Tottenham Hotspur is preparing for life without Luka Modric this coming season. Any doubts it may have had about the Croat's future were put to rest about a month back, when it offered him a new deal that would have doubled his wages from €50,000 to €100,000 a week (from €3.2m to €5.4m a year).

Although Spurs managed to tie down Gareth Bale, who extended his contract until 2016, the club has been forced to admit defeat in its goal to keep hold of the Croatian, who stuck to his guns and reiterated his stance as soon as Euro 2012 was over.

Modric even handed in a transfer request in which he explained his reasons for wanting to leave, although neither the player nor the club has officially acknowledged this.

Modric's decision to turn down Tottenham's offer of an extension convinced the Londoners that it would be impossible to hang on to the midfielder for another year. Last year Spurs rejected a €40 million bid from Abramovich’s Chelsea, and the player – who is under contract until 2016, having signed an extension in 2010 – was forced to stay at White Hart Lane against his will.

The mercurial midfielder has turned a deaf ear to Tottenham and other suitors. Manchester United, Chelsea again and, more recently, PSG have all approached the player's agent, who has made it clear that Luka wants to be wearing the white of Madrid next season.