Over the years, Tottenham have had numerous young players make their name at White Hart Lane and move on to the very cream of football. Gareth Bale probably ranks as one of the best in this regard, but players like Luka Modric, Michael Carrick, and Dimitar Berbatov should also not be forgotten. Spurs were desperate to keep most of the players and it was especially true of Modric. Chairman Daniel Levy fought off interest from Manchester United and Chelsea in successive summers in order to retain the Croatian.
Spurs reportedly received a £40 million offer from Chelsea on transfer deadline day in the summer of 2011. It was an astronomical sum of money for a midfielder at that time. Yet, Levy wanted to keep Modric at White Hart Lane since he was the key to taking the club to the next level. He, however, was unable to prevent Modric from being lured into the dreams of playing for Real Madrid a year later. Perhaps, for the first time, Modric has spoken about the events that led to the departure from White Hart Lane and English football. As quoted by Squawka, Modric said:
“There came a time at Tottenham where I had to change to improve and grow as a player.
“I did not doubt my quality and I knew that sooner or later I would succeed here, working every day in training and in the games. I’ve always had confidence in myself. I did not start well, but I never stopped believing in myself.
“I think I have developed as a player in these four years. I have more experience than before and need to keep on the same path.”
Modric had made 127 appearances in all competitions in four years at Spurs. He was at the peak of his career when he decided to move to the Santiago Bernabeu. One of the impending reasons for his exit was the lack of Champions League football. Modric says that he wanted to go as a player and Spurs, at that period, were not capable of satisfying his needs. Joining one of the biggest clubs in the world takes a lot of courage, and Modric has shown his quality by being the main man at Madrid even now.
The likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale may take all the headlines, but the entire team is hinged upon the passing skills of the little Croatian. It is no surprise that Madrid decided to offer him a new contract until the summer of 2020. Such a long contract for the 31-year-old speaks volumes about the faith Madrid have in the player.
Even Spurs supporters will not have anything to complain about Modric. He provided a lot of joy whenever he was on the pitch. Even though he failed to win any individual honours with the North London outfit, Modric was named as the club’s Player of the Year in 2011. Since his move to Madrid, he has taken on another dimension. Few players can boast of winning the Champions League, but Modric already has two Champions League medals in his trophy cabinet. In addition, he has also won the UEFA Super Cup twice and the FIFA Club World Cup once.
