'Had his head turned' - Exclusive: Pundit explains dramatic Tottenham player slump
EXCLUSIVE
Alan Hutton has claimed Christian Eriksen's dramatic slump in form is a result of having "had his head turned" by speculation over his Tottenham future.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Spurs defender insisted that the playmaker's performance in the Champions League against Olympiakos last week was his worst-ever game for the club.
Eriksen was subsequently axed from the starting XI for the 2-1 Premier League weekend defeat at Leicester City.
It was a rare omission for the Dane, who has been a virtual nailed-on starter for most of his seven seasons at the club but a major transfer headache is now threatening that status.
“Eriksen has had a lot of up and down performances, and midweek was by far his worst game," Hutton told Football Insider. "I do believe with all the transfer rumours and stuff, he has had his head turned so he has had a dip in form, he has also been in and out of the side which doesn’t help.
“So I think after midweek, having a poor game, Pochettino decided to mix things up and I know he likes to rotate the squad as well so that was probably part of it.
“Like I said he hasn’t played millions of games, all the games, so after having a poor game, he (Pochettino) probably just decided to switch things up, one, to give him a rest and, two, to give someone else a shot.”
Eriksen was strongly linked with a summer transfer to one of Europe's elite clubs after failing to agree the terms of a new contract with Tottenham.
His current deal expires at the end of the season, when he will be able to leave the club on a free transfer.