Inter Milan have been the busiest team in the winter transfer window by some margin. It looks like Antonio Conte is being backed by the board and this is with good reason. Inter are currently second in the Serie A table and they are in the running for the Scudetto after nearly a decade.
The Nerazzurri has been very closely linked with Tottenham Hotspur's Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen and as of now, it seems a deal is very close to being completed. Eriksen's contract expires this summer, so it's understandable why Spurs want him to leave in January for a cut-price fee.
Here, we are going to take a look at the three possible ways Inter can line up with Christian Eriksen if he signs for them.
1. On the right of a 3-man midfield in a 3-5-2
The obvious reason which made Conte target the signing of Christian Eriksen is that he wants some creativity in the middle of the park, which he usually doesn't get with someone as tenacious as Nicolo Barella. So, if Eriksen is to play, Conte is most likely to play him on the right-hand side of a midfield three.
With Marcelo Brozovic staying deep and aiding the defense, Eriksen and Stefano Sensi can go further up to create chances for their deadly forwards. This is a lineup Conte could possibly use against smaller teams who usually sit back.
2. Attacking midfielder in a 3-4-1-2
We could possibly see this formation come into play against big teams, with Christian Eriksen providing support to Lautaro Martinez and Romelu Lukaku further up the field. While Marcelo Brozovic and Nicolo Barella screen the defense, Eriksen could play the role of a goalscoring midfielder, getting himself into the box at every opportunity.
As stated before, Eriksen's versatility enables him to play many positions and it would be interesting to see how he fits in at Inter if the Milan club signs him.
3. Second striker in a 3-5-2
The potential signing of Christian Eriksen should excite Antonio Conte as his presence allows him to rest either Romelu Lukaku or Lautaro Martinez. The Dane, under Mauricio Pochettino at Tottenham Hotspur, played as a second striker for a while and that is exactly the kind of role he can play for Inter Milan as well.
He can drop deep, crowding the midfield area, which will allow Inter more control and he can also make runs in behind. The Danish midfielder will have so much freedom, he could roam around in the final third, wreaking havoc for the opposition defense. This lineup allows Conte to lineup his team without Martinez or Lukaku and that is the kind of versatility the Italian would love to have.