Christian Eriksen Is the Man Tottenham Hotspur Should Build Around, Not Sell

As Tottenham Hotspur's disappointing season grinds to a slow, excruciating halt, fans of the club will barely believe proceedings could get any worse.

Andre Villas-Boas was hounded out of the country and replaced with a volatile, old-fashioned manager in Tim Sherwood; £26 million man Roberto Soldado has collapsed under the spotlight; Andros Townsend has gone from England "World Cup qualifying hero" to zero; and the defence have made a colossal 19 errors leading to goals conceded so far.

Quite the cacophony of errors, it seems, and if Sherwood is to be believed, it could get worse before it gets better. Speaking to The Daily Mail, the former Blackburn Rovers man admitted midfield star Christian Eriksen could be the subject of serious interest this summer after a string of impressive performances.

The Dane joined for just £11 million last summer from Ajax, and after a rocky initial transition from Dutch to English football has been one of the few bright spots in Spurs' disappointing campaign.

He has almost single-handedly won games against Dnipro, Southampton, Sunderland and Fulham in the past two months, with his technique, creativity, passing range and incredible set-piece deliveries coming to the fore.

Any inconsistencies brought from his Ajax days have been ironed out despite playing out of position on the left wing for Sherwood, and he's proving with every passing week he is a key cog to build around—not sell.

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"Christian doesn't see the pressure, doesn't feel the pressure, as it is embedded in him as he works so hard on it every day," Sherwood explained. "He has just turned 22 but has the head of a 35-year-old. He knows when to speed it up and slow it down."

Eriksen's prowess on the pitch hasn't gone unnoticed, but Sherwood will likely be out of a job this summer so it's not his worry to bear. Still, if there were any questions as to who Spurs should build around this summer—be it Erik Lamela, Paulinho, Soldado or someone else—there is no doubt in supporters' minds now.

His tally of 12 goals and 13 assists from 28 starts, per WhoScored.com, is remarkable given the adaption period required and his slender, continental build.

The Dane's eye for a pass, quick-thinking and opportunistic presence at the back post have seen him cash in on a number of situations, though, and his ability to bend an Ashley Young-esque set piece into the box has the White Hart Lane crowd craving free-kick decisions in their favour.

Should he be moved into his natural No. 10 role there's no telling how influential he could be next season and onward. Spurs need to ensure they're the ones to profit from his growth, though, and refuse to buckle under pressure from yet another titan stealing their assets.

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