From Tottenham's bench to Champions League quarter-final: Eric Dier is back

Former Tottenham center-back Eric Dier has not only been securing significant playing time with his new powerhouse team Bayern Munich, but he has also established himself as a regular starter under Thomas Tuchel.

Now, Dier believes he is "playing the best football" of his career.

"People think that I'm 37 or something, but I'm 30 years old and am nowhere near the end of my prime, and imagine that this will be my prime," Dier said.

As for Bayern Munich, it has been eye raising and an interesting strategy.

They signed South Korean superstar Kim Min Jae over the off-season for a reported £50 million, which was considered a steal by many.

Yet, they are now choosing to start their new £3.4 million signing Eric Dier, a former Tottenham player who struggled to find consistent single-digit minutes under Ange Postecoglou.

Dier has performed admirably, there's no denying that. However, his sudden prominence has caught many by surprise. At Tottenham, with Romero solidifying his position as a starter from the onset of the season and Van de Ven proving himself as one of the most reliable defenders when fit, Dier seemed like an obvious candidate for the bench under Postecoglou.

His eventual departure, particularly with the club signaling a new direction with the signing of Radu Dragusin, was both heart-wrenching and understandable.

Is he a better choice than Kim Min Jae? I think that is a hard case to make, but you can argue that Dier does bring a form of stability to the back line and the squad looks a bit less hectic when he's on the pitch. Still, starting him over Kim is definitely one that has been controversial.

"Since the World Cup, I wouldn't say that I've had any dip in form. I've been playing the best football of my career since [Antonio] Conte came to Tottenham, and I've carried it on since."

- Eric Dier on April 9th, 2024

All this being said, this is a positive thing for both Tottenham fans and Dier. The guy has been one of the loyal players to the club for over 10 years and even though a debate can be made whether he should be starting over Kim, it is certainly very good to see for Tottenham fans.

We never knew he would be starting in a Champions League quarter-final vs Arsenal (with Harry Kane) in a different uniform, but I think any Tottenham fan would hope he plays well and would like nothing more than to knock the rivals out of the competition.