Harry Redknapp confirms Luka Modric will play for Tottenham against Orlando Pirates

Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp

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Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has confirmed that Luka Modric will be fit to face Orlando Pirates on Tuesday.

The midfielder has been heavily linked with a move to Chelsea this summer, and has told the club he wants to leave.

But chairman Daniel Levy has so far maintained that none of the club’s best players will be allowed to leave this transfer window.

Modric missed the club’s first match of their pre-season tour of South Africa, a 1-0 loss against the Kaizer Chiefs, with an injury but Redknapp says he has recovered in time to play against the Pirates.

“Luka feels okay and he wants to play. He will play tomorrow,” he said at a press conference, before confirming that South Africa international Bongani Khumalo will also feature. “Bongani will play against Pirates.”

Looking ahead to the match, Redknapp says the fact that Orlando Pirates won the treble last season means Spurs are in for a tough game.

He said: “I will be lying if I say I know an awful lot about Pirates. I know last season they achieved a treble so obviously they are a strong team.

“It will be a tough game and they have a new coach Julio Cesar Leal so they would want to impress the coach. They are going to be working hard and we have to match them. We are expecting a very hard game.

“I was disappointed with the loss to Kaizer Chiefs and hopefully we will turn in a better performance and hopefully get a win.”

However, Redknapp feels his players lost to better opposition on the day and gave the South Africans credit for the win.

“The other day during the game on Saturday we saw the opposition was excellent. They were fit, quick and technically very good,” he said.