next man through the door, the No.1 target again costing in excess of £90million; to get that deal over the line Jose Angel Sanchez, the chief executive, has had to fly to London to negotiate with Marina Granovskaia with the Blues playing hardball over their star asset,

The negotiations over Hazard have highlighted the glaring issue Madrid have; despite the club's grandiose nature, their portrayal of wealth, they are far from cash rich. Right now they are attempting to buy while penny-pinching, amid Financial Fair Play guidelines they are stretching themselves thinner than ever before.

The hope had been they could sell some of their own unwanted, big-money stars to bankroll a summer overhaul. But clubs across the Premier League and Europe are wise to their game.

(Image: Getty Images)

Currently, with James Rodriguez the latest player to return after Bayern Munich didn't take up their permanent option, Zinedine Zidane has 35 players in his first-team squad; a number of them are unwanted, but can't be shifted.

Keylor Navas has said his goodbyes, but offers haven't been forthcoming; Gareth Bale has a huge contract which no-one wants to take over, before you even consider potentially paying £70million-plus for someone with his injury history and who turns 30 this summer, plus the fact that he's not pushing to leave.

Isco, similarly, can go but doesn't want to. Marco Asensio is another whose stock has fallen somewhat in the last 12 months, but whom Perez is loathe to let go.

Lucas Silva, Mateo Kovacic, James and Theo Hernandez are all returning from loan and are for sale, strikers Borja Mayoral and Mariano Diaz can go and so too can Spain international duo Marcos Llorente and Dani Ceballos.

(Image: Getty Images)

But right now, the offers aren't rolling in at all. Clubs are happy to wait for desperation to set in and prices to drop.

Ironically, two players who did have suitors and would have brought in big money, Raphael Varane and Toni Kroos, both remain; Kroos has even inked an extension, until 2023.

(Image: Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I)

So Madrid have a problem. Earlier this week press in the Spanish capital tried to portray that players clamouring to head to the Bernabeu need to push for moves.

Eriksen has done that because he sees Real Madrid as a step up, and believes a move to one of world football's bona-fide super clubs is his natural progression.

But he's also happy at Spurs and aware enough that, far from being a problem for him, it is a bigger issue for Madrid.

Now the ball is in their court. He'll soon find out how much they want him.