Premier League: Modric deal to spark a week of moves

"It would appear that Andre Villas-Boas is wasting no time pursuing further targets."

With the transfer window just days away from closing, many Premier League teams are frantically trying to push through last-minute deals...

After more than 12 months of agonising speculation surrounding Luka Modric's post-Tottenham destination, the midfield maestro has finally moved on to Real Madrid.

In the end, it probably seems like the best move for all concerned, as the Croatian has not only netted his club around £30 million from his sale, but Spurs also have the bonus of avoiding him returning to line up for a Premier League rival.

His new team's rather sticky start to the season has seen the Spanish champions slip in the betting to retain their La Liga title, however in light of Modric's arrival, it might be an opportune time to back them at 3.259/4.

Losing a player of Modric's quality is always going to hurt a team, but it does give Spurs a chance to spend some of the revenue that they have reaped on finding quality replacements.

It would appear that Andre Villas-Boas is wasting no time pursuing further targets as French club Rennes have reported receiving a bid for their defensive midfielder Yann M'Vila in the last 24 hours.

The 22-year-old has been heavily linked with a move to England this summer and it would appear Spurs are now in pole position given their renewed financial clout. It would be a real coup for AVB, after several top clubs expressed interest, including bitter rivals Arsenal.

Another player being linked is Fulham's Moussa Dembele, who would certainly be more in the Modric mould and has thoroughly impressed in his time at Craven Cottage.

Whatever happens, it seems that AVB will strengthen in at least a few areas and this can only improve Tottenham's chances of a top-four finish this season, priced at an attractive 4.1n/a on account of a stuttering start.

Spurs are not the only club in the hunt for players though as Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini is desperate to improve his squad and it's now highly likely that Swansea's Scott Sinclair will arrive at the Etihad following his exclusion from their matchday squad to face West Ham.

Mancini has publically stated how important it is for the champions to make acquisitions to improve their squad after all their main rivals invested heavily over the summer, so Sinclair may not be the only arrival this week.

City have gone behind in all three games so far this season, conceding at least two goals, so maybe it will be in defence that the Italian will strengthen. If you fancy QPR to continue that trend, 1.8810/11 on both teams to score on Sunday seems a good shout, especially as Rangers netted twice at the Etihad Stadium in 'that game' last season.

Other final week moves being gossiped about are Joe Barton to be released by QPR, Yohan Cabaye to Arsenal, Michael Dawson to QPR and Clint Dempsey could still leave west London, with Anfield the likely destination.

Meanwhile in the Championship, it appears that Wolves' clear out of stars may not quite be finished yet, with Republic of Ireland striker Kevin Doyle linked with a surprise £6 million move across the midlands to rivals Aston Villa.

There are no comments on this article.

Amazon Watches Center

Tottenham Transfer News: Modric staying, Crouch off, Cahill joining

Premier League / Richard / 31 August 2011 / Leave a Comment

Harry Redknapp is convinced Luka Modric will stay at Spurs

"Redknapp was sure his side weren’t going to sign anyone on transfer deadline day last summer and they ended up bagging Real Madrid midfielder Rafael van der Vaart for £8million."

Harry 'don't call me a wheeler dealer' Redknapp looks set for a massive day of wheeling and dealing with several players linked to moves in and out of White Hart Lane

It's just as well Tottenham Hotspur's chairman Daniel Levy has a batter grasp on numbers than manager Harry Redknapp who this morning said he was a "million per cent sure" that Luka Modric would be staying at White Hart Lane.

Speaking to Sky Sports News, the Spurs boss said: "Obviously there's been all the talk about Luka but the chairman has held firm and he's not for sale.

"So he's not going, which is great. That won't happen, no chance. One million per cent - that will not happen."

However, Redknapp was sure his side weren't going to sign anyone on transfer deadline day last summer and they ended up bagging Real Madrid midfielder Rafael van der Vaart for £8million.

If you reckon Harry is telling porkies, then Modric can still be backed to leave Spurs at [4.1].

One player who does look set to leave though is Peter Crouch who is allegedly now being pursued by Queens Park Rangers and Sunderland.

The Black Cats remain favourites for his signature though as the £12million valuation is thought to be putting Neil Warnock and his board off the player.

Crouch would certainly do a job for Sunderland who have been starved of a goalscorer since Darren Bent's move to Aston Villa in January.

If Steve Bruce's side - who have scored just one goal in three Premier League games this term - can start finding the net, a bet on them to finish in the top ten at [2.1] looks well worth a punt.

Meanwhile, Redknapp is also keen to bring in Bolton defender Gary Cahill after Arsenal withdrew their interest in the centre-half yesterday.

Redknapp, rather coyly, said: "I've always been a big admirer of Gary Cahill so we've got to wait and see really," he said.

"We've got some bits and pieces to do ourselves. So we'll see how the day pans out."

There's no doubting Spurs need to add some more quality to their squad if they are to have any chance of getting back into the top four. They are currently [6.0] to do just that.

Everything looks set for another interesting day in North London...

Tied to a chair and armed with just a TV and a laptop, Mike Norman (and later Jaymes Monte) is here to bring you all the deals as they happen on Transfer Deadline Day....

Manchester City are going against the grain and getting someone on the cheap, while Arsenal are going mad and spending some money...

After the Manchester Massacre at the weekend, Wayne Rooney and Edin Dzeko have become joint favourites to finish top Premier League goalscorer...

Play Casino & Poker here

Luka Modric Transfer: Dan the hard man

Premier League / Ralph Ellis / 11 July 2011 / 1 Comments

Daniel Levy has been accused by Luka Modric of going back on his word, and not for the first time

"Playing tough and making Modric honour the six-year contract he signed is the best way to show they mean business. It would send a signal to the dressing room, to the likes of Gareth Bale, that the club remain ambitious."

Luka Modric has his heart set on a move to Chelsea but he's finding out like other Spurs players before him that he'll only be sold when Daniel Levy is good and ready to let him go. The interesting thing is that the Betfair market still thinks that will be this summer.

These days, top players have an army of people working for them. There are bodyguards, and drivers, and gardeners, and pretty much any other sort of "ers" that their lifestyle might demand; most especially, they have lawyers who check out their entitlement to image rights and the occasional super injunction.

But it amazes me that so many of these men of law still allow huge loopholes in their clients' contracts. They check through the fine print of several pages of a five-year deal. Meanwhile the player is being assured by his chairman or chief executive that "if a big club comes we won't stand in your way". Yet somehow that part of the process never gets put in writing.

Luka Modric is the latest to find himself on the wrong end of this process, and no doubt he'll be getting plenty of sympathy from both Charles N'Zogbia and Stewart Downing this morning. All three of them have got their eyes on pastures new - and all three are finding that their clubs are playing hardball.

Modric wants to go to Chelsea. Chelsea want to sign him. The trouble is that Spurs don't want to sell. So now the Croatian midfielder is playing the "Daniel Levy can't be trusted" card. Spurs fans will be familiar with this tactic. We've heard it over the years from Darren Bent, Dimitar Berbatov, and from plenty others claiming the chairman had gone back on promises.

"I reminded Mr Levy of the gentlemen's agreement we made last summer," said Modric. "I mentioned that if a concrete offer comes in from a big club we will look at the offer and agree the best solution. The chairman said: 'ok we will sit down and discuss it.' Now he is changing his story."

The problem for Modric is that actually Levy is not changing his stance at all. He has indeed sat down and discussed it, and agreed that the best solution for Spurs is not to sell.

Betfair's market has taken a cynical view. Levy has previous for promising top players wouldn't go at any price, and in the past has always buckled on deadline day and taken the biggest fee he could get (think of both Berbatov and Michael Carrick). At the moment the midfielder is rated odds against to stay at anywhere between [2.1] and [3.4].

But this time it could be different. Tottenham are at a pivotal moment if they want last season's wonderful Champions League adventure to be more than a one-year wonder. Playing tough and making Modric honour the six-year contract he signed is the best way to show they mean business. It would send a signal to the dressing room, to the likes of Gareth Bale, that the club remain ambitious. And with the experience of Brad Friedel in goal bringing some extra security to the defence, it might just make them value at [4.5] to recover a top four spot.

Levy may finally have realised that the old adage "you can't keep an unhappy player" no longer applies. If the star throws a sulk once the transfer window shuts he will quickly find he is the only person to suffer. Martin O'Neill proved that a couple of years back when Aston Villa refused to sell Gareth Barry unless they got the fee they wanted. The England midfielder stayed another full and successful season.

Villa clearly haven't forgotten that lesson. Having let Ashley Young move to Manchester United with just a year on his deal left, they are playing hardball with Stewart Downing. New boss Alex McLeish has set the price at £20million, and if Liverpool or Arsenal won't pay that much then the player won't go. Downing, with two years of his contract left, might not like it, but he will have to get on with it.

The downside to that stance is that it's stopping McLeish from recruiting Charles N'Zogbia from Wigan because Dave Whelan is talking just as tough. He reckons the 25-year-old French winger should be in the same price bracket as Downing. Guess what? N'Zogbia thought he had a "gentlemen's agreement" from the chairman that "if a big club came in we can talk about it".

Gervinho won more trophies last season than several of his new team-mates have earned in their careers, but that's not the reason why he should prove a shrewd addition, says Michael Lintorn....

There is speculation that Chelsea will move for Joao Moutinho following Michael Essien's injury in pre-season training, while their pursuit of Luka Modric may not be over....

The betting says he's off with Real Madrid and Chelsea the leading contenders but there are plenty of reasons to doubt that, says Joe Dyer...

Play Casino & Poker here