Spurs won't sell Luka Modric in January, says Harry Redknapp

Chelsea tried to sign the Croatia playmaker during the summer and he is still high on the list of their January transfer targets.

United have also been linked with Modric but Spurs boss Redknapp is in no mood to do business, particularly with his side having emerged as dark horses for the title race this season.

"Luka's future is here," said Redknapp. "No one is for sale. We are keeping our best players and if anything we will be adding to the squad not selling.

"That's the message from me and the chairman [Daniel Levy]. We won't be weakening this squad.

"If one or two positions open up where fringe players want to go then we will look at that but we are not going to sell our best players or anyone we want to keep."

Redknapp sympathised with Sir Alex Ferguson, after United were knocked out of the Champions League on Wednesday. United will now drop into the Europa League, a tournament which has been a problem for Spurs this season after they failed to recapture their Champions League place last season.

Ferguson said playing in the Europa League on a Thursday night was like a punishment and Redknapp added: "Sir Alex is right. It is like a punishment for getting knocked out. Playing on Thursday and Sundays messes the week right up. It is not the correct way to prepare for a game."

Redknapp also questioned the format of both competitions and the fact that the Europa League absorbs teams eliminated from the group states of the Champions League.

"It's unbelievable . I just don't understand it or know why you go from one competition to the other. I don't understand why it is not a straight knock out either because teams put weakened sides out in the group stages and it is just not fair on others. The Champions League was fantastic for Tottenham last year but you get the feeling some teams are only half interested in the qualifying games, like Manchester United perhaps.

"Maybe their fans think that way because they have been to the final so many times. I don't think Alex will go hell for leather in Europe but they'll come back firing in the league. The Premier League is now their priority and that is what they'll focus on."

Redknapp also warned the Football A association that they are setting a dangerous precedent by successfully appealing Wayne Rooney's England ban. UEFA yesterday reduced Rooney's punishment for a red card from three games to two but
Redknapp said: "It opens up a whole can of worms.

Surely violent conduct is violent conduct and should be a three game ban. Clubs will look at the FA appealing to reduce that and think 'why can't we?' The rules are supposed to be rules."

Redknapp also emphasised that Tottenham would be sticking to the letter of the law to insist Aston Villa continue paying Jermaine Jenas's wages for the rest of the season, even though the on-loan Spurs midfielder may not play again after rupturing his Achilles tendon last week.

Villa have the player for the season so must continue to pay his salary and Redknapp said: "Villa will have to pay his wages.

"If you take him for the season you are responsible for the season. That is the chance you take."

But Redknapp insisted Jenas could still return in the future. "The injury looked horrific but he still belongs to Tottenham and has a future here."

Spurs' main injury concern for Sunday is Ledley King who is still struggling with the knee injury that forced him to miss last week's win over Bolton.

Gareth Bale and Jermain Defoe have knocks but are both likely to play against Stoke.