Does Chelsea still need Luka Modric?
Now that Chelsea have landed the in-demand signature of Belgian star Eden Hazard, is it worth the Blues renewing their interest in Luka Modric? The Croatian midfield star will be in the shop window over the next few weeks, as he will be pulling the strings for his nation at Euro 2012. The Tottenham midfielder has never made much of a secret that he wants to play at a higher level, and with the North London side failing to make it to the Champions League next season, will Modric be heading out of White Hart Lane? If so, will he likely be heading to Stamford Bridge? More to the point, do Chelsea need him?
The answer to that is a resounding yes. The Stamford Bridge outfit tried to sign Modric last summer but the deal just never happened because Tottenham did not want to let him go, even though the player himself apparently wanted to. That is understandable from Tottenham’s standpoint, because if they were going to sell one of their most influential players, then the last people they would want to deal with, is one of their main London rivals. That doesn’t make a lot of sense, so if Modric moves, Tottenham would naturally be happier to see the Croatian move to a different European league, most likely the Spanish La Liga. But if Chelsea want him, they have the deep pockets to tempt Spurs.
The Blues were ready to stump up Tottenham’s inflated asking price for Modric last summer, and they will likely have to pay even more this time around if they want him. Chelsea do need him, there is no mistaking that, as he would sit very well in the Blues midfield and immediately the Blues would be a better side. Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich wants to see his Chelsea side play with flair, he has made no secret of that. Chelsea won the Champions League for the first time this year, but the manner in which they won it, was by defensive, backs-to-the-wall and unadventurous performances. That was the case when they ran into giants Barcelona in the semi finals and then Bayern Munich in the final. It wasn’t pretty football, but it was effective.
But Abramovich wants more than that, he wants Chelsea to play with a swagger, and the arrival of the brilliant Eden Hazard is the first move towards that. So Modric would fit in to Chelsea’s more creative plans for the future. The Croatian has tremendous vision on the ball, and he always seems to have time to pick out the perfect pass. Modric also has the quality to get amongst the goals when he is driving shots in on opposing goalkeepers. He is a play-maker, a genuine talent and the ability to pick out players would drive Chelsea’s creativity from midfield and complement the likes of Hazard and Juan Mata.
The Blues have Frank Lampard as their driving force in midfield, but he is not going to be around forever. He is coming to the end of his career, and therefore the Blues should snap up Modric while they can, because he would be a great replacement. There has been criticism over Luka Modric, that he perhaps goes missing in tough, crunch games when the going gets rough. But his status would immediately be raised in a move to Stamford Bridge, surrounded by higher quality players and would have to work harder for his spot. Chelsea need a play-maker in the centre of the park, and the abilities of Modric would fit right in.
The future of Modric at White Hart Lane though, could all depend on how well he shines at Euro 2012 for Croatia. This could be the big window to secure a move to a Champions League side. Chelsea should be in the hunt.
