Levy v Luka
Luka fails to turn up for training. Fails to board a plane to the US for our tour. Is supposedly fined (or will be if he remains absent). Villas-Boas has proclaimed that the player has placed himself in a difficult position with the club, considering we're actually negotiating to sell him. Levy has been angered and the rest of us are left bored by the returning transfer saga that appears (on the surface) to have stagnated.
We don't know what's going on behind closed doors but from the looks of it, the player with agent are once more attempting to force the issue.
Summer arrives
Spurs agree to allow Luka to leave, if valuation is met
Player agrees to this
The assumption is, there's a new 'gentleman's agreement' and one that will be played out with honour
Interested parties speak to both Luka's representatives and THFC
Within time, it becomes apparent that no English club will be able to afford the player
This is - no doubt - a strategic ploy by Levy to guarantee we don't strengthen the competition
Modric's valuation holds firm when compared to other 'top end' English to English club transfers
Only viable interest from the continent - and Real Madrid
Madrid and Spurs appear to be involved in long running negotiations to agree a fee
Spurs value Luka between £35M - £40M (guessing), Madrid don't value him quite as high
(Our best player won't be their best player, he might not even be a first team starter, hence the lack of agreement between the two clubs)
Negotiations continue with media doing as much guessing as the fans (i.e. player swaps)
Realisation kicks in that Spurs will stick to their mantra, and only sell when 'right price' is matched
Luka and agent decide that drastic action is required to attempt to orchestrate the move by applying pressure on Spurs and Levy to 'give in'
Honour is lost
Luka fails to appear in training session, fails to appear with passport for US tour
Spurs (via Villas-Boas, if not intentionally) states Levy is angered/club not happy and player has made it difficult for himself
Modric's contract still remains in a state of long term
Next move?
Madrid have to meet our valuation to put all of us out of our misery. Can't see how the player and agent think going against Levy in this manner is going to help them considering what the club and Levy went through last season with Chelsea.
We mugged them all off last time out, why would we drop our guard and give them the chance to punch their way through this time? Modric was knocked-out in the first fight. My money's on a TKO this time round. The player will be sold when the club want him to be sold and that will only happen when our expectations are complemented. Luka, any more below the belt punches and you'll be disqualified son.
Ding, ding.
