Harry Redknapp wont let Luka Modric leave

Last updated : 15 July 2011 By Daily Mail

Sportsmail exclusively revealed that the Croatia star, who is desperate to seal a move to Chelsea, had put his desire to quit in writing to the Spurs board on Wednesday night.

Jetting in: Modric arrives in South Africa with his Spurs team-mates

But Tottenham are adamant Modric will not be leaving White Hart Lane this summer and rejected a ?27million bid earlier this week.

Redknapp insists Modric's decision to submit a transfer request has not weakened Spurs' resolve to keep the 25-year-old playmaker.

No exit: Modric has made a formal request to leave the club

Redknapp said: 'We know he wants to leave, whether he writes it down on a piece of paper doesn't really make any difference to our stance. He's a great player and we don't want him to leave.'

Despite the uncertainty over his future, Modric has travelled to South Africa with the rest of the squad for Tottenham's pre-season tour. They face Kaizer Chiefs tomorrow and Redknapp said: 'Hopefully he'll get a bit of football and just get on with it.'

Transfer request: Luka Modric (second right) submitted written notice to Spurs chairman Daniel Levy

Tottenham captain Michael Dawson has backed Levy's tough stance and is hopeful that the furore surrounding Modric will not affect the club's pre-season tour.

'This time of year there are always going to be rumours and Luka's been linked with Chelsea,' Dawson said.

'From a team's point of view you want to keep your best players and the chairman has come out and said he is going to keep him so that is great for the football club.

'We are all friends with Luka, we have got great team spirit amongst the players and we want to keep that together.

'The chairman has come out and said no one is for sale so that's great.

'All we can do is to concentrate on the job ahead and aim at getting trophies this season.'

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Source: Daily Mail

Source: Daily Mail