Things appear to be looking up as far as Tottenham Hotspur are concerned, with the Lilywhites having gone into the international break in buoyant mood following an unbeaten start to the new Premier League season – under the direction of an attack-minded, progressive coach in Ange Postecoglou.
Chairman Daniel Levy has abandoned his pursuit of mere short-term glory by taking on a more long-term approach at N17, with the prior appointments of Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte – both of whom were seemingly "serial winners", according to journalist Samuel Luckhurst – having set the club back in recent years.
In truth, it would appear that the north Londoners are longing for a return to what was an impressive period under former boss Mauricio Pochettino, with the Argentine tactician memorably guiding the club to the Champions League final in 2019 after assembling and building a stellar side in the capital.
The current Chelsea man was able to put together a particularly fearsome frontline including the likes of Heung-min Son, Harry Kane and Dele Alli, with it something of a crying shame that such a gifted XI were not able to get their hands on silverware.
Harry Kane
242
169
30
Heung-min Son
203
75
39
Dele Alli
194
55
52
Christian Eriksen
255
58
76
Stats via Transfermarkt
Another figure who was also central in the attacking ranks in those golden years was Danish maestro, Christian Eriksen, with the playmaker arguably a player whose void had not been filled at Spurs following his exit – until now…
How much did Tottenham pay for Christian Eriksen?
The former Ajax man was undoubtedly the most successful addition of the infamous 'magnificent seven' that was signed in the summer of 2013, with Levy and co opting to reinvest the £85m that had been raked in from the sale of Gareth Bale on a host of new faces.
While the likes of Federico Fazio and Etienne Capoue made little or no impact in a Tottenham shirt, Eriksen, by contrast, was a mainstay in the side over the next seven years or so, proving something of a bargain in relation to his minimal £11.5m transfer fee.
Hailed as a "special person" by Pochettino, the elegant Dane was the undoubted creative spark behind the likes of Kane and Son, having racked up a stellar haul of 90 assists in 305 games in all competitions for the club.
Also a clinical weapon in his own right, the majestic gem also contributed 69 goals in that time after typically operating on the flanks or in a central role, with Pochettino having said of his talents back in 2019.
"He has an amazing quality and can shoot from outside the area and has an unbelievable shot with his left and with his right foot."
That dual ability to both provide quality service to others and get in on the act himself made Eriksen a truly instrumental presence as a link between midfield in attack, with it easy to argue that in his pomp he was a real "world-class player", according to former Wales international, Craig Bellamy.
Why did Eriksen leave Tottenham?
Like any glittering period, it all had to come to an end, however, with Pochettino receiving the boot just a matter of months after the European showpiece defeat to Liverpool in 2019, while Eriksen outlined his desire to depart that summer – amid interest from Spain.
Having had just a year left on his contract at the time, it wasn't until January 2020 that the wantaway asset eventually sealed his exit from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, joining Conte's Inter Milan side for a measly £16.9m.
As BBC Sports's Phil Parry suggested earlier this year, it is perhaps not an overstatement to claim that Spurs had "still not replaced Eriksen" until the recent summer window, with there having been "a big hole between the defensive part of midfield and the front three".
Speaking amid the club's woes last season, former Charlton Athletic defender Steve Brown also noted that the Lilywhites had become somewhat "predictable", with the likes of Son and Dejan Kulusevski needing "someone to pick the ball up in pockets, be intelligent and feed them accuracy".
While it may be too soon for Postecoglou and co to be counting their chickens, it looks as if their lengthy search to find an Eriksen successor has ended, following the capture of James Maddison.
How good is James Maddison?
On the face of it, it appears as if the former Leicester City star – who arrived on a £40m deal from the Foxes – is the perfect man to fill that Eriksen-shaped hole in the centre of the pitch, with Tottenham's number ten relishing the ability to be the "main man" in the side – or at a roast dinner…
Hailed in the past as a "super talent" by talkSPORT pundit Danny Murphy, the 26-year-old has settled in beautifully in his new surroundings with two goals and two assists from just four league games, after previously contributing 96 goal involvements in 203 games during his time in the Midlands.
The Coventry-born gem's recent strike away to newly-promoted Burnley was seemingly right out of the Eriksen copybook, as the England international found himself a pocket of space before rifling in a stunning, curling effort from range.
Already being talked about as the "signing of the summer" – in the words of TNT Sports pundit Joe Cole – Maddison could well be integral to what Spurs can achieve both this season and beyond, with pundit Darren Ambrose even going as far as to suggest that he is "probably a better player than Christian Eriksen was for Spurs already."
While it may be slightly too soon to be making such a statement, the "sensational" new arrival – as per Ambrose – is clearly picking up where Eriksen left off, having already spoken about trying to emulate the current Manchester United man's success:
“They’ve always had that type of player,” Maddison told the Independent. “That sort of midfielder who wants to be creative and entertain the fans and be a personality.
"Christian Eriksen in more recent years but since him they probably haven’t had that type of player. I’d put myself in that category. I’m not putting myself on the same level. But I’m that type of player."
If the early evidence is anything to go by, that self-assessment is rather bang on indeed…