Tottenham midfielder Luka Modric says he is tempted by the prospect of a move to Chelsea and ready to leave Spurs but insists he will not submit a formal transfer request.
Chelsea have already had a £22 million offer rejected while Manchester City and Manchester United are monitoring the situation – although Spurs’ chairman Daniel Levy insisted they will keep their star.
With all three potential suitors able to offer Champions League football next season – unlike Spurs – the Croatia international wants to move on if a suitable offer is made for his services.
“If somebody comes to the club and the offer is good for me and acceptable to them, then I want to leave,” Modric told reporters.
“I want to leave Tottenham as friends. I have enjoyed my time there, but now it is right for me to look at another club.
“I have an arrangement with the chairman. When I signed my new contract, he said that, if another club came to sign me, they would consider the offer. I won’t ask for a transfer, no. That would be disrespectful. I hope they can reach an agreement that is satisfactory for everyone.
“Chelsea are a big club with an ambitious owner.
“They have great players and they have ambitions to fight for the title and win the Champions League. I want to stay in London. I am very happy here and so are my family.”
But Levy insisted in a club statement there will be no sale “at any price, to Chelsea Football Club or any other club”.
Levy said: “I wish to make it absolutely clear, as I have said previously, that none of our key players will be sold this summer. We are building a team for the future to consistently play at the highest level and retaining quality players is crucial to that.
Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp dubbed Chelsea’s initial offer as “ridiculous” while insisting that Modric, whom he rates in any case at a minimum £30 million, was “irreplaceable” and not for sale.
Modric, 25, says he must consider his options, noting that “it is for football that players leave clubs and move. It is normal for a player to dream about playing for a bigger club”.
Modric joined Spurs from Dinamo Zagreb in 2008 for £16.6m and has played 120 games and scored 12 goals.
He signed a new six-year deal at the club last year.