Lothar Matthaus: Christian Eriksen 'Too Slow' for Bayern Amid Transfer Rumours

Bayern Munich legend Lothar Matthaus has said he hopes the club don't pursue a transfer for Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Christian Eriksen as he's "too slow" for the way the team plays.

Eriksen's future has long been a topic of discussion, as the Denmark international's contract with the north London club is set to expire at the end of the campaign.

A number of high-profile clubs have been linked with the classy playmaker, although Matthaus, who won seven Bundesliga titles across two spells with the Munich club, said he doesn't want to see the German giants pursue Eriksen, per Sport 1 (h/t Sean Lunt of Sport Witness):

"I have been following the player for a long time, and he has disappointed me so far in 2019. A transfer to Bayern would not make any sense for me and would be very surprising. For me, he is not a player who helps Bayern.

"If he is not enough for Tottenham, he is not good enough for Bayern. Uli Hoeness has also said that Bayern do not need substitutes."

Matthaus went on to add that he believes Eriksen is a "fine technician", but is "too slow" for the style of football that manager Niko Kovac wants to play. He also said the German champions should concentrate on trying to sign Bayer Leverkusen starlet Kai Havertz, who operates as an attacking midfielder.

Per Lunt, Bayern have regularly been mentioned as possible suitors for Eriksen. If he doesn't agree an extension with Spurs, he'd be available for a cut-price amount in January or on a free transfer at the end of the campaign.

Eriksen's form has been inconsistent this term. Per WhoScored.com, the Dane's delivery, which is usually pinpoint, has been off the mark:

Earlier in the campaign, James Maw of The Athletic commented on a sub-par performance from the midfielder against Olympiacos in the UEFA Champions League:

Bayern are well stocked in the attacking midfield positions, with Philippe Coutinho shining since joining the club on loan from Barcelona. However, it'd be a shock if the Munich club agreed to pay the €120 million needed to make the agreement permanent.

As relayed by Matthaus, Havertz has also been frequently linked with a switch to Bayern, having excelled for Leverkusen in recent seasons:

Eriksen may not be playing well at the moment, but he's been crucial to Tottenham developing into Champions League regulars under Mauricio Pochettino.

On the ball, he's adept at unlocking opposition defences with his inventiveness, whether that be whipping in a cross from out wide or threading passes through tight spaces. And while he may not be the quickest, off the ball he covers a lot of ground.

With that in mind, if he was available on a free transfer and Bayern did bring him in next summer, you sense plenty across Europe would hail a savvy piece of business.