Tottenham sell Eriksen to Inter Milan for £17m

LONDON: Inter Milan have finally completed the signing of Tottenham midfielder Christian Eriksen.

The 27-year-old travelled to Italy on Monday for a medical and has agreed terms on a four-and-a-half-year contract. His £17million move brings to an end a glittering six-and-a-half-year career at Spurs where he was one of the driving forces behind their ascent to the top of the English game under Mauricio Pochettino.

Spurs will see it as a good piece of business, having got a sizeable fee for a player whose contract was expiring in the summer and would have left for free. Tottenham were not prepared to allow Eriksen’s departure to be their main story of the day as the club simultaneously announced they had triggered the option to turn Giovani Lo Celso’s loan into a permanent deal.

The Argentinian, seen as a natural replacement for Eriksen, has joined from Real Betis for £27.2million on a deal until 2025.

A Spurs statement read: “We are delighted to announce that we have exercised the option to convert the loan of Giovani Lo Celso from Real Betis Balompie to a permanent transfer. The midfielder has produced impressive performances after establishing himself in the team following a hip injury which restricted his playing time in the early part of his loan at the club.”

Spurs would have had to pay £34million to make Lo Celso’s deal permanent in the summer, which was obligatory if they finished in the top four. After a slow start to life in north London, the 23-year-old has shown glimpses of his potential in recent weeks.