Jermain Defoe believes it is inevitable speculation over the future of Luka Modric will return to dog Tottenham once the transfer window reopens.
Modric was at the centre of one of the biggest transfer sagas of the summer, with Chelsea seeing at least three bids rejected for the wantaway Spurs playmaker, the last reportedly valued at £40million. The speculation drove Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp to distraction, causing him to brand the pre-season as his worst ever in management.
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And striker Defoe warned of more misery to come in January, telling talkSPORT: "There's always speculation - it's part and parcel of the game - and it will start again in January."
Modric was desperate to join Chelsea and accused Spurs chairman Daniel Levy of reneging on a promise to let him leave.
Team-mate Defoe added: "We just wanted the window to close, and he's here now and that's that.
"He's just got to be professional. You can't go into games sulking because you'll get found out and let the team down.
"But Luka's a good professional and, if you didn't know there was speculation about him going and you saw him about the place, you'd never know.
"He's been good. In pre-season, maybe other players would have said, 'I've got an injury and I don't want to play', but he didn't do that and I don't think there's many players who would have done that.
"Chelsea's a massive club and there was an opportunity for him but it didn't happen and now he's got to get on with playing football because he's a big player for us."
Source: PA
