Christian Eriksen terminates Wolfsburg contract by mutual consent after June collapse

Christian Eriksen is no longer a Wolfsburg player. The German club announced on Wednesday that it has reached an agreement with the 34-year-old Danish midfielder to terminate his contract by mutual consent, a few months after he collapsed during a Denmark friendly against Ukraine. The decision allows the player to focus fully on his recovery in Denmark, close to his family.

Why Christian Eriksen and Wolfsburg parted ways

• Wolfsburg and Christian Eriksen have agreed to terminate the contract that was set to run until June 2027.
• The Danish midfielder collapsed in June during a Denmark friendly against Ukraine and has been recovering in his homeland.
• Eriksen had previously suffered a cardiac arrest at Euro 2020 during the match against Finland in Copenhagen.
• The player explained in July that he would return to Denmark to undergo a rehabilitation programme.
• Wolfsburg, relegated to the German second tier, granted Eriksen's request to cancel the agreement.

Eriksen's second on-pitch cardiac scare

The June incident raised fresh concerns about Eriksen's heart health. The midfielder has had an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) fitted since the cardiac arrest he suffered in 2021, during Denmark's opening match of the European Championship in Copenhagen. On that occasion, he collapsed on the pitch against Finland and had to be resuscitated on the field.

After the June collapse, Eriksen explained on social media that the device had worked exactly as it was designed to do. "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," he wrote at the time. The Dane added that he was feeling good and that his recovery had already started.

Eriksen's Wolfsburg spell in numbers

Eriksen joined Wolfsburg as a free agent a year ago, in the summer of 2024. In his only season with the German club he made 34 appearances in all competitions, scoring three goals and providing ten assists. Despite his individual contribution, the team could not avoid relegation to the 2. Bundesliga after finishing the campaign in the drop zone.

His last appearance in a Wolfsburg shirt came in May's promotion/relegation playoff, when the team lost to Paderborn and sealed their departure from the German top flight. That match closed a chapter that now comes to a definitive end with the contract termination.

Eriksen's career before Wolfsburg: Ajax, Tottenham, Inter and Manchester United

Before arriving in German football, Christian Eriksen built a remarkable career at some of Europe's biggest clubs. He developed and shone at Ajax, where he caught the attention of Tottenham Hotspur. In London he established himself as one of the most creative midfielders in the Premier League over seven seasons.

In 2020 he joined Inter Milan, but his time in Italy was cut short by the 2021 cardiac arrest. Serie A rules prohibit playing with an implanted defibrillator, so the Dane had to leave the Italian club. After recovering, he returned to the Premier League with Brentford in 2022 and later spent three years at Manchester United before signing for Wolfsburg.

What Eriksen and Wolfsburg said about the contract termination

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. My time in Wolfsburg was marked by many highs and lows. 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.

Dieter Hecking, Wolfsburg's managing director of sport, confirmed that the club granted the player's request to cancel the agreement. "He has already experienced and achieved a great deal during his extraordinary career," said the director. "Despite his short time here, he has left a lasting impression on his teammates, our staff and the fans."

What comes next for Eriksen after leaving Wolfsburg

The contract termination leaves Christian Eriksen without a club while he completes his rehabilitation in Denmark. The midfielder has not announced whether he plans to return to top-level competition or whether his priority is to fully recover his heart health before making any decision about his professional future.

Eriksen's track record shows he already overcame a similar situation in 2021 and returned to the elite with Brentford and Manchester United. However, every cardiac episode is different, and the player has insisted that the June scare was not the same as the one at the European Championship. For now, his recovery and the people closest to him set the agenda.