After the frankly disastrous start to the league season by Real Madrid, Spurs were lucky enough to hike the Modric price up by at least a couple of million not to mention throwing a ‘partnership agreement’ into the equation. Whether Luka Modric will become the saviour for Los Blancos remains to be seen, but Spurs have certainly done well for themselves, getting rid of a want-away player not to mention the aforementioned agreement with the club.
The deal has been described as a ‘ground breaking’ one by more than a couple of people and is certainly something that looks like being one almighty masterstroke by Daniel Levy – not to mention one that is attracting more than a couple of envious glances from other Premier League clubs.
Not only will Spurs benefit commercially from being linked up with one of – if not the – biggest clubs in the world, they will be able to have options on loaning players, coaching tie ups and vitally first refusal on certain players, not to mention the obligatory and extremely financially lucrative pre-season friendlies.
For Spurs to be linked in such a way with any club is pretty decent work, but when you consider the calibre of player Real Madrid will be looking to send out on loan and not to mention sell, they seem to have struck gold and made other Premier League clubs look more than a little silly.
Had the agreement been in place this summer, Sahin, Kaka, Granero and a host of others could have ended up at the Lane to play their football – even if only for a little while. Although it is clearly disappointing for Spurs to have missed the boat here, there are plenty more players in the Castilla and Real Madrid first team looking for moves away from the club, and now it seems that Spurs will have first pick on the majority of these.
While the concept of a partnership between clubs is not a new thing – Spurs are already partnered with a host of sides throughout the world – none quite have the pull of Real Madrid, and the potential this deal has could far outstrip the benefits of doubling their money on Modric and one that more than a couple of top Premier League sides will be wishing they were savvy enough to have snapped up. Arsenal did not seem interested in setting up such a deal with Barcelona after selling whomever City rejected to them, although one explanation is they may feel that they are more feeder than partner.
Of course the deal between Spurs and Real will work both ways, and while the Special One may not be clearing his calendar to get coaching tips from former apprentice turned world class squatter AVB, they may well be looking to use their new found ‘partnership’ to lure Gareth Bale to La Liga – though of course Spurs have thus far denied such a thing could happen. But as we all know in football, you just never know.