Wilkins: Chelsea must pay up for wonderful Modric
FORMER Chelsea No2 Ray Wilkins has welcomed the club’s pursuit of Tottenham playmaker Luka Modric, but admits their initial offer of £22m was far too low.
The Blues are mulling whether to submit an improved bid for the Croatia midfielder after seeing their opening gambit rebuffed on Wednesday and yesterday called “ridiculous” by Spurs manager Harry Redknapp.
“Modric is exactly the sort of player everybody should be going for, but at £20m they are undervaluing him,” said Wilkins, speaking at yesterday’s announcement of Budweiser as FA Cup sponsor.
“He’s a player with immense quality and I think anyone who ends up with Modric has got a wonderful commodity.
“He’s worth considerably more than £20m. We can’t undervalue a 25-year-old who has had the most unbelievable couple of years at Spurs. He really is an extreme talent and I love watching him play. He’s in my top two players from last season, with Edwin van der Sar. I thought Modric was outstanding, I loved every second of watching him play.”
Redknapp insists that Tottenham will not let the diminutive schemer, who cost £16m from Dinamo Zagreb three years ago, go for any price.
The Spurs boss portrayed Chelsea’s offer as derisory in light of recent transfers, appearing to hint at Liverpool’s £20m signing of England Under-21 midfielder Jordan Henderson from Sunderland last week. “Luka is not for sale,” said Redknapp. “If there has been a bid of £22m that is ridiculous. There are people being sold for £20m who are not fit to lace Luka’s boots.”
Wilkins, meanwhile, declined to answer questions about a possible return to Stamford Bridge, should Guus Hiddink be brought back as manager.
“It’s a nonsense. It’s like saying ‘would I own Harrod’s tomorrow?’ Im not going to own Harrod’s tomorrow,” he said. “I’ve spoken to nobody so therefore the question is null and void.”
Wilkins worked under Hiddink when the Dutchman took charge for the end of the 2008-09 season, but left the club late last year in a move that precipitated the club’s worst spell of the campaign.