Rafael van der Vaart sympathises with Luka Modric

By Matt Cotton, Reporter | 23 July 2012

Rafael van der Vaart says he understands what Tottenham Hotspur teammate Luka Modric is going through, as he looks to try to secure a move to Real Madrid.

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Rafael van der Vaart has revealed his sympathy for teammate Luka Modric as he looks to secure a move to Real Madrid.

The Croatian has been linked with a switch to the Santiago Bernabeu for the entire summer, and the 26-year-old seems hell-bent on forcing through a transfer.

While Modric has received some criticism for his actions, Van der Vaart, who was in a similar situation back in 2008, understands what the playmaker is going through and expects the issue to soon be resolved.

"You can't compare Real Madrid with other teams because they are the biggest team in the world," Van der Vaart told Sky Sports News.

"It was really an honour that I played there and I'm still really thankful. I think every player wants to play there. I went to Luka's house and spoke to him after training. I told him what happened to me when I wanted to sign for Real [from Hamburg].

"I've been one of the closest people to Modric in the dressing room and I feel for him. It is a difficult situation. The chairman is angry, but Luka is very upset with what is happening. I think everything will be fixed in three or four days."

Modric joined Spurs in 2008.