Tottenham Transfer News: Latest Rumours on Luka Modric and Harry Kane

Real Madrid are reportedly prepared to offer midfield playmaker Luka Modric to Tottenham Hotspur to help smooth a deal to sign star striker Harry Kane. Modric will be used to drive down Tottenham's hefty asking price for attacking talisman Kane.

Spanish source Diario Gol (h/t Guy Giles of Football Insider) has reported Spurs want at least £176 million for Kane, a fee Los Blancos won't pay, but the La Liga club are willing to offer Modric as part of the deal.

Modric originally left Tottenham for the Spanish capital back in 2012. He has since helped Los Merengues win the Copa del Rey, La Liga and three UEFA Champions League titles.

However, the Croatia international is now 32. Real have younger options in midfield, with 25-year-old Isco and Mateo Kovacic, 23, on hand to take Modric's place at the heart of midfield.

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Modric has also slipped below the normally high standards he has previously set this season. The creative maestro was seen arguing with team-mate left-back Marcelo during Real's 2-1 defeat to newly promoted Girona in La Liga on Sunday, per AS (h/t Anthony Chapman of The Sun).

It could be a sign Modric is ready to move on, although it's debatable if Spurs need him back. After all, the current Tottenham squad is loaded with technically gifted midfield players.

In particular, Denmark international Christian Eriksen has successfully assumed the role Modric used to occupy in north London. Eriksen is the creative fulcrum of manager Mauricio Pochettino's side, the one player who dictates possession.

The 25-year-old has been creating chances at a prolific rate during this calendar year, according to Squawka Football:

He has also established a knack for supplying assists, an area where Tottenham's pass-master is bettered only by a Manchester City star:

Eriksen isn't the only creative force in the middle for Tottenham. Dele Alli can unlock defences further forward, while the emergence of 21-year-old Harry Winks has given Spurs another intelligent schemer in midfield.

There is no longer an obvious spot for Modric, despite his considerable talent and ability to dictate matches. There's also the not-so-small matter of Spurs not wanting to sell Kane.

Earlier this month, Tottenham reportedly told Kane they wouldn't consider a sale, per The Independent. Even so, Neil Ashton of The Sun recently reported Los Blancos are "convinced" they can eventually sign the England international.

However, Real president Florentino Perez told Cadena COPE (h/t Callum Davis of the Daily Telegraph) he hasn't thought about trying to sign Kane: "Signing Harry Kane has not passed through my head. He is a great player, and in addition, he is young."

Any potential transfer looks increasingly complicated, with Spurs' asking price set too high, while Modric may not be appealing enough as part of a swap deal.