You may be right or it might be as someone posted above - they are waiting for the last minute to give Levy a take it or leave it offer. There are 3-4 plausible explanations here and we’re all just guessing. However, I think it highly unlikely that someone as bright as Eriksen would have played it like this and now be refusing a salary hike all in the hope that Madrid or Barca come in for him based on nothing more than his desire to play there. That would make him incredibly stupid and that’s something he’s never struck me as.
I honestly think Eriksen thought he was doing the ‘right thing’ by releasing a statement saying that a move would be nice, but Spurs aren’t the worst option in the world. And I imagine that is what has lead to the bemusement at Spurs, because you usually do that if you actually have interest.
I feel like his agent has screwed up, miscalculated, and tried to use the playbook the big names use to get their client’s moves but didn’t really know what he is doing. And I think Eriksen thought he was doing the right thing by not going balls out with a ‘get me out of here’ plea, but it just made it worse.
If it’s true that he has his heart set on one club, maybe two, he’s done well to make it difficult for his current club to plan without him, without interest.
And I’m still not convinced he gets his dream move on dream money next summer. It may well happen, but a poor season with us where he is being managed out of the team means his dream clubs may well move on to shinier objects next summer. Real really wanted Hazard, had been linked with him for years, and made it happen. If these clubs view Eriksen as a punt without an obvious first 11 slot, there’s an argument to say they’d rarher give a squad place to a player they are developing.
Again, not saying it won’t work out well for him, but I think he’s played a dangerous and poor game and handled the whole thing badly.