Yeah, I suppose it depends if he thinks you'll actually get more than £20m+ for Modric. If he thinks Lucas will cost about the same as you sell Modric for then it's fair to say that reduces the chances of it happening hugely, as I can't think of a team selling a key player for a big price and replacing him with someone similarly priced. Man Utd with Ronaldo, Spurs with Berbatov, Liverpool with Carroll etc.
We've already turned down £27mill, I'd be very angry at Levy's negotiational skills if we didn't get £20+mill for him.
If Levy isn't up to date with the situation I will make sure that he is sacked and Michigan(a WUM) is brought in as his replacement.
Because i think they don't have the money! I think failing to make the Champions league has hurt them, missing out on the Olympic Stadium has hurt them, and given the players being linked and the noises i'm hearing from Spurs they won't be investing heavily this summer. I also don't think many £20mil+ midfielders will want to go there (narrowing options), if they are even available, and think they are much more likely to go for someone like Scott Parker and use some of Modric's fee to buy another player. Also given these factors i think investing such a significant amount in a young Brazilian player is very unlikely (too high risk/reward). I'm up to date with the Modric saga but that's just what i think about what will happen. Shouldn't have said 'no way', but that's what i think.
The money would come from the transfer. The Champions League money wasn't spent last season, nothing was planned around the Olympic Stadium and Spurs have been linked with about a million players. Sorry, but this looks like you're just seeing what you want to see.
A couple of days ago we were linked to Casimiro, today it's Lucas - has our South American scout got a season ticket at Sao Paulo or something?
Leandro is less of a surprise given our link-up with Internacional - which, hopefully, doesn't mean we have to sign one of their players every so often, which is the most likely reason we signed Khumalo from Supersport...
I think that the Khumalo transfer is one of those that is tough to see going disastrously wrong, to be honest. He looks like a decent centre-half, he's still relatively young, he cost very little and I guess he helps to promote Spurs in South Africa. If he does well at Reading and keeps playing well for his country, then we'll probably make a small profit if he's sold on. If he doesn't do well, then we won't have lost much. Hardly inspiring stuff, admittedly.
Judging by the stats of the players who graduated from Supersport to Feyenoord when they were linked up, it's not good reaing: Kermit Erasmus: 4 games, 0 goals, shipped back to SA two years later Kamohelo Mokotjo: 15 games, 0 goals The real irony is both of them were loaned to Excelsior for season-long loans, and that link-up was seen as more beneficial to Feyenoord so they terminated their contract with Supersport...
Yeah, I have to admit that I can't really see the attraction of the link for us, to be honest. They're hardly known for bringing through a host of good players, are they?
So you honestly don't think missing out on a new stadium impacts on your financial planning? Everyone knows it is becoming more and more important to have a large stadium in order to match the top clubs in revenue. Of course you may say without the burden of immediately paying for a stadium, you will have more money, however with that option gone you may in fact have to tighten your belts somewhat whilst you figure out an alternative. With the league season starting fairly soon you have signed 3 free transfers only, which so far does not suggest an aggressive transfer policy. You sold Berbatov for over £30mil, the most expensive replacement you bought in the same window was Pavlyuchenko @ ~£17mil You sold Carrick for £18mil and your most expensive replacement in the same window was Zokora @ ~£6mil You sold Darren Bent for £16.5mil and you most expensive comparative replacement in the same window was Peter Crouch @ ~£8mil When it comes to large sales you have typically reinvested that money in more than one player, and very rarely have you matched that sale with a signing of equal or greater value. I don't have a particular like or dislike for Spurs, and don't particularly care who they buy unless it's someone we are genuinely in for, this is simply what i think will happen rather than what i 'want' to happen.
Getting a new stadium would allow us to spend more money, but not getting it won't mean that we'll spend less than we normally do. Why would we? Pavlyuchenko cost £14m, Zokora cost £8.2m and Crouch cost £9m, but we were having to overhaul our team at the time of the Berbatov transfer, due to both of our strikers being tapped up. I'd suggest that the squad players that I'd expect to be moved on will pay for any other adjustments to the squad this time, plus Levy would have to make some sort of statement in the market after his claim that Modric wouldn't be sold. The Metro are suggesting that Chelsea will come back with a £40m bid now that their attempt to sign Pastore has failed, so we'll have to wait to see how that goes. In my opinion we could replace Modric without even having to spend any money, simply by sticking van der Vaart in his role and playing Kranjcar behind the striker. We definitely need someone new to lead the line, though.
At the moment, the best thing going for Spurs is their large squad. If players get injured, you can still maintain a very good run due to your backups, and I reckon your defence in particular is good in your first team. However, the rest of your first team will need improving if you're going to stay in the top 5. Your midfield could do with a good DM, and your striking options are obviously bare. There are a few standout players such as Modric, Bale and VDV (although I feel Bale is somewhat overrated). You will probably keep those players, but if you fail to make the top 4 next season, I wouldn't be surprised to hear a lot of them wanting to leave, hence the need for you to spend well this season or else you could find yourself slipping further and further down the table. A £40m bid may well tempt your club to sell Modric, but if you do sell then you will face huge uphill struggle because it will seem like you've become a selling club (after the Berbatov and Carrick sales) whenever you get near the top 4, and also because of your other good players wanting to play at the highest level, I can see them wanting to leave as well. It's a tough situation, but the only obvious answer is Money.
