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Harry Redknapp claims Arsene Wenger rejected chance to sign ex-Tottenham star: This is why
HARRY REDKNAPP has claimed Arsene Wenger rejected the chance to sign midfielder Luka Modric at Arsenal.
Luka Modric - Spotlight on
Tottenham signed Luka Modric for £16.5million from Dynamo Zagreb in 2008 but their north London rivals Arsenal were also said to be considering a move.
But Harry Redknapp, who was Spurs manager at the time, claims Gunners boss Arsene Wenger ended his side's interest because he deemed Modric to be too small.
The 31-year-old Croatian has since emerged as one of Europe's best midfielders, earning a £30m switch to Real Madrid after four years at White Hart Lane.
Luka Modric spent four years at Arsenal's fierce rivals Tottenham
Arsene Wenger thought Luka Modric was too small
Recounting a game against Chelsea, Redknapp wrote in his new book ‘It Shouldn’t Happen to a Manager’: “Luka Modric played off the left but I brought him inside.
“That’s even though some of my staff argued against it because they felt that he was not physically imposing enough to play in that area of the pitch.
“Arsene Wenger was put off signing him for Arsenal for that same reason.
Harry Redknapp claims Arsenal snubbed chance to sign Luka Modric
“But we played him alongside Tom Huddlestone against a tough Chelsea midfield that included Frank Lampard, Michael Ballack and John Obi Mikel.
“We won 2-1 and Luka still ran the game.”
Wenger instead recruited midfielders Aaron Ramsey and Amaury Bischoff in the summer of 2008 after passing up the chance to sign Modric.
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