Tottenham’s signing of Croatian star Luka Modric has been hailed as a “sensational transfer coup” and a “masterstroke” by the English media. It’s the first major purchase by an English club before the summer transfer window and is sure to be followed by a frenzy of ins and outs in the richest league in the world.

According to some sources, the mercurial midfielder has been purchased for a club record fee of £20million, yet if the Croatian is anything like the two previous record signings at the Lane (Sergei Rebrov and Darren Bent), then he will be an almighty flop.

After making an appearance in the stands at Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Bolton, the reports claiming that Modric bears more than a passing physical resemblance Johan Cruyff were confirmed. But little else is known about the 22-year-old who, according to the transfer gossip, was also being tracked by Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Barcelona, Inter Milan and Bayern Munich.

‘Modric has been described as a “waif” ... and question marks are being raised at the size of the transfer fee and whether the Croatian can adapt to the most frenetic league in the world’


Spurs boss Juande Ramos and sporting director Damien Comolli have undoubtedly done well to snap up Modric before Euro 2008. One of the unwritten laws of football transfers is that players go up in price dramatically after a successful international tournament. And with Croatia expected to shine in Austria and Switzerland, Modric’s signature may have been even harder to obtain.

At 5ft 8in and just over 10 stone, Modric has been described as a “waif” by experts on European football and question marks are being raised at the size of the transfer fee and whether the Croatian can adapt to the most frenetic league in the world.

In the tough world of Premier League football, it is no guarantee that such a physically light midfielder can dominate in the centre of midfield. Yossi Benayoun is an example of a midfielder who, despite his obvious quality on the ball and running at defenders, almost always plays on the wing for Liverpool.

Similarly, Modric’s Croatian team-mate Niko Kranjcar plays on the left-wing for Portsmouth, and despite the fact that he played “in the hole” behind two strikers for much of his career, the Pompey midfielder rarely features in the engine room for his club.

In the modern game it is rare to find a traditional playmaker behind two forwards. Francesco Totti frequently plays up front on his own for Roma whilst many of the flair players in world football play on the wing or as a second striker. Think Messi, Ronaldinho, Robinho, Kaka, Hleb etc…

It would be most likely that Modric will take the first-team place of Steed Malbranque. The Frenchman has improved dramatically under Ramos but has not filled the problem left-wing position that still yearns for a David Ginola-like player.

The transfer should also leave certain Spurs players under no illusions as to what could happen this summer. When Dimitar Berbatov leaves he can hardly question Spurs’ ambition and recent rumours of Jermaine Jenas moving house may be spot-on as the England midfielder has gone missing again following his exploits in the Carling Cup. Spurs have been crying out for some more creativity and invention in recent weeks and, by all accounts, this is exactly what Modric will provide.

The highest compliment that can be paid to Modric is that he is similar to probably the greatest playmaker in world football today, Juan Roman Riquelme. Jonathan Wilson in the Sunday Telegraph writes that, “If Riquelme is the last of the old-school playmakers, Modric might just be the first of the new.”

Whilst Riquelme lit up the last World Cup and was superb for Villarreal a couple of seasons ago, it is clear he would struggle in England. Just like Juan Veron, some players are simply unable to cope with the frenetic pace of the Premier League.

If Spurs have finally got a record transfer fee right, they will have to hope Modric is capable of playing in the Premier League because you can be sure he won’t be given long to adapt. Spurs need to challenge from the first game next season if they are to grab a Champions League spot.