Real Madrid: Eriksen starts for Spurs ruling out transfer

Christian Eriksen was named in the Tottenham starting XI for Sunday's North London derby against Arsenal, essentially ruling out any last-minute move for the Danish international midfielder. 

While Zinedine Zidane said, albeit with tongue in the vicinity of cheek, that there could be "one or two big arrivals" at the Bernabéu before the window shuts on Monday, Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino made it very clear that if Eriksen was still at the club after Saturday then he would remain there for the rest of the 2019-20 season. 

Eriksen started the 2-2 draw at Manchester City but has otherwise been restricted to the role of substitute amid uncertainty over his future at Spurs.

Eriksen set for Spurs stay

Both Barcelona and Madrid have been credited with an interest in the 27-year-old playmaker, but with his name on the teamsheet for Sunday's game it appears that both Pochettino and Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy - a notoriously tough negotiator - have decided that Eriksen is more valuable to the side than an injection of cash that the club would be unable to spend with the Premier League window alread closed. 

That said, anything is possible and until Monday evening, Eriksen could still be the subject of a late bid, but Spurs are almost 100 percent certain to turn anything down that comes their way, however succulent the offer. 

In the meantime, Real have reporetedly not given up hope of a deadline day swoop for Manchester United's Paul Pogba.