MODS DON'T BE CUNTS, THIS IS TOO BIG FOR THAT DEAD FORUM
Chelsea make £22m bid for Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Luka Modric
Chelsea lodged a £22 million bid on Wednesday night for Luka Modric as the club’s owner, Roman Abramovich, made his first move in his attempts to rejuvenate his squad.
Luka Modric set to move from Tottenham Hotspur to Chelsea
All smiles: Luka Modric will sign for Chelsea Photo: ACTION IMAGES
Rory Smith
By Rory Smith
10:00PM BST 15 Jun 2011
CommentsComment
The formal offer was rejected by Tottenham Hotspur within two hours, but the Stamford Bridge side are expected to return with improved terms imminently.
Abramovich is desperate to add more creativity to Chelsea’s midfield and reduce the average age of the club’s squad, leading the Russian and his coterie of advisers to identify the Croatian international as their priority transfer target.
Chelsea’s owner is determined to press ahead with the signing despite the fact that he is yet to appoint a replacement for manager Carlo Ancelotti.
Modric has confirmed in recent weeks that Spurs’ failure to retain their Champions League status came as a substantial blow to his ambitions and it is believed Harry Redknapp and Daniel Levy, White Hart Lane’s manager and chairman, now face a fierce battle to hold on to their prize asset.
Manchester United have also registered their interest in Modric but have turned their attentions to Alexis Sanchez — who is also on Chelsea’s target list — and Arsenal’s Samir Nasri.
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Abramovich has decided against bidding for the French international after being offered the midfielder by intermediaries.
Redknapp has already stated that it is crucial for Spurs to retain Modric, describing the playmaker as “key” to his team’s fortunes. But he has also knows he has to generate funds to make changes to his side.
Spurs rejected an initial inquiry from Chelsea two weeks ago and, although no bid was made at that time, it is believed an offer close to £35m might tempt them into a deal.
Modric was in stunning form last season and has proved to be one of the most effective players in the Premier League.
He arrived at Spurs in 2008 — signing a six-year deal which he renewed in 2010 - for £16m from Dynamo Zagreb and given the progress he has made, Chelsea’s bid will be regarded as derisory by Levy.
However it is the opening salvo in Chelsea’s attempts to prise Modric away and much will depend on how the player reacts now an official bid has been made.
Chelsea targeted Modric, Sanchez and Neymar as their three bid signings this summer, as revealed by Telegraph Sport last week, but have dropped their interest in Sanchez, believing the Chilean winger will now become United’s big summer signing.
Chelsea are battling with Real Madrid to secure Neymar and have to decide whether to bid the 45m euros which will trigger a release clause in his contract.
Abramovich would prefer to pay around 30m euros, at most, for the 19-year-old but may be outbid by Real. No official offer has been made yet.
Securing Modric, though, is Chelsea’s priority. They will have been encouraged by his remarks that “if there is an offer which is good for Tottenham and for me also, then a transfer is of course possible,” though the Croat did add that he was not “bothered” or intent on leaving Spurs.
That may now change given Chelsea’s eagerness to secure him to provide the creativity to supply striker Fernando Torres. There is a long-held theory at the club that the team lack a player with Modric’s guile, though his arrival would break up a hugely settled area of Chelsea’s side.
There have been suggestions that Frank Lampard’s future is in some doubt after a comparatively disappointing campaign, though it is all but unthinkable that such a key player will be sold.
Modric’s presence and price, though, would suggest that it is the 25-year-old who will take over the England international’s role as the team’s creative hub.
Abramovich is also determined to add pace to his managerless side, and a winger will likely follow in Modric’s wake.
Chelsea are understood to be close to announcing the signing of Anderlecht striker Romelu Lukaku, widely regarded as a long-term replacement for Didier Drogba.
Spurs are interested in the original version, but Chelsea want him to stay for at least one more year. They may, though, be willing to sell Nicolas Anelka.
If Spurs did sell Modric to Chelsea it would cause an outcry from their supporters, given the animosity between the two clubs and may be a damaging statement about their ambitions.
Spurs would rather move on the likes of Robbie Keane, David Bentley and Sebastien Bassong with Redknapp accepting Levy’s argument that the squad needs to be “streamlined”.
It is understood that Abramovich has now stepped up his preparations for the new season and is close to deciding on appointing a new manager. An announcement is expected within the next 10 days and could come a lot sooner.
The expectation remains that Guus Hiddink will secure his release from his contract as Turkey’s coach and will be offered a 12-month deal with the option of a further year.
Abramovich has considered making a move for Jose Mourinho and the candidacy of Mark Hughes has also been discussed although the Russian billionaire is unlikely to choose the former Fulham manager
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/tottenham-hotspur/8578385/Chelsea-make-22m-bid-for-Tottenham-Hotspur-midfielder-Luka-Modric.html
Chelsea make £22m bid for Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Luka Modric
Chelsea lodged a £22 million bid on Wednesday night for Luka Modric as the club’s owner, Roman Abramovich, made his first move in his attempts to rejuvenate his squad.
Luka Modric set to move from Tottenham Hotspur to Chelsea
All smiles: Luka Modric will sign for Chelsea Photo: ACTION IMAGES
Rory Smith
By Rory Smith
10:00PM BST 15 Jun 2011
CommentsComment
The formal offer was rejected by Tottenham Hotspur within two hours, but the Stamford Bridge side are expected to return with improved terms imminently.
Abramovich is desperate to add more creativity to Chelsea’s midfield and reduce the average age of the club’s squad, leading the Russian and his coterie of advisers to identify the Croatian international as their priority transfer target.
Chelsea’s owner is determined to press ahead with the signing despite the fact that he is yet to appoint a replacement for manager Carlo Ancelotti.
Modric has confirmed in recent weeks that Spurs’ failure to retain their Champions League status came as a substantial blow to his ambitions and it is believed Harry Redknapp and Daniel Levy, White Hart Lane’s manager and chairman, now face a fierce battle to hold on to their prize asset.
Manchester United have also registered their interest in Modric but have turned their attentions to Alexis Sanchez — who is also on Chelsea’s target list — and Arsenal’s Samir Nasri.
Related Articles
The summer's big transfers
09 Jun 2011
Spurs bid for Palermo's Hernandez rejected
09 Jun 2011
Redknapp: I want 'three fantastic signings'
08 Jun 2011
Tottenham sign Friedel on two-year deal
03 Jun 2011
Tottenham to up bid for Damiao
03 Jun 2011
Anderton: Modric right man to replace Scholes
01 Jun 2011
Abramovich has decided against bidding for the French international after being offered the midfielder by intermediaries.
Redknapp has already stated that it is crucial for Spurs to retain Modric, describing the playmaker as “key” to his team’s fortunes. But he has also knows he has to generate funds to make changes to his side.
Spurs rejected an initial inquiry from Chelsea two weeks ago and, although no bid was made at that time, it is believed an offer close to £35m might tempt them into a deal.
Modric was in stunning form last season and has proved to be one of the most effective players in the Premier League.
He arrived at Spurs in 2008 — signing a six-year deal which he renewed in 2010 - for £16m from Dynamo Zagreb and given the progress he has made, Chelsea’s bid will be regarded as derisory by Levy.
However it is the opening salvo in Chelsea’s attempts to prise Modric away and much will depend on how the player reacts now an official bid has been made.
Chelsea targeted Modric, Sanchez and Neymar as their three bid signings this summer, as revealed by Telegraph Sport last week, but have dropped their interest in Sanchez, believing the Chilean winger will now become United’s big summer signing.
Chelsea are battling with Real Madrid to secure Neymar and have to decide whether to bid the 45m euros which will trigger a release clause in his contract.
Abramovich would prefer to pay around 30m euros, at most, for the 19-year-old but may be outbid by Real. No official offer has been made yet.
Securing Modric, though, is Chelsea’s priority. They will have been encouraged by his remarks that “if there is an offer which is good for Tottenham and for me also, then a transfer is of course possible,” though the Croat did add that he was not “bothered” or intent on leaving Spurs.
That may now change given Chelsea’s eagerness to secure him to provide the creativity to supply striker Fernando Torres. There is a long-held theory at the club that the team lack a player with Modric’s guile, though his arrival would break up a hugely settled area of Chelsea’s side.
There have been suggestions that Frank Lampard’s future is in some doubt after a comparatively disappointing campaign, though it is all but unthinkable that such a key player will be sold.
Modric’s presence and price, though, would suggest that it is the 25-year-old who will take over the England international’s role as the team’s creative hub.
Abramovich is also determined to add pace to his managerless side, and a winger will likely follow in Modric’s wake.
Chelsea are understood to be close to announcing the signing of Anderlecht striker Romelu Lukaku, widely regarded as a long-term replacement for Didier Drogba.
Spurs are interested in the original version, but Chelsea want him to stay for at least one more year. They may, though, be willing to sell Nicolas Anelka.
If Spurs did sell Modric to Chelsea it would cause an outcry from their supporters, given the animosity between the two clubs and may be a damaging statement about their ambitions.
Spurs would rather move on the likes of Robbie Keane, David Bentley and Sebastien Bassong with Redknapp accepting Levy’s argument that the squad needs to be “streamlined”.
It is understood that Abramovich has now stepped up his preparations for the new season and is close to deciding on appointing a new manager. An announcement is expected within the next 10 days and could come a lot sooner.
The expectation remains that Guus Hiddink will secure his release from his contract as Turkey’s coach and will be offered a 12-month deal with the option of a further year.
Abramovich has considered making a move for Jose Mourinho and the candidacy of Mark Hughes has also been discussed although the Russian billionaire is unlikely to choose the former Fulham manager
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/tottenham-hotspur/8578385/Chelsea-make-22m-bid-for-Tottenham-Hotspur-midfielder-Luka-Modric.html
