Brentford sign Christian Eriksen on deal until end of season

Brentford have announced the signing of the Denmark midfielder Christian Eriksen on a deal until the end of the season. He was a free agent after being released by Internazionale in mid-December because his cardiac device implant means he is suspended from playing in Italy.

Eriksen, 29, has not played since suffering a cardiac arrest during Denmark’s Euro 2020 game with Finland on 12 June and was keen for a return to top-level action in the hope of going to the World Cup.

Eriksen received lifesaving treatment on the pitch in Copenhagen and was fitted with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator device (ICD). Serie A rules do not allow players with an ICD to compete.

Phil Giles, Brentford’s director of football, said: “Brentford fans can rest assured that we have undertaken significant due diligence to ensure that Christian is in the best possible shape to return to competitive football.”

Eight of Brentford’s players are from Denmark and so is the head coach, Thomas Frank, who worked with Eriksen in the national youth team set-up.

“We have taken an unbelievable opportunity to bring a world-class player to Brentford,” Frank said. “He hasn’t trained with a team for seven months but has done a lot of work on his own. He is fit but we will need to get him match fit and I am looking forward to seeing him work with the players and staff to get back towards his highest level. At his best, Christian has the ability to dictate games.”

Eriksen is not in contention for his Brentford debut in Saturday’s FA Cup tie at Everton. “Christian has recently received his Covid-19 vaccination and, in order to comply with rules regarding entry to the UK, he will travel to west London in the coming days and will not train with Brentford this