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By Yann Tear

Frank delighted to help restore career of 'world class' Eriksen


A deal that has been in the pipeline for a couple of weeks got over the line on transfer deadline day, with Danish international Christian Eriksen penning a six-month term at Brentford.


The 29-year-old midfielder has not played since suffering a cardiac arrest during Euro 2020 last June when he was playing for his country against Finland at the Parken national stadium in Copenhagen.


The match was halted and terrifying moments followed as medics fought to revive him. After surviving that huge scare, he was fitted with an implanted cardioverter-defibrillator, which is a type of pacemaker.


His miraculous recovery did not keep him in a job at Inter Milan because Italian football does not allow players fitted with ICDs to compete in Serie A - the same rules do not apply in the Premier League - and he trained alone at Danish side Odense Boldklub, where he used to play as a youth.


The Bees' boss Thomas Frank, who has already assembled a squad with a core of Danish players, including internationals, Mathias Jensen and Christian Norgaard, is delighted with the move.


"We have taken an unbelievable opportunity to bring a world class player to Brentford," he 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 of football. He will also bring experience of top level football to the club. I expect him to have an impact in the dressing room and at the training ground."


Eriksen, who has a seven year spell at Tottenham before his move to Inter, harbours hopes of turning out for Denmark in the World Cup in Qatar later this year.


"I want to prove I've moved on and that I can play for the national team again," he said.


In a tweet released by the club, Eriksen said: "I'm happy to announce that I've signed for Brentford Football Club. I can't wait to get started and hopefully I'll see you all very soon."


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