Spurs to make Modric highest paid player in their history

• zocoss

  26 Jun 11, 11:25

  Luka-rative deal! Spurs want to make Modric highest paid player in their history
  

   

  

  Lucrative offer: Tottenham are desperate to keep Luka Modric

   

  

  Sought-after: Modric has emerged as one of the top midfielders in the Premier League

   

   

   

   

  Luka Modric will become the highest-paid player in Tottenham's history if he agrees to stay at White Hart Lane this summer.

  Spurs chairman Daniel Levy will hold talks with the Chelsea target when the player returns for pre-season training on July 6 and hopes that a double-your-money offer of £90,000 a week will persuade the Croat to pledge his long-term future to the club.

  Levy, known for being strict in financial matters, has told Modric, Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon they will not be sold at any price as Spurs bid for a return to the Champions League.

  But he is also aware that 25-year-old Modric's £45,000 weekly wage - nearly £2million a year less than top earners Peter Crouch and Robbie Keane - makes the club vulnerable to offers from Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea, whose £22m bid for the midfielder was turned down a fortnight ago.

  Modric would prefer to stay in London despite the higher wages on offer from United and City, while Chelsea's failure to follow up their initial bid suggests Roman Abramovich will not approach the £50m British record which prised Fernando Torres from Liverpool.

  New manager Andre Villas-Boas could offer Didier Drogba as bait for a deal. That might appeal to Spurs boss Harry Redknapp, but Levy is sticking rigidly to his policy and allowing Modric to leave would affect the club's long-term ambitions.

   

  

  Tempted: New Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas could offer Didier Drogba as bait

   

   

  If Modric calls for an exit clause in a new contract, it is unlikely Levy will accept it below £50m. While Modric is disappointed about Tottenham's failure to qualify for the Champions League, he is happy at the club and an improved deal could persuade him to stay.

  Chelsea's £22m bid was slammed by Redknapp as 'ridiculous' and Levy declared his star asset was not for sale 'at any price'.

  Modric, quoted as saying that Chelsea were 'a big club with an ambitious owner', has no plans to rock the boat further and will report for pre-season training in 10 days' time.

  But his future will depend on negotiations between Levy and Modric's representatives. A source said: 'Daniel Levy has been adamant that the key players for Tottenham's long-term success - Bale, Lennon and Modric - will not be sold.

  'The things that Luka said about Chelsea have created a bit of a mess but the Spurs fans will be happy to see him back. It needs all sides to sit down and discuss the way forward.

  'Apart from the one offer from Chelsea, there have been no further bids from anyone.'

  Modric signed three years ago after helping Croatia reach the quarter-finals of Euro 2008. He has developed into one of the most sought-after stars in the Premier League, with Chelsea wanting him to add creativity and United boss Sir Alex Ferguson viewing him as a potential replacement for Paul Scholes.

• zocoss

  26 Jun 11, 11:29

  Exclusive: Bale to demand transfer if Spurs sell Modric

  

  Gareth Bale will demand a transfer if Luka Modric is sold by Tottenham.

   

   

   

  Despite widespread interest at home and abroad, Bale ­committed himself to Spurs by signing a new deal last ­season.

  But Bale’s attitude will be challenged if the club fail to stand by their statement, ­following Chelsea’s recent £22million bid, that Modric will not be sold at any price.

  After Spurs failed to secure Champions League ­qualification there was ­speculation that Bale would go. The 21-year-old PFA Player of the Year insisted he was happy to stay if the other star men were retained and the squad strengthened.

  Manager Harry ­Redknapp, who insists that Spurs need to strengthen their squad with two or three top class players, admits that he needs to sell before he can enter the transfer market.

  Redknapp said: “There is nothing happening in the transfer market.

  “I need to sell four or five players to bring in funds.

  “The chairman has made it clear we need to move a few players before we can start doing any business.

  “I keep seeing us linked with this player and that, but unless we reduce our squad numbers we will stay quiet in the market.”