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Seven players who returned to clubs amid Tottenham’s interest in Christian Eriksen
Making the emotional return to former clubs and embarking on a second chapter is something that is proving more and more common in football.
Manchester United fans were dreaming of Cristiano Ronaldo’s return every summer after his departure to Real Madrid 13 years ago.
There could be another emotional homecoming this summer with reports of Tottenham Hotspur hoping to sign Christian Eriksen coming to the .
The Dane has been in influential form since signing for Brentford on a six-month contract. The 30-year-old’s form has played a crucial role in guiding Thomas Frank’s side to safety in their first season in the top-flight.
In the six Premier League games Eriksen has started for the Bees, Brentford have won five and drawn one.
But Antonio Conte, who managed Eriksen during their time together at Inter Milan, and Spurs have their eyes set on signing the midfielder on a free transfer this summer.
With that in mind, we took a look at seven high-profile returns from some of the biggest names in football�/p>
Thierry Henry
After joining La Liga giants Barcelona in 2007, Henry brought to an end an eight-year stay at Arsenal where he established himself as one of the Premier League’s all-time greats.
But after netting 226 goals for the club and making 369 Gunners appearances, there was another chapter to be written in the Henry and Arsenal love affair.
While at New York Red Bulls, the legendary Frenchman made a loan switch back to Arsene Wenger’s side during the MLS�season break in 2012.
On his first appearance back in an Arsenal shirt, Henry came off the bench to score the winner against Leeds United with a trademark finish into the far bottom corner.
Henry made seven appearances during his time back in north London and he scored the winner on his last ever Premier League outing, which came in the 91st-minute at Sunderland.
Didier Drogba
The Ivory Coast international took the Premier League by storm after being signed by Jose Mourinho from French giants Marseille in the summer of 2004.
Just like Henry, Drogba is now a Premier League Hall of Famer and its thoroughly deserved following his years of domination.
Drogba’s first stint at Stamford Bridge lasted eight years and in that time he had won three Premier Leagues, two League Cups, four FA Cups and netted the crucial penalty in the Champions League final in 2012, after scoring the equaliser.
After two seasons in Turkey with Galatasaray, Drogba was signed by Mourinho for a second time ten years after his securing his first switch to the Blues.
Drogba got his hands on a fourth Premier League title and third League Cup trophy that campaign. He scored seven goals that season before leaving for Montreal.
Paul Pogba
The World Cup winner left Manchester United for the first time in what turned out to be Sir Alex Ferguson’s last season at Old Trafford.
The 29-year-old joined Juventus on a free transfer and became a key part of the Serie A giants side and reached a Champions League final.
But after appointing Mourinho as Louis van Gaal’s replacement, United announced the return of Pogba for a then world-record .
But aside from Mourinho’s first season at the Theatre of Dreams where United won the Community Shield, League Cup and Europa League, United haven’t won a trophy for five years.
Pogba looks set to leave the Red Devils for a free transfer for a second time this summer with his contract expiring at the end of June.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Following a summer transfer window that had seen Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane be announced as Manchester United signings, the twenty-time champions moved swiftly to secure Ronaldo’s return.
With rumours of a potential switch to arch rivals Manchester City intensifying, United announced the return of the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.
Back donning the famous number seven jersey, the former Juventus man scored twice on his homecoming against Newcastle which was played in front of an electric Old Trafford crowd.
While United’s season has been nothing short of a disaster, Ronaldo is inevitably United’s top goalscorer with 22 goals to his name. He’s the only United player to reach double figures this season.
Only Heung-Min Son (17) and Mohamed Salah (22) have scored more Premier League goals than the 37-year-old (16).
Romelu Lukaku
After being signed from Anderlecht at the age of 17, there was big expectations placed on Lukaku’s broad shoulders ahead of his Stamford Bridge arrival.
But after struggling to establish himself as a regular in the Blues starting line-up, Lukaku had fruitful loan spells with West Brom and Everton before making the permanent switch to Goodison Park.
Lukaku had two seasons at Manchester United before shining under Conte at Inter Milan. The Belgian international’s form in Serie A convinced Chelsea to splash the cash and re-sign the 28-year-old for a club-record .
Its been difficult for Lukaku to adapt to Thomas Tuchel’s style and his teammates have struggled to develop an understanding with the number nine.
He has 12 goals to his name this season but he has only started 13 Premier League games.
Dani Alves
Five years after ending his trophy-laden spell at Barcelona, the Brazilian returned to the Nou Camp to reunite with his former teammate Xavi in November 2021.
The 38-year-old has made 12 appearances for the Catalan giants and his arrival both on and off the pitch has aided Barcelona’s revival.
After leaving Barcelona in 2016, Alves embarked on chapters at Juventus, Paris Saint Germain at Sau Paulo.
The full-back’s contract expires at the end of the season, but he’ll be hoping to to earn a new deal with him turning 39 next month.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
The great Swede has played for some of the biggest clubs in the land, but AC Milan is the only club that he has signed for twice.
Ibrahimovic’s first spell with the Rossoneri spanned from 2010 to 2012 before moving to Paris Saint Germain.
But after two years in America with LA Galaxy, the 40-year-old returned to Europe and re-joined the red half of Milan.
Eleven years after guiding Milan to their last Serie A title, Ibrahimovic will be hoping to oust his former club and Milan’s fierce rivals Inter to the Scudetto.