Luka Modric: The Transfer Saga and Implications

With an almost Cesc Fabregas like transfer saga on, Luka Modric’s summer has been unsure and uncertain with regards to where his future lies. For once, where the fans may claim him to be their own, and a tabloid and week later differ on opinions and ask Levy to let him go and use the money to get a newer and fresher lineup including a few decent strikers who can actually score. Nonetheless, as Harry Redknapp reiterated, Modric is still a Tottenham player and irrespective of him demanding a move or not, he is still bound to the White Hart Lane till 2016 according to his latest contract. However with the Transfer deadline day looming large, Harry has made his views heard. He doesn’t want another repeat of the Dimitar Berbatov saga of 2008 where he left on the last day to Manchester United and Spurs didn’t have time to buy a new striker. Harry and Levy have both made their stance clear that their star Croatian isn’t up for sale at any price and that the two £22 million and the £27 million bids made by Chelsea were a “joke” (which they probably were, considering how important Luka has been to the whole dynamics at Spurs).

Luka heading to Stamford Bridge?

With Chelsea now deciding on coming back with a bigger and more concrete offer that could really turn heads, it leaves us to think about how much of a role in the title race can this transfer hold and what the implications can be not just to Spurs and Chelsea, but to the “Big 6″ in general. With news coming out from different sections of the media that Chelsea maybe willing to let in Cash plus either Kalou or Benayoun or both for that matter, we could very soon see Modric in Chelsea colours setting up Torres or Drogba and become the final piece of the jigsaw in Andre Villas Boas’ puzzle, providing the spark they missed at Stoke.

Tottenham have said it time and again, selling Modric means a step down for the club. But keeping a player who has his head turned toward bigger and better things already might be an ill-advised option. With Harry Redknapp giving a hint now that he might just allow Modric to go on, we take a look at who can replace him at Spurs now and fill his massive void.

5 Possible Replacements for Modric:

1. Miralem Pjanic : The Bosnian international plays for Lyon and has often been described as an old fashioned playmaker with great technical abilities. At just 21 years of age and a fee of around £9 million on his head , Miralem could turn out to be a blessing in disguise for Spurs. With age on his side and the hunger for success, he can be a decent replacement to occupy the space Modric might leave. Just like Modric , the only concern will probably be that Pjanic doesn’t score that often but then again, if you do get a striker who can finish, Pjanic can be the machine who makes him tick.

2. Milan Badelj : Another Croatian and plays for the same club from which Luka was signed – Dinamo Zagreb. The deep lying playmaker is a relatively unknown player on the world scene. At 6 feet 1, he is the machine that makes Dinamo tick, bombing into the box with this well-timed runs. Priced at around £9 million too , the 22 year old could turn out to be a shrewd buy.

Is Mata the marquee signing Tottenham need to make them tick?

3. Juan Manuel Mata : The Spanish 23 year old Valencia starlet has been a sought out property all over Europe now after his impressive form for both Valencia and Spain in the Under 21 Football Championships, where he was the player of the tournament. With keen interest from both Chelsea and Arsenal, he is a player with huge demand. If Luka Modric does complete his move to Chelsea, it might very well be a battle between the two North London Clubs for his signature. Mata is both a left winger and an attacking midfielder. With his £22 million buy out clause expiring, he could well cost around £30 million.

4. Rafael Van Der Vaart : Even though Van Der Vaart has often been played just off a striker, Luka Modric’s transfer could mean him playing as a central attacking midfielder behind 2 strikers and allowing more fluidity and fire power up top. Being a naturally versatile player, VDV does play centrally for the Dutch National Team as well and can cope up with his immense experience now and be the sole creator for Spurs.

Van Der Vaart could have a huge role to play this season

5. Niko Kranjcar : The other Croatian playmaker at Tottenham, Kranjcar has often been in the shadows of his counterpart. A promotion to the role of the main playmaker could very well rejuvenate his career. Harry prefers playing him on the flanks more than as a central creative midfielder but having showing decent form in preseason and scoring a few crackers, Kranjcar very well could be a like-for-like replacement. Niko’s more of a finisher as well and he will bomb forward more often making Spurs an even more dynamic outfit.

Possible Formations For Tottenham Hotspur :

1. 4-4-1-1 : Harry’s preferred formation when Van Der Vaart is fit and a like-for-like replacement could be on the cards in midfield with a new signing filling in and letting Harry continue the old VDV + a lone striker up top. Niko can be the replacement for now.

2. 4-4-2 : With Harry possibly in for Adebayor and Llorente, Spurs might let VDV fall back as a more central figure and go on a more solid 4-4-2 , considering all of his current strikers like the formation and work in tandem.

3. 4-4-2 with a twist : Allowing VDV to go on the right flank with Kyle Walker overlapping , allowing a Kranjcar or a new signing to fill in as a CM alongside Huddlestone/Sandro and letting the 4-4-2 continue, thus still accomodating both Niko and VDV. Pace on the right will be provided by Walker who has developed into quite a player recently.

We’ve got two options with Luka. Either we keep a fantastic player or we sell him, get the money and bring in four players and have a better team. I want him to stay but if he’s going I want the opportunity to get other players in. – Harry Redknapp

Modric’s role at Chelsea :

Modric has been a much sought after player at Chelsea, whose fans feel adding him to their squad might just spur their team on the title. H could sit very will into Andre Villas Boas’s policy in going forward and could provide big-money signing Torres with the perfect service . Chelsea fans might argue that it could turn out to be a damper in young Josh McEachran’s development path , but Modric is a player Chelsea have had their eyes on for quite some time. And given his willingness to play for the Stamford Bridge club, Chelsea will rest assured that he will give his 100% to their title challenge.

In the current set-up Lampard is a deep-lying midfielder, thus making Torres an isolated figure up top. With Modric’s arrival, Lampard can return to the top of the diamond, thus returning to the position where he was his most potent self and contributed 15-20 goals a season consistently. Andre Villas Boas might also reverse roles and make Modric go deeper to allow someone like a Sturridge come on the right and make Ramires partner Modric in in the centre of midfield.

Implications of the move:

If Chelsea land Modric, it could spur their main title rivals Manchester United to splash the cash and get their own playmaker in Wesley Sneijder in order to compete with the revamped squad. As much as the likes of Cleverley and Anderson have impressed in pre season, it will still be a huge job to fill the void left by Paul Scholes. Sneijder certainly has the experience to do it at the top and considering that a Chelsea team with Modric in it will be an extremely potent adversary, United will be hard pressed to get their man.

Considering it all goes through, we could very well see a strong Chelsea fight for the title this season. It could not only empower Chelsea, but also make Tottenham stronger, allowing them to splash the cash and go buy their very own strikers, allow their fringe players some more time.