The Best Premier League Transfers Ever: Christian Eriksen to Tottenham Hotspur (2013/14)

Paul Macdonald

• Updated: 20 May 2021 11:26 BST
• 3 min read

Christian Eriksen was part of the seven new signings Tottenham were hoping would replace Gareth Bale after the Welshman departed for Real Madrid.

The Denmark international was undoubtedly the most successful of those who arrived in the summer of 2013 as the attacking midfielder went on to establish himself at the core of a Spurs side who would go on to reach the Champions League final.

This article is part of FootballTransfers’ greatest-ever Premier League deals. We have selected just one standout transfer from every season of the Premier League, including two honourable mentions. This list will then be gathered to provide a definitive list of the best pieces of business in the Premier League era.

Christian Eriksen, Ajax to Tottenham, £12.7m

After winning three consecutive Eredivisie titles with Ajax, a 21-year-old Eriksen had caught the attention of several elite clubs across the continent.

It was Spurs who won the race for his signature though, and the Scandinavian made a strong start to life in north London with ten goals and 12 assists in his first campaign with the club.

Mauricio Pochettino was appointed as manager at White Hart Lane ahead of the 2014/15 season and, after 12 months at the helm, Tottenham’s fortunes were transformed.

The Argentine boss relied heavily on Eriksen’s creativity, with the midfield man providing 69 assists in all competitions from 2014/15 to 2018/19.

Although Spurs were ultimately unable to get their hands on any silverware during Eriksen’s time at the club, running Leicester City close for the Premier League title in 2015/16 and losing out to Liverpool in the 2018/19 Champions League final, the Dane was the heartbeat for one of Tottenham’s greatest ever teams.

Runners-up: Marko Arnautovic, Werder Bremen to Stoke City, £2.5m

Marko Arnautovic’s arrival at Stoke City may not have been a marquee signing seven years ago, with the Austrian’s £2.5m arrival from Bundesliga outfit Werder Bremen going under the radar, but he certainly made a big impact at the Britannia Stadium.

The Austrian was a controversial character who’s seemingly inflated ego has often been likened to that of Mario Balotelli’s, however, the forward regularly produced the goods on the pitch to match the bravado off it.

Twenty-six goals and 32 assists in 145 games for the Potters saw Arnautovic move to Premier League rivals West Ham in 2017 for £20m. An extremely healthy profit for a player not many had heard of before he touched down on English shores.

Runners-up: Fernandinho, Shakhtar Donetsk to Manchester City, £36m

Manchester City’s current club captain has won an abundance of trophies since his arrival at the club in 2013. Three Premier League titles, one FA Cup and five League Cups make Fernandinho one of the most decorated players in the Cityzens history.

The Brazilian has been a reliable performer over the years and was pivotal to Pep Guardiola’s centurion’s side in 2017/18. He’s made 326 appearances for the Etihad outfit to date and, despite being 35 years old, still has plenty more to give at the elite level of the game.