Christian Eriksen leaves Wolfsburg by mutual consent after on-pitch collapse in June

Christian Eriksen and German side VfL Wolfsburg have agreed to terminate ⁠his contract by mutual consent, the club announced on Wednesday.

The 34-year-old collapsed during a Denmark friendly ⁠against Ukraine in June. Eriksen said in July he would ​return to his homeland to undergo a ‌rehabilitation programme. He previously suffered a cardiac arrest during Denmark’s opening Euros group match ⁠against Finland in Copenhagen in 2021.

The decision brings ⁠an early end ⁠to ​Eriksen’s contract, which was set to run until June 2027. The midfielder joined Wolfsburg as a free agent a year ago, making 34 appearances across all competitions. Eriksen scored three goals and provided 10 assists for the Wolves, but could not prevent their relegation from the Bundesliga.

“At the moment, it is important for me to ‌be close to my family in Denmark. I’m pleased that we were able to find a solution together,” Eriksen said in a statement.

“My time in Wolfsburg was marked by many highs and lows,” he added. “I know that the club is now ‌in good hands as it aims to make its way back to the Bundesliga, and I am convinced ​that a successful future lies ahead for VfL.”

The Wolfsburg ⁠managing director of sport, Dieter Hecking, said the second-tier club granted ​Eriksen’s request to ​cancel the agreement. His last appearance for the team came in May’s promotion/relegation playoff defeat to Paderborn.

“He has already ​experienced and achieved a great deal during his ​extraordinary career,” ‌Hecking said. “Despite his ​short time ​here, he has left a lasting impression on his teammates, our staff and the fans.”

Eriksen played for Ajax, Tottenham and Internazionale prior to his on-pitch collapse in 2021. He was fitted with an implantable cardioverter-­defibrillator (ICD) device, but had to leave Inter because Serie A rules prohibit playing with a pacemaker.

After joining Brentford in 2022, Eriksen spent three years at Manchester United before joining Wolfsburg last summer. He said in June that his ICD device “did what it was designed to do” after he collapsed on the pitch for a second time.

“Receiving a shock from my ICD has had a major impact on both me and my family, but I want to reassure everyone that this was a different situation from what happened in 2021,” Eriksen posted on social media.

“I am feeling good, and my recovery has already started,” Eriksen added. “I am incredibly grateful to the doctors who have cared for me and my heart over the years. Thanks to their expertise, my ICD did exactly what it was designed to do: protect me when I needed it.”