Eriksen not fit to play in Italy – Inter

By Saheed Afolabi

Christian Eriksen is not permitted to play in Italy this season as a result of the cardiac arrest he suffered at Euro 2020, say his club, Inter Milan.

The Denmark midfielder, 29, collapsed during his country’s Euro 2020 game against Finland in June and had life-saving treatment on the pitch.

He later had an a implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) device – a type of pacemaker – fitted.

But Inter will let Eriksen leave the club as he cannot feature for them.

“The player has been temporarily inhibited by the Italian medical authority from sporting activity in the current season,” Inter wrote in a statement.

“Although the current conditions of the player don’t meet the requirements of achieving sporting fitness in Italy, the same could instead be achieved in other countries where the player could resume competitive activity.”

It is unclear whether other countries would allow Eriksen to participate in their respective leagues with the ICD device.

Ajax’s former Manchester United defender, Daley Blind, was also fitted with an ICD after being diagnosed with heart muscle inflammation, but the 31-year-old has continued playing for the Eredivisie champions and the Netherlands national team.

Eriksen spent six and a half seasons with Tottenham, playing in their Champions League final loss to Liverpool in 2019, before joining Inter in a £16.9m transfer in January 2020.

He played in the Europa League final later that season as Inter lost to Sevilla and then helped them win Serie A in 2020-21.