Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp said on Saturday that allowing Luka Modric to leave White Hart Lane would condemn the Londoners to mid-table mediocrity.
Croatian star Modric wants to quit Spurs in favour of Chelsea, even though a bid of 22 million pound ($30 million) has already been rejected.
Earlier on Saturday chairman Daniel Levy insisted the 25-year-old was not for sale "at any price" to any club.
Redknapp told talkSPORT: "It's a happy thing to have a player like Luka Modric, who has suddenly turned into a 50 million pound, 40 million pound player and everyone wants him.
"We're lucky we've got him and we aren't selling him. That's what the chairman says and that's good enough for me."