Spurs manager Harry Redknapp has long been an admirer of Benayoun, and showed interest in the creative midfielder when he left Liverpool last year.
The Israel captain moved to Stamford Bridge instead but failed to make an impression in a season wrecked by a heel injury.
He has been bright during pre-season but it is indicative of Chelsea’s desire to land Modric that Andre Villas-Boas is prepared to sacrifice Benayoun.
Since arriving from Porto in June, Villas-Boas has spoken many times about the importance of players who can operate ‘between the lines’, bringing fluidity and unpredictability to Chelsea’s rigid system.
Benayoun fits into this category, not to mention the fact that he is perhaps the only player to have displayed any chemistry with Fernando Torres.
Spurs, who have rejected bids of £22m and £27m, are optimistic that they can fight off Chelsea’s interest and convince Modric, who is in Ireland with Croatia, to commit to at least one more year at White Hart Lane, even though he has already said he wants to leave.
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