Luka Modric (Tottenham)

Luka Modric dropped a bombshell on Tottenham when he told Sportsmail he wants to leave White Hart Lane and sign for Chelsea

The midfielder took the stunning decision to declare his reasons for wanting to join Chelsea, who are preparing a second offer for the Croat in the next 48 hours.

It is an action that will enrage his employers and Spurs supporters, but Modric says he wants to move to a club with ambitions of winning the Barclays Premier League title and is going public to force the issue.


 
True Blue: Luka Modric has dropped a bombshell on Tottenham by asking to leave

Last night the 25-year-old spoke to Sportsmail from his holiday boat and said: ‘I want to leave Tottenham as friends. I have enjoyed my time there, but now it is right for me to look at another club.

'I have an arrangement with the chairman. When I signed my new contract, he said that, if another club came to sign me, they would consider the offer.’

A second Chelsea offer is due - and this time the price will rise from their opening £22million bid to closer to £30m.

And Modric said: ‘Chelsea are a big club with an ambitious owner. They have great players and they have ambitions to fight for the title and win the Champions League.

‘I want to stay in London. I am very happy here and so are my family. I like the city.’


 
Stuck in the middle: Modric doesn't want to anger Tottenham fans but is desperate to win trophies

The news will explain why Manchester City and Manchester United have been monitoring and talking, rather than formally bidding. They have clearly got wind of Modric’s desire to stay in London in the last 24 hours, which puts Chelsea in pole position.

‘I don’t want to have an argument with Tottenham,’ said Modric. ‘The supporters have been very good to me and I have enjoyed my time playing for the club, but it is for football that players leave clubs and move. It has happened to Tottenham before. It is normal for a player to dream about playing for a bigger club.’

Modric will speak to Spurs chairman Daniel Levy about arranging the transfer but insists the desire to leave is not about money.


 
Taste of the top: Modric has been driven by his desire to play in the Champions League again

‘If somebody comes to the club and the offer is good for me and acceptable to them, then I want to leave,’ he said. ‘It has to be good for my ambition. It has to be a club who are winning titles and playing in the Champions League.

‘This is not about money, it is about ambition. When I came to England, I was dreaming about winning titles. That is still the same.

‘Tottenham are a big club, with good players and a good manager, but I want to fight for the championship. Spurs will always have a place in my heart. My experiences in the Champions League have left me with the desire for more.’


 
Rebuilding project: Harry Redknapp and chairman Daniel Levy face the tough task of finding a replacement for the supremely talented Croatian midfielder

When asked what happens next, Modric said: ‘I need to talk with the chairman. I won’t ask for a transfer, no. That would be disrespectful. I hope they can reach an agreement (with another club) that is satisfactory for everyone. I am on holiday, but I need to speak and to see if I can find a solution to this.’

Spurs fans will expect Levy to offer Modric a new contract and keep his word. The chairman has said that he will not allow the player to go, while manager Harry Redknapp described the original Chelsea offer as ‘ridiculous’.

Luka Modric exclusive: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2004862/Luka-Modric-exclusive-I-want-join-Chelsea.html#ixzz1PZeiZkz4

Luka Modric reveals he wants to leave Tottenham for Chelsea

• Midfielder claims Daniel Levy has agreed to listen to offers
• 'Chelsea are a big club with an ambitious owner,' says Modric

    Jamie Jackson
    The Guardian, Saturday 18 June 2011

Luka Modric has told Tottenham Hotspur that they do not match his ambitions and admitted for the first time that he would like to join Chelsea.

Despite Tottenham rejecting a £22m bid from Roman Abramovich, the Chelsea owner, on Wednesday for the Croatia midfielder and Harry Redknapp, the manager, saying the 25-year-old is not for sale, Modric has broken rank to try to force his dream move through.

He said: "I would like to go to Chelsea. A lot of players would like to go there and play for Chelsea because it is one of the best clubs in the world, and so do I. I would like to play there. But we will see what will happen. Chelsea are a great club, they play in the Champions League every year, they have great players, they are ambitious and have an ambitious owner who wants to invest in the club and make it win the Champions League, the Premier League and other titles.

"They are going in a great direction and everything about the club is very good. They [Chelsea] are the only one who sent an offer and they are at the moment my first choice."

Although Modric is adamant he wants to leave he is hopeful his departure will not be acrimonious. "I don't want to fight and argue with Tottenham," he said. "I'll want to go in a good way, a friendly way so I can stay friends with them. I have spent three great years there and the fans are great, the club is great.

"I love them and they love me but that's the way it is and I have to think what is best for my career. But first I need to speak to the chairman [Daniel Levy] and see his view on everything. I don't know when that will be, but soon."

Modric admitted in interviews with the Daily Mail and Daily Telegraph that Tottenham's failure to qualify for the Champions League, which they played in last season, had caused him to look elsewhere.

"It's a short period [your career] and you want to fulfil your personal ambitions as a football player, win trophies, play Champions League football every year," he said .

"That is what I want. Last season it was the first time I had played in the Champions League and it was amazing. It's a great competition, the best in the world, and I would like to play in it again. I would like to play in it this year – it's going to be difficult to play without the Champions League."

Although Manchester United and Manchester City retain an interest in the playmaker, Modric appeared to rule out a move away from London. "I like the city, I want to stay in London. I am very happy here and so are my family," he said. "Spurs will always have a place in my heart [but] my experiences in the Champions League have left me with the desire for more."

Asked what might be the next move Modric said: "I need to talk with the chairman. I won't ask for a transfer, no. That would be disrespectful.

"I hope they can reach an agreement [with another club] that is satisfactory for everyone. I am on holiday [until 6 July], but I need to speak and to see if I can find a solution to this."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/jun/17/luka-modric-tottenham-chelsea

Massive player for them, will be a tremendous blow if he does leave.

What a pr*ck

A kick in the teeth for united fans all week all I've heard is Modric to the scum was nailed on, then he comes out with this.

OOOOOoooooo theres that 'bigger club' statement again!!

Can't see why he wants to sign for Chelsea to be honest, alls not well there.

Take Salomon Kalou's comment on Torres joining in January

“Our players were preoccupied with finding out who was in the side and who wasn’t. This disrupted our progress."

“It is better to build a team gradually than to bring in players who will pout and sulk.”

Silly move for him to be honest, Fat Frank, Essien and co will give the lad the cold shoulder if their place comes under threat.

OOOOOoooooo theres that 'bigger club' statement again!!

You can't beat the''BIGGER CLUB'' lark. What will aul 'Arry have to say now.''Well we did put a bid in for Messi & Luka wasn't impressed so he want's away now'' 

Big club my F***ing arse, Spurs are a bigger club with a bigger fan base, Chelsea just have a F***ing wealthy owner that somehow became a billionaire on Siberian oil fields, strange that. They should change there name to Roman FC. I'm F***ing sick of them, starting to nearly dislike them as much as Utd

Another one getting ready to take a massive backward step in their career.

Spuds have said they won't sell him at any price.

The next installment in this saga will be Modric handing in a transfer request to the club he wants to leave as friends.

Spuds have said they won't sell him at any price.

The next installment in this saga will be Modric handing in a transfer request to the club he wants to leave as friends.

That "we won't sell at any price" quote is just Tottenham trying to get the most out of Modric they can in my opinion. They know he's going to be gone and want the best fee possible.

He is an amazing talent, shame he's going to waste it away at the sh*te that is Chelsea.

Spuds have said they won't sell him at any price.

The next installment in this saga will be Modric handing in a transfer request to the club he wants to leave as friends.

Doesn't matter what he says. He said this a few years ago, http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/articles/chairmanspeaksout180708.html

And they sold them both so I really wouldn't believe what Levy says.

If Chelsea get Modric, I feel they'll be the team to beat.

                  Cech

Ivanovic  Terry    Luiz   Cole

              Modric  Essien

Anelka         Lampard     Malouda

                   Torres

That team is quality. According to rumors, you could possibly add Pastore or Neymar to it.

Hmm interesting comments there by Luka.

I was chewing my nuts off when the Spurs signed him for 16m a few years ago and we were throwing half that money on mighty Dossena. Technically he is more superior then both Lampard and Essien and given that Fat Frank is getting on a bit Modric has an opportunity to establish himself as a key man for years to come.

Doesn't matter what he says. He said this a few years ago, http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/articles/chairmanspeaksout180708.html

And they sold them both so I really wouldn't believe what Levy says.

If Chelsea get Modric, I feel they'll be the team to beat.

                  Cech

Ivanovic  Terry    Luiz   Cole

              Modric  Essien

Anelka         Lampard     Malouda

                   Torres

That team is quality. According to rumors, you could possibly add Pastore or Neymar to it.

Errr...i don't think modric is a holding midfielder and anyway that team doesn't scare me, just a bunch of old has bins

Errr...I don't think modric is a holding midfielder and anyway that team doesn't scare me, just a bunch of old has bins

I'd say that team is stronger then anything we can put out. Also Modric can play the deep laying playmaker role and I'm sure he is able to push forward and help the attack.

I'm F***ing sick of them, starting to nearly dislike them as much as Utd

As much as we are rivals with United, we can respect the organization they have built through legitimate means. I can understand a player wanting to move there. But Chelsea? The rich Russian idiot has nothing but money to offer. He keeps losing solid managers year after year. Why would anyone want to move there, unless it is for money only? Even if they get another good manager in there this summer, chances are he will be fired by the gangster within two seasons.   

So he's moving to a big club. It sounds all too familiar.

FFS, the only f**king thing that's big at that club is Roman's cheque book.

This move is so wrong for him, but no worries, cause Torres'll tell him all about the Plastic club & fans.

Chelsea have increased their bid for Modric to £25m after the midfielder indicated he wanted to move. (The Times)

Chelsea could face point deduction over Modric storm

Published 23:06 18/06/11
By Paul Smith

Chelsea face the threat of a points deduction – if found guilty of tapping up Luka Modric.

Furious Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is set to report the Blues to the Premier League. He warned Chelsea in writing not to pursue Modric and has now accused them of making public a bid for the player in order to unsettle him.

Chelsea have form for making illegal approaches. In 2005, they were fined £300,000 and given a three-point suspended ­penalty by an independent ­Premier League commission over Ashley Cole’s ­recruitment from Arsenal.

They were also found guilty by FIFA of making an illegal approach for Gael Kakuta in 2009. Initially that sparked an international transfer ban which was eventually lifted.

Spurs will raise this with the Premier League. And any ­future tribunal is sure to take into consideration Chelsea’s previous history.

Modric went public at the weekend saying he wanted to leave for Chelsea, even though he still has five years left on his £42,000 a-week contract.

It’s believed that his terms at Chelsea could be in the £150,000 a-week class.

However, Spurs chairman Levy said: “I wish to make it absolutely clear, as I have said previously, that none of our key players will be sold this summer.

“We are building a team for the future to consistently play at the highest level and ­retaining quality players is crucial to that.

“In respect of Luka Modric, we are not prepared to sell, at any price, to Chelsea or any other club.

“We made our stance on this issue abundantly clear in ­writing to Chelsea. They chose to ignore it and subsequently made the offer public.

“For the avoidance of any doubt, let me reiterate that we shall not enter into any negotiations whatsoever, with any club, regarding Luka.”

Asked if Chelsea had made public a bid for Modric, a club spokesman said: “Nonsense.”

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp said: “The chairman has made a statement today. He can’t backtrack on that. He means that – I know he means that. Luka’s not going.

“Daniel and Joe Lewis own the club. They’re not selling Luka – end of story, as far as I’m concerned. It’s not easy to keep a player who’s not happy, but the chairman has said we are not going to sell him, so we have got to stand by that now.

“If we sell Luka where are we going as a ­football club?

“We’ll have to accept then that we’re a middle-of-the-­table team that will finish in the top half next season and really that’s not what the chairman wants, it’s not what I want.

“It’s not, most importantly, what the fans want.”

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/News-Chelsea-could-face-points-deduction-over-Luka-Modric-transfer-article749181.html

Luka could play on the left, too. Don't see Malouda carrying on as first choice for another season and Zhirkov should be leaving so that is somewhere else for him.

I'd have him ahead of Lampard but then again, that's footballing suicide for a new manager.

Michael Essien 'to be offered to Spurs' in latest Chelsea bid for Luka Modric

Chelsea are set to come back with an improved transfer offer for Luka Modric, which will include Michael Essien in part-exchange, despite Spurs chairman Daniel Levy saying the wantaway midfielder is 'not for sale at any price'.

Modric has shocked Spurs by saying he wants to leave White Hart Lane for a 'bigger club' - and even singled out the Blues as his preferred destination this summer.

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has already scoffed at Chelsea's opening bid of £22million for Modric, saying other players who have been sold for similar amounts this summer 'aren't fit to lace his boots'.

But Blues chiefs are determined to get their man, and the latest reports from Stamford Bridge suggest Essien, who has failed to recapture the blistering form that made him such a fans' favourite in his early days, will be used as a makeweight in the deal - along with an eight-figure cash sum.

http://www.metro.co.uk/sport/football/866740-michael-essien-to-be-offered-to-spurs-in-latest-chelsea-bid-for-luka-modric#ixzz1PdvKiJth

We should have a pop at Essien, him and Lucas rotating as Defensive midfielders wouldn't be too bad all.