FOOTBALL CLUB WORLD

BBC Sport - Luka Modric 'will not submit Spurs transfer request'

Luka Modric has no plans to hand in a transfer request at Tottenham, according to his agent Nikky Vuksan.

The Croatia international, 25, hinted he would like to join Chelsea but Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is adamant the midfielder cannot leave the club.

Vuksan told BBC Sport: "I don't think he'll hand in a transfer request. He will honour his contract.

"He wants to play Champions League and win trophies. The only way we can resolve this is to sit down and talk."

He added: "Luka will report today for training and will do his best, as always."

Earlier in the summer, Modric was the subject of a £22m bid from Chelsea, which was rejected by Spurs.

Modric met Levy on Wednesday and Spurs' chairman revealed he had made it clear that the player would not be allowed to leave the club.

"That's the end of it," Levy said. "As I said a few weeks ago there's no further discussion. He was on holiday so we've now had the conversation and he understands our position."

Vuksan insisted he wanted to avoid any acrimony with Tottenham though.

"I have never been in a situation before where a player has had to fight a club and it's not something we want to do," he said. "The only official offer so far is from Chelsea and we haven't talked to any clubs.

"It's no surprise that there is interest in Luka though, because he is a top, top player."

I suppose this should be good news, but reading between the lines, I very much doubt we've heard the last of the saga.

"I don't think he'll hand in a transfer request" is hardly a statement of Modric's intent to stay from Vuksan. He follows it up with "He wants to play Champions League and win trophies. The only way we can resolve this is to sit down and talk.".

Unfortunately sitting down and talking to Levy/Redknapp will not put Tottenham back in to the Champions League for the coming season, so this would suggest both player and agent still intend to push for a move to Chelsea/City/United.

I'm expecting another bid of £30m+ from one of those clubs before the end of the transfer window which could be the tipping point, and sadly I don't believe Modric will be a Spurs player when the clock reaches 00:00 on 1st September 2011. Feel free to prove me wrong Luka.

Cheers,
AM