It's just a rumour from the Star, so far. We supposedly value him about £10-12m and I don't think that we're in any rush to sell him, either.
Personally, I think Kranjcar is a good squad player for us. Not necessarily a first choice starting player. However, from what we read, he doesn't seem to be happy with that, and wants to be a regular starter - or move on. I don't think it's necessarily that Harry wants to get rid of him. More that he wants to go.
He seems to be not quite good enough for first team football but would shine elsewhere. Not quite enough pace for me, but a good squad player.
But will get you a goal out of nothing and is probably the only player we have who will have a go from distance, so pace not really an issue. I wouldn't say Modric has great pace or Huddlestone so why is it so important whether Kranjcar has it? It's no coincidence that we qualified for the CL the season that he played in place of Modric for a long spell. Played regularly he will get you 10 goals a season, something sadly lacking last term. He got the winner in 2 games for us and was promptly relegated to the bench again.
Wouldn't you want to leave if you come on as a sub, play well, score goals and then get left on the bench again next game? Maybe Harry doesn't want to get rid of him but he's definitely not giving him a fair crack of the whip. Harry's squad rotation policy consists of playing his favourites until they burn themselves out and then giving others a chance, who are then not as match-fit as they could be. If he rotated the squad better, there might not have been the drop-off in pace that there was the 2nd half of last season. I imagine more players would have been match-fit and there would, in all probability, have been less injuries.
There was a picture Obertan on an article linking us with Joe Cole yesterday. Not even the right club, never mind anything else. I'd still love to see us try a side with Kranjcar, Modric and van der Vaart in it, but the opportunity to have a go with it in the friendlies has gone now. Bale at left-back, Modric on the left wing cutting in, van der Vaart in the middle alongside Sandro and Kranjcar playing in the hole behind Defoe, maybe? We'd play some great football, even if it didn't work!
Spurs fans do not want Niko to go, but he wants 1st team football and has done more than to get some more game time yet Harry would rather play Pienaar and others ahead of Kranjcar. Plus selling him for £10million plus when we only paid £2million is good business.
Not sure it's necessary though, King. If we can use him regularly, as cover for van der Vaart and in the cup games, then he can still get lots of time on the pitch. Nobody seems to want to pay us what he's worth at the moment, either. It's understandable, given his lack of games last season.
I'd agree with what Chirpy said. He may well get you the odd spectacular goal, but he doesn't have the pace to be a regular. Good squad player, but that's all, IMO.
Last time i checked, football was the sport being discussed, not the 100 metres. Kranjcar has plenty of guile that makes up for the lack of pace. Has Modric got pace? did Sheringham have pace? As for the odd spectacular goal, you're talking about approx. 10 per season which is what is needed from some of our midfielders as well as assists. Kranjcar delivers far more in both areas than Modric ever has
If I, and Spurs, have got it so wrong; and you are so right - where is the line of clubs all looking to pay £30mm+ for this superstar who is so much better than Modric??. Modric is like Usain Bolt, compared to Kranjcar - and he works three times as hard.
I'd say that any player that is kept on the bench for long periods will be undervalued. Btw, i probably work 5 times as hard as my dad in the building trade but he'll always be 10 times the builder i could ever be. Modric and usain bolt in the same sentence? Made me chuckle
really? They have both played left and central midfield for us. Or are you referring to a completely different Kranjcar? And i think you'll find that comparing their goals and assists is extremely meaningful. If Modric was holding midfielder i might agree with you
He's not stupid, he knows when fully fit, Bale Modric and VdV will be playing in the PL ahead of him, they're better, simple as that, I don't believe he's deluded enough to think they're not either. He knows if its a regular game he wants, he's not going to get it here. Be a squad member or not, its up to you Niko! Imo, I didn't see him going out of his way to impress on Saturday...that goes for a couple of other squad members too. People make far too bigger deal of what he can do with the ball at his feet, totally forgetting what he's like when the other team have got it...a lazy bastardo! Was it any coincidence with him and Pav on Saturday, 2 of the worst at tracking back and closing down, we were penned in our own half because of half hearted pressing, and others that didn't press at all. In our system, everyone has to work hard...no passengers.
Modric adopts far more defensive responsibilities in his current role, he also brings others into the game more. Regardless, going solely on stats is misleading, Bent was our highest goalscorer when we sold him.
