Redknapp: I understand why Luka Modric wants to leave Tottenham for Chelsea

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy had been upbeat about the club's chances of holding on to Modric following a meeting with the player last week.

Those hopes took a huge blow on July 9 when Modric decided to go to the media for the second time in the space of a month to declare that he wanted to complete a "dream" move to Chelsea, who had a £22 million bid for the Croatian rejected last month.

To add fuel to the fire, as part of his latest interview, Modric launched a stinging attack on Levy, calling the chairman "arrogant" and accusing him of reneging on a deal to sell him if a big club lodged a bid this summer.

Modric's very public attempts to force through a move have not gone down well with his team-mates, but Redknapp said he understood the 25 year-old's desire to ensure he completes a move which will significantly increase his wage packed from the £40,000 he is said to earn at Spurs.

"At the end of the day it's up to the chairman, he makes those decisions. I certainly wouldn't want to lose him but it's a difficult situation," Redknapp said.

"He's a fantastic boy, a great player, and it's not easy when people come along and start offering to double or treble your wages, it must make it very difficult for him and I understand where he's coming from a little bit."

Levy has said that none of the club's top players will be sold this summer, but his hardball stance will be tested if Chelsea come back with a much bigger offer for the playmaker with reports last night claiming they had upped it to around £27m.

The announcement of Michael Essien's serious knee injury, and the poor form of Chelsea's other midfielders last term certainly makes a move for Modric look likely.

Modric rightly earned rave reviews for his performances at the heart of the Tottenham midfield last season and Redknapp knows keeping hold of the former Dinamo Zagreb man will be key to the club's chances of clinching the top-four space that eluded them last year.

"I'm desperate to keep him because he's so good," Redknapp added. "He's a fantastic footballer. The (£22m) offer is a joke in terms of how much money they have offered.

"Most importantly we need to keep him, he's a fantastic player for us."

When asked if he was aware of a new bid from Chelsea, Redknapp said: "They (Chelsea) are going to make an improved offer? I should think they would need to! I've not heard anything."