As the transfer window slammed shut at 11pm last Wednesday one of the transfer sagas of the summer finally came to an end as Luka Modric failed to complete his move across London to Chelsea. Modric had been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge after bids of both £22m and £27m were rejected by the Spurs board, and the Croatian was reported to have handed in an official transfer request back in July. Despite heavy interest from Chelsea, both Redknapp and chairman Daniel Levy remained adamant throughout that their star man was not for sale at any price, and while many expected an offer ‘too good to turn down’ to be imminent, even a reported £40m be tabled by Chelsea on Tuesday night was not enough to loosen Tottenham’s grip on the midfielder.
Throughout the summer window, Redknapp insisted that the club were looking to bring in new faces and not let any of the ‘top players’, like Modric, leave the club. By the time the window closed on Wednesday night, Spurs had brought in Brad Friedel on a free transfer, Emmanuel Adebayor on loan, and Scott Parker for a reported £5m, while the likes of Peter Crouch, Wilson Palacios, Jermaine Jenas, and Alan Hutton had all completed their moves away from White Hart Lane. After missing out on Champions League football for this season, Redknapp insisted that improvements would be made to the squad so that a top-four finish could be achieved this campaign. Comparatively, it seems Redknapp has shipped out as much talent as he has brought in to the club, and holding on to Luka Modric may prove to be crucial if they are to mount any real challenge for a place in the Champions League next season.
A look at Modric’s stats in the Premier League are sure to surprise many, especially when we consider how much Chelsea were willing to fork out for the midfielder. Since the 2009-10 season, Modric has just the five assists to his name and just six goals. For an attacking midfielder, such a record is hardly prolific and with a valuation of over £40m at Spurs, this seems somewhat bizarre. However, what Modric does bring to the Spurs midfield is a composure and confidence on the ball that is rare in the top flight of English football. Modric proved to be influential in Spurs debut season in the Champions League last year, and showed he had the ability to perform in both the Premier League and on the European stage week-in, week-out. Such consistency would be an asset to any side, and both Redknapp and Levy were fully aware they could not afford to let their talisman join a rival club, regardless of the price.
Modric is believed to have been after assurances that Spurs were going to bolster their squad in time for the new campaign, and Tottenham’s opening fixtures against both Manchester United and Manchester City will have almost certainly left the Croatian feeling even less optimistic about the season ahead. Redknapp left Modric out of the squad that traveled to Old Trafford, and withdrew him after just an hour in to their 5-1 drumming at home to City. Prior to the United game, the Spurs boss claimed that Modric’s head was ‘not right’ to play, but has insisted the international break will provide the appropriate time needed to get it right. For Tottenham’s sake, they look as though they might need him to.
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Keeping a player at a club against his wishes is always bound to have consequences, and questions will be raised over the commitment of Luka Modric to the club should his performances on the pitch fall short of last season’s. While Spurs will be relying heavily on the likes of Bale, Van der Vaart and Adebayor to push for a top-four finish, Modric will be key to any success in the heart of their midfield. If, and it’s a big if, Modric is able to replicate the kind of form and passion that he showed at White Hart Lane for much of last season then the Spurs fans are likely to forgive and forget this whole saga for good. However, should the Croatian display a lack of desire or commitment to the club, as the likes of Torres, Fabregas, and others have done so in the past, then both Redknapp and the Tottenham faithful will have major cause for concern.
Tottenham’s failure to bring in any substantial talent may prove costly, regardless of Modric’s efforts. While the likes of United, City, Chelsea, and Liverpool have spent heavily throughout the summer, the Spurs board were unable to fund any big-money signings, or bring in any new attacking options on a permanent basis. While the £40m offered by Chelsea would have left little time to find a replacement for Modric, the funding would have been there, and we all know by now that money talks in football. Keeping Modric at White Hart Lane was a bold and brave move by both Levy and Redknapp, and if the Croatian can get his head ‘right’ sooner rather than later then it could prove to be one of the best decisions they have made at the club. If, on the other hand, we see a half-hearted or disinterested Luka Modric in the coming weeks then we could well see a return of this transfer saga come January. An offer of £40m however, is perhaps less likely to return.
How influential will Modric be this season? Were Spurs right to hold on to him? Let me know your thoughts either below or @sixthofficial on Twitter!
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