Luka Modric

The Croatian playmaker now seen as one of the best midfielders in the Premier League joined us from Dinamo Zagreb in the summer of 2008.

Luka played a huge role as we qualified for the Champions League for the first time in 2009-10 and then starred in the competition itself as we reached the quarter-finals and finished fifth in the Premier League.

His performances were rewarded by being voted One Hotspur Player of the Season for 2010-11.

And he continued that form into the 2011-12 season, scoring an absolute belter in our 4-0 win against Liverpool in September, 2011 and then helping Croatia reach the finals of Euro 2012 via a play-off win against Turkey in November, 2011.

It wasn't all a bed of roses for Luka at Spurs though.

He admits he struggled to settle initially after his move from Dinamo Zagreb and it wasn't until Harry Redknapp played him regularly in a role on the left side of midfield that we started seeing the best of him.

Luka recovered from a fractured fibula suffered in August, 2009 to make 32 appearances in all competitions.

However, a key moment arrived late in the campaign when suspension to Wilson Palacios saw Harry turn to Luka to partner Tom Huddlestone in central midfield.

 

He responded by helping us to massive victories over Arsenal and Chelsea in the space of a few days in April, 2010 and partner Tom again in the biggest win of our recent history as we toppled City to claim fourth in May, 2010.

Luka played 43 matches in all competitions in an outstanding 2010-11 campaign.

Earlier in his career, Luka joined Dinamo in 2002 at the age of 16 before being loaned out to Bosnian side Zrinjski Mostar, where he earned the honour of Bosnian Player of the Year in his one season there.

In 2004 he returned to Croatia, again on loan, with Inter Zapresic, whom Luka helped to second place in the league before returning to Dinamo.

Over the next three years he established himself as the team's playmaker and played a big part in the club's three successive league title triumphs and two Croatian Cup wins before deciding to join Spurs.