According to the respected Spanish journalist Jaime Astrain, Danish international Christian Eriksen has already signed for Spanish giants Real Madrid.
Astrain told the El Chiringuito channel that the Danish midfielder would be presented following the Champions League final on June 1 – a match that seems set to be Eriksen’s last for Tottenham.
“According to the information I have, which is from a very reliable source, Real Madrid has tied down a player this coming season. It’s Eriksen from Tottenham. When the Champions League final ends, it will be unveiled,” said Astrain.
No Bale out
Eriksen, who is valued at 650 million kroner, has long been a hot name in the rumour mill and, with his contract at Spurs coming to an end next year, he has been linked to Real Madrid a number of times.
Astrain also professed to know that Tottenham were not interested in getting Gareth Bale back as part of the deal.
Since joining Tottenham from Ajax back in 2013, Eriksen has scored 66 goals and dished up 86 assists in 276 appearances – including 10 goals and 17 assists so far this season.
No longer the Bills of Denmark
FC Midtjylland have finally lost their tag as the Buffalo Bills of the Danish Cup, having lost their four previous finals. On the Great Prayer Day bank holiday they beat Brøndby on penalties after an entertaining game ended 1-1. After the game the riot police had to subdue a group of Brøndby fans who began shooting fireworks into the FCM fans’ section. Several arrests were made.
Fastest ever time
Kenyan runner Jackson Kibet Limo ran the fastest time ever recorded on Danish soil when he won the Copenhagen Marathon on May 19 in a time of 2 hours, 9 minutes and 54 seconds. In the women’s race, Etalemahu Zeleke Habtewold of Ethiopia also set a Danish all-comers record with a time of 2 hours, 29 minutes and 29 seconds.
No last-eight finish
The Danish ice hockey team failed to reach the knockout stages of the IIHF World Championship. The Danes got off to a decent start in Slovakia with a tight win over France and a record 9-0 defeat of Britain, but close losses to Germany and Finland, along with a 1-7 hammering at the hands of the US, sealed their fate.
New contract for legend
FC Copenhagen coach Ståle Solbakken has extended his contract until the summer of 2023. The Norwegian, who has overseen nearly 570 games in two periods at the club (2006-2011 and since 2013), recently won his eighth Superliga title.
Carlsen beats all-comers
Playing 24 players simultaneously, Norwegian chess master Magnus Carlsen beat all of them in under 90 minutes at the Energi Danmark Champions Battle at Copenhagen’s Cirkusbygningen on May 22. He then easily beat Jonas Buhl Bjerre, a 14-year-old rated the second-best player in Denmark.
Bears make it three in a row
The Bakken Bears have been crowned Danish basketball champions for the third season on the trot following a sweep of Horsens IC in the final series. The two sides have faced off in the last five Danish Basketball Championship series, with Horsens winning in 2015 and 2016.
Podium in California
Cyclist Kasper Asgreen continues to impress in his breakthrough season, earning a stage win on his way to coming third in the Tour of California, thus becoming the first Dane to ever finish on the podium. He also won the sprints standings ahead of none other than Peter Sagan.
New Nordic tour
Along with Norway and Sweden, Denmark will co-host a new women’s cycling race that is scheduled to commence in 2021. ‘Battle of North’ has been billed as the women’s version of the Tour de France and will include three stages each in Denmark and Sweden, followed by four final stages in Norway.
True promise
Alexander True has been named MVP for the San Jose Barracuda following a strong season in the American Hockey League. The 21-year-old notched up 55 points in 68 games, just two points shy of Lars Eller’s AHL record of 57 points in 70 games.
The Lucas effect
Lucas Bjerregaard may have only tied for 16th in the recently held US PGA Championship, the second golfing major of the year, but he claimed some final day headlines with the only ace of the tournament. His hole-in-one came at the 206-yard 17th, and then his playing partner Lucas Glover promptly holed out from the bunker.
Tackling match-fixing
Denmark has urged fellow member states to step up their efforts to detect and punish match-fixing in sport. The Danes are unhappy that unanimity has yet to be reached in order for the EU to adopt the Macolin Convention, a 2014 treaty.
