Modric ends Madrid talks

Posted Saturday, July 07, 2012 by ESPN

Tottenham ace Luka Modric is reportedly ready to pull the plug on a potential move to Real Madrid.

The Sun were among several publications linking the Croatia midfielder with a summer transfer to Madrid in the past, but the UK newspaper has now claimed that Modric has grown fed-up at the time it is taking to flesh out a deal.

It reports that Modric's camp had set a deadline of July 17 for Spain's La Liga champions to agree a deal in principle or he would explore other options.

One of the stumbling blocks, according to Spanish media, appears to be cash flow issues - Madrid must sell to raise the £35million needed to buy Modric.

The 26-year-old Spurs playmaker is contracted to the club until 2016 and the latest report from The Sun seems to indicate that he would be willing to honour his contract rather than hold out any longer for a move to the Bernabeu.

Last season Modric was pursued by Chelsea under their former coach Andre Villas-Boas, however the Portuguese tactician has just been appointed as the successor to Harry Redknapp at White Hart Lane.

Villas-Boas has already made his first signing at Spurs, brining in Hoffenheim midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson.