Tottenham Transfers: Top 8 Replacements for Luka Modric

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If Luka Modrić wants to leave again, Tottenham Hotspur must sell him during the summer transfer window.

In an ideal situation, Daniel Levy persuades Chelsea into submitting an inflated transfer fee of £40 million for Modrić.

Levy can use a fraction of the £40 million to re-invest in a suitable replacement.

Here are the top eight replacements for Modrić.

 

8. Luca Cigarini, Napoli, Age: 25

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Napoli loaned Luca Cigarini to Sevilla and Atalanta in recent seasons, with the aim of selling the mercurial midfielder.

Gregorio Manzano wasn’t a fan of Cigarini, so the Italian’s time at Sevilla was frustrating.

Cigarini was solid on loan for Atalanta this season, as he averaged 60.6 passes per game and created 40 shots.

Unlike Luka Modrić, Cigarini doesn’t shy away from tackling, so his defensive prowess compensates for his inability to create something out of nothing like Modrić. 

7. Marvin Martin, Sochaux, Age: 24

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Marvin Martin started 73 percent of his games as an attacking midfielder but because Sochaux were so bad at keeping the ball, he effectively played deeper as he distributed and retained possession.

If he is surrounded by better players, he could grow into an elite midfielder. 

6. Moritz Leitner, Borussia Dortmund, Age: 19

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Moritz Leitner was terrific whenever Jürgen Klopp played him. However Klopp prefers Ilkay Gündogan, Sven Bender and Sebastian Kehl over Leitner.

With regards to replacing Shinji Kagawa, Marco Reus will probably start as the centre attacking midfielder next season. 

Borussia Dortmund’s trash could be Tottenham Hotspur’s treasure. 

5. Joe Allen, Swansea City, Age: 22

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Joe Allen is one of the most underrated players in the Premier League.

He can tackle, he can orchestrate play, he can create and he has great positional awareness. 

If he was English, he'd be proclaimed as the second coming of Paul Scholes. 

4. Bruno, Villarreal, Age: 27

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Bruno is a maestro in midfield, constantly demanding the ball and distributing it efficiently—he completed 87.9 percent of passes in La Liga and 92.8 in the UEFA Champions League.

Then you factor in his 5.6 interceptions per game and you have an elite defensive midfielder, who’s also a deep-lying playmaker.

Tottenham Hotspur would have the upper hand in negotiating a fair transfer fee because Villarreal suffered relegation. 

3. Kevin Strootman, PSV Eindhoven, Age: 22

Kevin Strootman’s expansive passing range coupled with his physique will allow Tottenham Hotspur supporters to forget about Luka Modrić.

It’s amusing that some English outlets have stated that Strootman is the new Roy Keane because the Dutchman is known for his panache passes.

The problem with Strootman is his consistency. He's 6'1", he has great technique, wonderful passing ability but why does he go missing against the likes of Excelsior, NAC Breda and Waalwijk? 

This is the same guy that completed incisive pass after incisive pass in a 2-2 draw against Ajax. He dominated with two assists in a 5-1 win over Heerenveen. 

He seems to play better when he's a front-runner but when he doesn't have a good start, he goes missing in action. 

2. Beñat, Real Betis, Age: 25

Beñat reminds me of Xabi Alonso during his Real Sociedad days.

The 25-year-old profited from playing alongside someone as rough as Iriney, who when in doubt, kicked opposing players.

Beñat is a genius on the field as illustrated in a 2-1 win over Sevilla. He was aware that the wall would prematurely jump, so he scored by placing his free kick underneath the wall. He was fearless because it was high-risk and it was in the 93rd minute. 

Sometimes he attempt too many highlight reel passes, hence why he only completed 81.3 percent of his passes.

He recently managed to play two games for Spain, which is an impressive achievement considering the world-class midfielders Vicente del Bosque has at his disposal. 

Sid Lowe at guardian.co.uk, named Beñat as a substitute in his La Liga Team of the Season.

1. Jordy Clasie, Feyenoord, Age: 20

Jordy Clasie was the mastermind behind Feyenoord's offense. He was so superlative for Feyenoord that some have hailed him as the Netherland’s answer to Xavi—Paul Scholes would be a more precise comparison. 

Clasie knows where to move and he consistently makes the right decisions—this indicates high football IQ. 

He has a flawless first touch, he doesn’t panic when he’s closed down by opposing players, so he's a perfect replacement for Luka Modrić. 

 

Please Read Top 7 EU2012 U-21 Transfer Prospects

Statistics courtesy of WhoScored.com.