While at Tottenham, the now-legendary ex-Real Madrid star wanted to switch to the other side of London.
Tottenham to Real Madrid has been a successful pathway for players, and while many would instantly think about Gareth Bale, there is a certain Luka Modric who also reaped a lot of rewards after following that path.
But recently he sat down to reflect on his time at Hotspur Way. And the Croatian silky midfielder went on to lift the lid on the moment where Daniel Levy and his stubbornness shut down his dream move to the Lilywhites’ Premier League rivals Chelsea.
He went on to reveal how the then-chairman “made it crystal clear” that there would be “absolutely no chance” that he would allow Modric to swap White Hart Lane for Stamford Bridge.
Luka Modric speaks on failed Chelsea transfer
Luka Modric wanted to join Chelsea before his eventual move to Madrid. (Photo by Scott Heavey/Bongarts/Getty Images)
Modric, speaking about it, admitted that he was pushing heavily to join the Blues despite knowing how difficult such a transfer would be given that both clubs come from London and the rivalry that they share. And yet even while Modric went public about his desire, Levy remained set on his stand. He forced the Croatian to stay at Tottenham for another year by denying a move to West London.
And in the end that block move turned out to be the reason why Modric was able to join Madrid. He had to stay, and then the Croat went on to put in one of his best seasons donning the Lilywhites badge but watching Chelsea pick up the Champions League silverware in the meantime. But then he landed what he now calls an “even better opportunity” with a £30 million transfer to Real Madrid. This transfer ended up defining his career.
The 2018 World Cup finalist spoke candidly about the saga in conversation on the Neuspjeh Prvaka show. He said:
“Even so, I did very well at Tottenham. They were very tough on me, and the chairman, Daniel Levy, made it crystal clear in our first meeting [that] there was absolutely no chance they would let me go.
“After that, I carried on as if nothing had happened. I knew it would be complicated; both clubs are in London, and there’s a rivalry.
“I wanted to go, even though I knew it was going to be very difficult.
“In the end, it didn’t happen, and I kept playing, and it was perhaps one of my best seasons. We finished fourth; that year Chelsea won the Champions League.
“The season was phenomenal, and a year later, an even better opportunity came along. And in the end, it worked out even better; probably if I had joined Chelsea, I wouldn’t have gone to Real Madrid.”
Author Opinion
Daniel Levy has been one of those people in English football that has left a legacy of stubbornness. And so be it when it came to prices or giving his players the moves they wanted. Recently we saw that happen with Kane before his eventual exit to Bayern Munich. And this Modric story reminds us how time and again his presence has ensured that things happened to benefit Tottenham over the long term on the pitch and then financially.
For the Lilywhites supporters, the question is about whether the decision-makers at N17 would showcase similar stubbornness for the greater good of the club but by matching it with more silverware.