Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has once again insisted how imperative it is to keep hold of star performer Luka Modric.

The Croatian international has been linked with a move to Manchester United following the retirement of Paul Scholes while reports suggest Chelsea could use Didier Drogba as bait to snare their man.

Redknapp though plans to keep the Spurs’ Player of the Year and build the team around the Croatian schemer.

“For sure we can keep Luka [Modric], he’s a special player and we have to keep Luka Modric,” Redknapp told Sky Sports News.

“If we sell Luka we are just a selling club basically.

“Manchester United won’t sell Wayne Rooney, Chelsea won’t go and sell Lampard or Terry and you never hear people talk about them getting sold so why should we sell Luka Modric if we are trying to be a big club.

In regards to building the team around him, Redknapp added “Of course we have got to keep him and add to him – that’s the key.

“Unless we improve in the summer then you can’t expect to be in the Champions League.

“We have to keep improving every year because everybody else is going to improve.

“We just missed out last year, we finished fifth because the four teams in front of us were just a little bit stronger and they are going to get much stronger in the summer.

“So if we don’t get stronger then you can’t expect to pass them next year, so you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to work that one out.

“We need to improve the squad, the team in the summer and get two or three real quality players in.

“If we can do that and keep Luka and Gareth Bale and all them boys we will have a great side again next year.”