If recent news and rumours are to be believed, big spending, billionaires Manchester City have joined their bitter rivals Manchester United and their Premier league competitors Chelsea in pursuit of Tottenham’s Croatian star, Luka Modric.
Chairman Daniel Levy and Manager Harry Redknapp have made it quite clear to these clubs that neither Modric or PFA player of the year, Gareth Bale will be sold this summer. Welsh winger Bale has pledged his immediate future to the club, however, Modric has been reportedly quoted by the Daily Star saying, ‘I’m a Tottenham player and will be in London on July 7 to begin preparing for the season,’ he added, ‘But I want to say that transfers could occur later.’
This news will have surely unnerved a few in N17, although Levy has been a top negotiator with United especially in the past few seasons and if he were able to achieve an offer in the region of £40 million, would it be such a bad thing to see him go?
Understandably, the majority of Spurs fans are against the sale of yet another of their star players, especially as United have managed to lure both Carrick (£18 million) and Berbatov (£30.75 million) away from White Hart Lane in recent years. But were both those deals not great pieces of business by Spurs? Yes, they lost a ‘big’ player, but they also received ‘big’ money, money that financed the transfers of multiple players such as Palacios, Pavlyuchenko and even Modric himself.
What Spurs do have in their favour is that the ball lies firmly in their court, they only have to sell, if and when they want to. They can afford to hold out for a giant sum and if the aforementioned interested clubs really want Modric that badly, they will offer it. He only recently signed a 6 year contract and isn’t the type of guy to throw a tantrum and make a fuss to force through a deal. Therefore, Spurs seem to be in the ideal position, they can keep their star midfielder unless a ‘crazy’ money deal is offered, allowing Levy to re-invest across maybe 4 positions, no doubt strengthening the team as a whole.
Another large bonus for Spurs is that they are not exactly short of options in midfield. Although Redknapp himself has described Modric as ‘irreplaceable,’ it is important to remember that he was injured for fair length of time earlier in the season. In that time, his Croatian team-mate Niko Kranjcar was given a chance and scored brilliant winning goals in two games. They also have other international players such as Palacios, Sandro and Tom Huddelstone, all capable of playing in a top side and this is before any ‘replacements’ have been brought using the vast sums of money Modric’s sale would generate.
I know that to many fans, the sale of one the clubs best talents would be seen as a ‘backwards’ step but just look at Liverpool, they sold their ‘talismanic’ player in Torres and are undoubtedly now a stronger side after the additions of Suarez, Carroll and now Henderson.
For most fans it is a matter of pride, a matter of not letting their club be bullied into selling, resisting the advances of Europe’s giants but if the offer of ‘crazy’ money similar to the Torres transfer was put on the table, with Levy’s promise of signing a ’20 goal a season forward’ and more than adequate replacements or keeping hold of Modric, which would you really choose?
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Gibbs – You’re either on a very good WUM or a complete clown, either way you’re talking absolute BS and as far as I’m concerned this conversation is done, you have no idea what you’re on about.
Most of what I said were not even opinions. They were facts. Modric has failed to make Campbell, Bent, Keane, Crouch, Defoe and Pav tick. Crouch set up most of VDV goals.
Xavi HAS had 35 assists combined in one season..more facts that make comparisons silly. Go and look at the Guardian chalboard and look at Modrics passing. It shows every pass he does a game/direction/length etc. the vast majority are sideways backwards and short, and you will find a handfull that go right down the middle in the final third (starving strikers).
Who is on the wings since he passes sideways? Bale. Bale has 1 Prem assist. So how is Modric making us tick? Lennon also has disappointing assists. Which means the people he is feeding, are not feeding the strikers because they are crowded out after convoluted and PREDICTABLE buildup.
Modric isnt a chicken? What is he in front of goal>? Clam and assured? 54 shots, and only 16 ended up on target. Only 2 went in with 1 pen. And that does nto explain the fact why he will dive in the final third rather than take it to defenders. Why can he ride tackles like Messi in his own half, but go over like a sack of Spuds in the final third? It is because he shirks the responsibility of going at people where it matters. He will pass the ball like a hot potato.
He made over 2000 passes last season, and he created less chances than VDV. Pathetic.
Lots of tricky flicky, slick shimmies isnt enough.
Spurs’ player of the year – argue with that!
He plays the Tottenham way. Lots of skill, class and perfect passing.
We need to break it to the fans that the Tottenham way has kept us out of the title race for half a century.
He is Messi without the goals.
He Iniesta without the generalship and link up play
He is Xavi wityhout the assist.
He is Hoddle without the assists and Goals.
He is basically the most overated player in Spurs history. VDV has done his job, and the strikers job. He has 3 times as many assists as Modric and he hasnt even played a whole season.
VDV has balls. Modric has a wimper, and he will take the easy pass…easy pass…nice pass..But nothing to the strikers.