Croatia's head coach is disappointed Andre Villas-Boas is not picking Luka Modric, but expects the unsettled playmaker to complete his move from Tottenham to Real Madrid soon.
As of yet no club have reached the reported £40million asking price Spurs are demanding for Modric's signature. The midfielder refused to travel to the United States for Spurs' tour and has not been picked for any of the club's other pre-season games since.
That has not gone down well with Croatia coach Igor Stimac, who plans to give Modric his first game of the summer on Wednesday when Croatia face Switzerland in Split. "I don't like the situation that he is in at all, he has not played any matches at all this summer," Stimac was quoted as saying on AS.com. "He will end up signing for Madrid before the market shuts."
Tottenham already appear to be planning for life without Modric. The Londoners signed Gylfi Sigurdsson from Hoffenheim earlier this summer, and it is understood they have launched a bid to sign hard-working Rennes midfielder Yann M'Vila.
Although the capture of M'Vila would undoubtedly improve the strength of the Spurs squad, Villas-Boas' main concern is in the striker department. Jermain Defoe and rookie Harry Kane are the only strikers on Tottenham's books as efforts to sign Emmanuel Adebayor and Leandro Damiao have so far failed.
Spurs have also made an offer for Gaston Ramirez, according to the Bologna forward's agent.
"The only solid offer is the one from Tottenham, who offered €16 million [£12.6m]," Betancourt told Calciomercato. "But the deal didn't go through because Spurs offered too low a wage to the player and if the wage difference is minimal he would stay at Bologna.
"Tottenham could raise their offer if they sell Modric and in that case the deal could be done, otherwise Ramirez will stay another year at Bologna."
Lyon, meanwhile, have confirmed that they rejected an offer from Tottenham for their 25-year-old goalkeeper Hugo Lloris this summer. Spurs' current number one, Brad Friedel, turned 41 in May and France stopper Lloris would provide Villas-Boas with a much younger alternative.
"Hugo wants to play in one of the best clubs in Europe," Lyon chairman Jean-Michel Aulas told French radio station RMC. "This year there was an approach from Tottenham that was quickly rejected."
Source: PA
