• Spurs manager says Croatian will not join Chelsea
• Midfielder did not play in defeat by Manchester United
Tottenham Hotspur have emphatically told Chelsea they will not change their mind about selling Luka Modric and are now in the process of putting together a new contract to help make up for denying the Croatian the move he wanted to Stamford Bridge.
Harry Redknapp is urging the Spurs chairman, Daniel Levy, to make his peace with Modric after admitting the two men had “fallen out” over an occasionally acrimonious saga that led to the player pulling out of the 3-0 defeat at Manchester United on Monday night because, to quote his manager, “his head was not right”.
Redknapp believes the London club must now demonstrate to Modric how important he is to their plans and the Spurs manager spoke of his confidence that the supporters will eventually forgive the player for wanting to join a rival.
“He will stay and we will move on,” Redknapp said. “The chairman has made his mind up that he’s not going to sell him and there’s no point this late in the window because it’s hard to get replacements and that won’t help anyone.
“The chairman has to sit down with him and have a chat. They fell out a bit over the first meeting. Daniel needs to tell him we want him, that he’s important and a big player for us. We’ll bring in players and if we show him we are an ambitious club you might find the boy will be OK. He’s told me he will look at his contract in a month or two and said he’s not going. It will be difficult for him to go back on that.”
That will represent a blow to Chelsea after offering around £30m for a player they have trailed all summer. Redknapp admitted Chelsea, whose initial bid was £22m, were “no longer offering derisory money” but refused to condemn Modric for pulling out of the trip to Old Trafford. “Let’s be truthful, he wanted to go. He’s had an offer and he knows what he could earn elsewhere and sees it as an opportunity to move. He’s not been in the right frame of mind but we can’t go on like that, we’ve got to get him playing.
“He’s had a little hamstring, nothing that bad, but he came to see me and said, ‘Gaffer, my hamstring’s a bit tight’ and that he couldn’t play. I said we needed him but he said he wasn’t right.”
“It was a problem for us but I’ve said many times that you wouldn’t meet a better boy. He’s got confused by it all because I wouldn’t think he’s ever caused anyone a problem in his life before. Some players can handle it (transfer sagas) and say they’re going otherwise they’ll cause havoc. I know players that have done it: ‘I’ll cause havoc around the dressing room, you’d better let me go’. But he wouldn’t cause anyone a problem.”
Redknapp went on to say Modric will probably play against Hearts in the second leg of their Europa League playoff on Thursday. “He will get on with his football. I am sure he will. He loves playing football and this has been totally out of character. He’s a model pro usually. I haven’t come across many better boys, he is an example to anybody.
“Samir Nasri didn’t get booed (when he played for Arsenal) on Saturday, and I don’t think Luka will get booed. It is not an easy situation – if someone came along and said they will treble your wages you would find it hard to say no, and that is the situation the boy is in. If someone offers you £150,000 a week instead of £50,000 or whatever it’s not easy, and you are going to have your head turned.
“Arsenal have had this all summer with (Cesc) Fabregas and Nasri – Fabregas has gone and Nasri is likely to go – and it’s not easy to keep people when they want to go. But the chairman is the man who will make the decision and, if anyone can pick him (Modric) up, I can. I have a great relationship with him, I really want to keep the boy and if we can keep him and add one or two that would be great.
“The chairman is dealing with Manchester City about Emmanuel Adebayor and I would think there is every chance that will happen. He will be a good loan signing for us if we can get him but we need other players too.”
Luka ModricHarry RedknappTottenham HotspurChelseaTransfer windowDaniel Taylorguardian.co.uk
