Christian Eriksen: Inter Milan midfielder not allowed to resume career in Italy due to ICD

Christian Eriksen will be allowed to leave Inter Milan in the hope of restarting his career after being told he cannot play in Italy due to having an implanted cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) fitted.

The Danish midfielder suffered a cardiac arrest while playing for his country against Finland at Euro 2020 earlier this year.

Following the incident, which saw him needing a defibrillator on the pitch, Eriksen underwent surgery to fit the ICD.

An ICD is a type of pacemaker which shocks the heart to restore rhythm if a person has a cardiac arrest.

Francesco Braconaro, a member of the Italian Football Federation's scientific committee, said that Eriksen will not be allowed to play in the country unless the ICD device is removed.

Italy is a world-leader in heart screening for sportspeople, making them an unlikely candidate to allow someone in Eriksen's situation to return to action.

"With reference to the registration rights of the player Eriksen, it should be noted that following a serious injury which occurred during the European Championship in June 2021, the player has been temporarily inhibited by the Italian medical authority from sporting activity in the current season," Inter Milan wrote in a statement on Thursday.

"Although the current conditions of the player don't meet the requirements of achieving sporting fitness in Italy, the same could instead be achieved in other countries where the player could resume competitive activity."

It is, however, unclear where Eriksen could potentially resume his career due to the ICD.

Former Manchester United defender Daley Blind has an ICD fitted and is currently playing for Ajax in the Netherlands.

In Austria, Raphael Dwamena had a cardiac arrest while playing for Hartberg last week but was saved by an ICD he had fitted in 2020.