Time To Let Go?

Time To Let Go?

Tottenham star Luka Modric has been linked with a move away from White Hart Lane.

Another Summer Transfer Window approaches and yet again the White Hart Lane faithful find themselves in a fight for their star midfielder, Luka Modric. In a story all too familiar to Spurs fans, the Croatian wants out of the club following a second successive season without Champions League football. Last Summer Levy and then manager, Harry Redknapp, fought hard to retain the service of the 26 year old midfielder and reportedly turned down a bid of £40 million from Chelsea, reinforcing their desire to keep him.

 This year however Tottenham find themselves in a much different position. After missing out on Champions League qualification, Harry Redknapp was controversially sacked by Daniel Levy who remains without a manager, although reports suggest  ex-Chelsea boss André Villas-Boas and current France manager Laurent Blanc are being earmarked for the job. The uncertainty around the future of the club has only sparked more speculation that Modric will quit the club with returning interest from Chelsea and Manchester United but also José Mourinho's Real Madrid apparently making the Tottenham man his top summer target. 

Tottenham are seemingly willing to allow Modric to leave North London this summer, but only if a significant bid is made. According to reports, Levy would be willing to listen to a fee in the region of £35 million, with Real Madrid being the preferred destination for both Modric and Levy. If recent reports are to be believed the Spanish giants are in talks with Tottenham over signing the Croatian star and a player plus cash deal has been put forward by Levy. Levy has reportedly demanded veteran centre-back Ricardo Carvalho and the Turkish midfielder Nuri Sahin in addition to a fee of £25 million for Modric which, although has surprised many, is reportedly under consideration by Mourinho. Although this transfer seems unlikely, the addition of Sahin to the Spurs squad would instantly replace Modric and still leave the new boss money for his own signings, either way a player of Modric's quality would prove difficult to replace. 

The inevitable loss of Modric means a new manager is not Tottenham's only priority of the summer, as for the past four years he has been instrumental in their much praised attractive football and his loss will take a lot of creativity away from the way the team play. Reported bids for Swansea's loan star Gylfi Sigurdsson and Sunderland's playmaker Stéphane Sességnon suggest that Levy is quickly looking for a way to replace Modric but without a manager it is becoming an increasingly difficult task.

A tough Premier League season awaits for whoever takes the reins at White Hart Lane, a season in which expectations will be high as always, even without Luka Modric.