If last season is to be his final one in a Tottenham Hotspur shirt, one of the club’s more long-serving players should not find employment elsewhere difficult to come by.
Not after a performance which, in front of the whole continent, would may have his national team boss tempted to say ‘I told you so’.
Speaking to Bold before the European Championships kicked off with Germany’s obliteration of Scotland, Denmark boss Kasper Hjulmand expressed his belief that Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg would not look out of place in most of Europe’s top sides.
“We have a lot of data on him,” Hjulmand said of £15 million Tottenham Hotspur benchwarmer.
“He was really good for us in the last (international break). And I’m not too worried about him, because he’s in really good shape.”
“Pierre is a skilled player who can play for any team. He is so good that he can play for most teams in the world.”
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg shines as Denmark draw with England
It was not a point the majority of Tottenham fans would have been nodding their head to. Hojbjerg has become something of an unpopular figure among some sections of the fanbase. Some perhaps seeing him as an unfortunate posterboy for the depressing Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte eras.
The arrival of Ange Postecoglou – all frank and free-flowing – has had Hojbjerg on the outside looking in of late. Much to the midfielder’s self-professed frustration.
But the manner in which Hojbjerg rattled and battled England on Thursday night will have had clubs on the lookout for a hard-working, tenacious yet technical enforcer jotting his name down in the nearest notebook.
Hojbjerg was exceptional throughout. In fact, even Arsenal’s £105 million record signing Declan Rice struggled to keep pace with a man who went into Euro 2024 on the back of just eight Premier League starts last season.
“The Danish midfield totally outshined the English one, and that was Hojbjerg’s merit,” former Denmark international Morten Bruun told TV2, handing the former Southampton skipper a 9/10 for his efforts.
In fact, only Morten Hjulmand’s fierce leveller denied Hojbjerg Bruun’s Man of the Match award. But no matter. Hojbjerg ended up with the official UEFA one in his suitcase.
“Tireless running and (the tackles and interceptions were) countless.”
A great night for the Tottenham Hotspur man
Well, not quite countless. A glance at the statistics will tell you that Hojbjerg, who started his career at Bayern Munich under Pep Guardiola, completed six tackles and three interceptions during that 1-1 draw. No one on either side managed more.
Only Austria’s Nicolas Seiwald, meanwhile, completed more tackles in a single game at Euro 2024. He managed eight in that narrow 1-0 defeat to France on Monday.
“Great performance,” former Mainz boss Hjulmand tells DR of Hojbjerg. “He was there 100 per cent yesterday and was all over the place, so he played a blast of a game.
“When there are some performances that stand out, it is also because the team provides the opportunities for the individual to shine. He took advantage of the opportunities that the team created.”
“He brings a lot of energy,” adds full-back Joakim Maehle. “And that also gives the next player the courage to go in and win the ball. It gives a domino effect to the whole team, and this is something that Pierre leads the way with.
“He is super important to our team, there is no doubt about that. He is always on top and gives everything for his team and team-mates. He is a great footballer and a super person off the pitch who gives more than he takes.
“He is a player we can be proud to have in the Danish national team.”
The post 'He's a great footballer': Tottenham ace 'totally outshined' £105m man at Euro in 9/10 display appeared first on HITC.
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