Modric must stay! Redknapp says Spurs should resist bids for star man

Harry Redknapp insists Tottenham must resist the temptation to cash-in on Luka Modric this summer if the club are to fulfil their potential.

Croatia international Modric is being tracked by Manchester United and Chelsea, and the 26-year-old midfielder has admitted he'd be open to a move away from White Hart Lane.

But Spurs boss Redknapp has warned the club can't move forward if they sell their best players to top-flight rivals.

Wanted man: Modric is being linked with a summer move away from the Lane

He said: 'For sure we can keep Luka (Modric), he’s a special player and we have to keep Luka Modric. If we sell Luka we are just a selling club basically.

'Manchester United won’t sell Wayne Rooney, Chelsea won’t go and sell Lampard or Terry and you never hear people talk about them getting sold so why should we sell Luka Modric if we are trying to be a big club.'

'Of course we have got to keep him and add to him - that’s the key,' added Redknapp. 'Unless we improve in the summer then you can’t expect to be in the Champions League.

Selling club: Redknapp is understandably keen to keep hold of his best talents

'We have to keep improving every year because everybody else is going to improve. We just missed out last year, we finished fifth because the four teams in front of us were just a little bit stronger and they are going to get much stronger in the summer.

'So if we don’t get stronger then you can’t expect to pass them next year, so you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to work that one out.

'We need to improve the squad, the team in the summer and get two or three real quality players in. If we can do that and keep Luka and Gareth Bale and all them boys we will have a great side again next year.'

Exodus? Spurs fans are wary that Modric's departure could just be the start of a talent drain