Tottenham Hotspur vs Swansea City preview - Redknapp makes Modric omission

Posted Sunday, April 01, 2012 by PA

Harry Redknapp knows Luka Modric could be distracted by talk of a move to Manchester City after Roberto Mancini declared his admiration for the Tottenham playmaker on Friday.

Redknapp had to omit Modric from his starting line-up at the start of the season after he was unsettled by a number of big-money bids from Chelsea, and the Croatian has conceded he does not know if he will be at Spurs next year.

Manchester United have been linked with a move for the 26-year-old, but their neighbours City may enter the race for the star this summer after manager Mancini spoke in glowing terms about the player for the first time.

And Redknapp concedes the midfielder, who is reported to earn around #50,000 a week at Tottenham, is likely to be interested in hearing about Mancini's comments.

"I would think if someone is going to offer him #200,000 a week it could probably turn his head a little, yes!" Redknapp said when asked about City's apparent overtures.

"Only Luka knows what he wants to do with his life," Redknapp added.

"We want to keep him here. We need to keep him. We love him. He is a fantastic player."

Tottenham will look to end their seven-week long wait for a Barclays Premier League win when they host Brendan Rodgers' Swansea on Sunday.

Rodgers has excelled with the Swans in their first top-flight season since 1978 and has been mentioned as a possible successor to Redknapp should he depart for the England job.

The current Spurs boss has been so impressed with Swansea's progress that he thinks the former Watford and Reading coach could win the manager of the year award this term.

"Brendan Rodgers has got to be right there for manager of the year," he said.

"One of the big teams, Manchester City or Manchester United, they are expected to win it, but Rodgers, (Newcastle boss) Alan Pardew and (Norwich manager) Paul Lambert, they will be up there.

"Brendan Rodgers wouldn't look out of place anywhere would he? He has certainly got Swansea playing some good football.

"He's someone who has a fantastic future.

"I don't know what his long-term plans are but certainly the job he has done at Swansea has just been amazing."

Rodgers himself says he will be ready if he gets the chance to manage one of the top sides but admits now might not be the right time for such a move.

The talk surrounding the 39-year-old Northern Irishman is a sign of the impact both he and Swansea have made, with the South Wales club currently lying 10th in the table ahead of Sunday's trip to Tottenham and having won rave reviews for their attractive style.

Rodgers believes his experiences at Chelsea, where he served as a reserve and youth-team coach, mean he could step into one of the elite clubs, but says that following a season during which his father Malachy died in September after a battle with cancer, it may not be the right time for him.

"I don't think it (a move to a top club) would be too soon but it might be too soon in my personal life," he said. "This has been a big year for us.

"Once I get a chance at the end of the season I will need a lot of reflection time in relation to the season and how we have done, but also on a personal level a lot has happened with my father and lots of other things so I will have a job to reflect on all of that.

"I have many things to reflect on but when is the right time?"

He added: "People talk about experience, I was fortunate I experienced working with people like (Jose) Mourinho and (Luiz Felipe) Scolari, something that some managers and coaches will never get in their careers.

"I worked in the most successful era in Chelsea's history so I was in pole position in terms of learning. I experienced the Champions League, FA Cup finals and games of that magnitude.

"So if that day ever comes it won't be a case of `do I believe I can work at that level?'

"It gives me comfort that if it comes one day, whether I am 39, 49 or 59, I will know I worked at that level with some of biggest players in European football and earned their respect as a human being and a coach.

"If it arrives one day I will be ready."

Winger Aaron Lennon (hamstring) is expected to make his return from a three-week lay-off for Tottenham but Ledley King (knee) may miss out after playing in Tuesday's win over Bolton.

Nathan Dyer is back from a three-match suspension for the Swans.