Luka Modric once stunned Tottenham with the lengths he was willing to go to in order to get his dream transfer away from the club. The former Premier League playmaker went on strike and refused to join Spurs during their 2012 pre-season tour so he could get his way.
Modric's protest and apology
Modric was nearing his prime when Real Madrid expressed their desire to sign him, with the north Londoners adamant they wouldn't let him leave. The 40-year-old was pinpointed by Jose Mourinho as a priority target for Los Blancos 14 years ago, fresh from a dazzling Euro 2012 campaign for Croatia.
Tottenham perhaps shouldn't have been surprised given the protest unfolded 12 months after he tried to engineer a transfer to Chelsea, leading Modric to escalate matters considerably. He skipped a team flight for their pre-season tour of the United States to force Spurs into rethinking their stance.
Modric was fined two weeks' wages for his actions (£80,000) and clearly knew he was in the wrong as he later apologised to club bosses. However, it wasn't until late August 2012 that he eventually sealed a £33million transfer to the Bernabeu.
Regret and legacy
Then-Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas voiced his disappointment over the saga, revealing Modric had said sorry for his conduct. That didn't prevent the transfer from proceeding, however, and the creative maestro subsequently described his behaviour during that spell as among his biggest career regrets.
"My one regret is that I didn't win a trophy with Tottenham, despite us being a strong team who played good, attractive football," he told FourFourTwo in 2018. "I'm sorry for the way I left. I wish we had parted in a nicer way. I hope fans understand that I followed my dreams."
One can scarcely blame the Croat icon for seizing his chance to join Real given everything he subsequently accomplished in Madrid. Modric secured six Champions League titles, four Spanish league titles, five FIFA Club World Cups and two Copas del Rey during his 13 years in Spain.
Impact on Tottenham
Now at AC Milan, the Premier League legend continues to demonstrate his enduring quality at the highest level. Modric recently penned a one-year contract extension to stay at the San Siro despite approaching his 41st birthday next month.
For certain Spurs fans, the circumstances surrounding Modric's departure would be sufficient to permanently damage his standing in north London. Other more forgiving supporters might sympathise with his situation and acknowledge their club couldn't fulfil such an exceptional player's ambitions.
One significant regret for Tottenham in hindsight might be that they failed to secure a higher fee for their man. Modric had four years remaining on a six-year contract when he left, with former team-mate Gareth Bale completing an £89m transfer to rejoin his old colleague in Spain the following year.
Today, it is Spurs who are putting pressure on clubs to sell, having splashed almost £250m on new recruits this summer. The current regime would do well to heed the lesson of the Modric saga to ensure they are never placed in such a difficult position again.
