Chelsea may not have a manager at the helm, but that isn’t going to stop us from getting in front of the queue to get Luka Modric. This after Tottenham have confirmed that they have rejected a bid of £22 million for the Croatian playmaker. This news comes after weeks of speculation linking Chelsea with the likes of Luka Modric, Alexis Sanchez and Neymar as the bid to overhaul the squad takes shape.
It is interesting to note that Modric was initially linked with Chelsea before moving to Tottenham. Spurs then brought the player for £16.5 million in 2008. Now, they are demanding a figure in the region of £30 million for the Croatian. Initially thought to have been too small for the Premier League, Modric, 25, has begun to shine in the heart of Tottenham’s midfield.
He currently dictates their play and is their main source of creativity. The latter part is something that is seriously lacking within the Chelsea team. How many times have you witnessed Chelsea players being unable to play the ball to the forwards, despite being in good positions. Modric is one player who is expected to improve that significantly.
But is there more to Chelsea’s interest in Modric than just lack of creativity? Frank Lampard, 32, is definitely coming to the twilight of his career. Many (including me) think that he is almost irreplaceable, but someone has to do the job once he’s gone. Chelsea seem to be preparing for that now itself with the signing of Modric.
Even though he may not have the box to box ability of Lampard, he is certainly more creative than Lampard. There are also suggestions that he could be replacing Essien, who has been linked with a move away.
Either way, he is not going to be cheap, but I expect him to be extremely good for Chelsea. He is just the sort of player that we need right now. A figure of £30 million might sound large. But Phil Jones and Henderson moving for sums close £20 million would make Modric look like a bargain.