Luka Modric has not travelled with the rest of the Tottenham Hotspur squad for Monday night's game at champions Manchester United.
Modric has been desperate to leave Spurs all summer, with Chelsea having bids of £22 million and £27 million rejected, and manager Harry Redknapp has revealed the player is not is the right state of mind to play.
The game will be Tottenham's first of the Premier League season, with their opener postponed due to riots in London. Modric did not feature in last week's 5-0 Europa League win at Hearts, which would have made him ineligible for Chelsea's Champions League campaign.
Chelsea are expected to unveil the signing of Spanish winger Juan Mata from Valenica in the next 24 hours, while new striker Romelu Lukaku will also be paraded in front of the press. Redknapp is hoping the signing of Mata is the end of the Modric saga, but Blues owner Roman Abramovich is seemingly ready to spend again.
There is now the suggestion that Israel international Yossi Benayoun could become part of the Modric deal, and he has indicated on his Twitter page that his future should be decided by Wednesday after one injury-ravaged season at Stamford Bridge.
Redknapp now finds himself in the same situation at Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger with Cesc Fabregas, having a player who is essential physically fit to play but not mentally. It's a situation which makes a move to Chelsea all the more likely.
Redknapp told talkSPORT: "He's got a little bit of an injury. There's a possibility he could have played through it. But at the moment his head's not in the right place.
"I think Daniel [Levy] has said he will sit down with Luka in a month or so and have a chat with him and a look at his contract. I want to keep him for sure. I just felt that if he didn't want to be here that much that maybe we might have to sell him. If people don't want to play for you, you might have to sell him and go and get three or four players in.
"As a player I couldn't be happier to keep Luka Modric, he's a fantastic footballer and as I've said many times you couldn't meet a nicer boy."
Meanwhile, Niko Kranjcar thinks Modric should not be vilified for wanting to leave the club for Chelsea.
Kranjcar told the London Evening Standard: "It is his decision to make and something he has to go through with the club. No one deserves to judge him if he decides to go because he has given three fantastic years to the club.
"I think as a friend you support them no matter what they decide to do. He has played every game with his heart and if he gets an opportunity or the club decide to sell him, everyone should support his decision. It is his decision not ours and it's not up to us to convince him to stay or go.''
Should Modric remain, however, Kranjcar thinks he will give his all.
"If the club don't sell him he will continue to play his football for the club as always because he loves the game,'' he added.
"He loves it too much not to give his best. Everyone should expect him to give his all to the cause. I'm sure he will put in a great performance when selected.''
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