Eric Dier has declared Sporting CP ‘my club’ after being pressed by the possibility of leaving Tottenham Hotspur for a second spell in Portugal.
Dier is in the final year of his contract with Tottenham, who signed him from Sporting in 2014.
With Ange Postecoglou unwilling to use the versatile England international, a move in January or the season Summer seems like a certainty.
The only question is what Dier’s next step might be.
For example, he has been tipped to reunite with Jose Mourinho in Rome, in a move that would give him his first taste of Serie A football and put him in the same team as his compatriots Chris Smalling and Tammy Abraham.
It has also been reported that Sporting – who also have another former Tottenham player in their ranks in Marcus Edwards – could be drawing up sensational plans to bring Dier back to Portugal for a second time in Portugal.
Lisbon.
And speaking at the Web Summit in Lisbon, Dier confirmed that he can imagine a future in the country he grew up in – but stopped short of saying he would play in the Primeira Liga again.
“One day I will definitely come back,” the 29-year-old said.
“I think it’s inevitable, if my wife wants, we will live together one day when my career ends.
“To come back and play here, you never know, I can’t say.
“Sporting is my club, it will always be my club, it’s where I spent 12 years.
Portugal as well for me is my home.
“I’m 29 so I hope I have a lot of years left to play.
I’m still young.
Football is my top priority.
Although born in Cheltenham, Dier grew up in Portugal from the age of seven.
He developed at Sporting from 2003 onwards and finally made his first team debut in 2012.
Dier left Sporting with 31 appearances, before establishing himself in the Premier League and the England national team.
He made more than 360 appearances for Tottenham, but was only recently used by Postecoglou as an emergency measure when they were short of favored personnel.
Once the Australian tactician’s favorite players are back at his disposal, Dier will be back in order, so it makes sense for him to explore his options.
Dier eyes long season with Tottenham
For now, however, he remains focused on the challenge of trying to succeed with Spurs, who are two points behind the Premier League leaders at the November international break.
“We’re still early in the season , the road ahead is still very long,” Dier said.
“I have enough experience to know that anything is possible.
» The last time Tottenham won the cup was in 2008, so Dier has nothing reliable to say about his time in north London.
A feel-good factor is returning to the club after Postecoglou took charge this summer, but questions arise over whether Dier can feature in any future attempts to end the trophy drought whether theirs or not remains a suspenseful question.
