Croatian defender Vedran Corluka has stated that one of the main reasons for him to join Tottenham Hotspur was the presence of compatriot Luka Modric at the White Hart Lane.

Corluka left Manchester City to move to Spurs this summer where the north-Londoners had earlier swooped for talented playmaker Modric from Dinamo Zagreb.

Versatile defender Corluka, who had only joined City last summer from Dinamo Zagreb, said: “Luka is so comfortable with the ball. We will all see how good he is this season. It is hard for me to find the words in English to describe how good he is.

“He is one of the main reasons I wanted to come here. We talked a lot about Spurs when we were with the national team. He is my best friend – we played together at Dinamo Zagreb from the age of 14, even going on loan to Bosnia together.

“Luka was one reason, but the most important thing is to have a manager who wants you. In life, every day you want to be better, and that is what Juande can do. He has two Uefa Cups and a Carling Cup. He can make me a better player.”