Former Tottenham man Paul Robinson believes the club need to let Christian Eriksen leave this summer.
The Dane has admitted that he is ready for a "new challenge" after six years at Spurs and Real Madrid looks to be his most likely destination.
The Premier League transfer window closed on August 8, but the window in each of the other top four European leagues remains open until September 2.
It remains to be seen whether or not Madrid will return with a bid for the playmaker, with manager Zinedine Zidane preferring a move for Manchester United's Paul Pogba.
However, it does not look as if that deal will get done, so the Bernabeu outfit could turn to Eriksen instead.
And Robinson thinks Spurs should cash in.
Speaking to Sky Sports, the former goalkeeper said: "I'd be surprised if they do keep hold of him, due to the fact he still hasn't signed the contract that's been offered, he's made noises that he's ready for a new challenge, and the fact that he hasn't signed a new contract going into the last year.
"I think it does have an effect on the team and the players around him and if he did want to stay and his heart was there he would have signed it by now.
"If he's not going to sign a contract, they have to cash in."
And Robinson also delivered a message to the player over the transfer rumours.
He added: "As a player he has to be fair to Tottenhan and say 'my heart's not here, I do want to go'. I think it's best for all parties that he goes now so they get a fee for him, rather than staying until January and holding the club to ransom and going on a free.
"I don't think that's the right thing to do, but it might be what he wants to do.
"Daniel [Levy] is very clever, he's a very astute businessman, the way he's run that club for the last however many years, immense credit is due to him.
"He will know what he's doing with this deal, he will have offered a contract that he thinks is more than acceptable and it's up to the player whether he signs it or not."
