Real Madrid have bid more than pounds 40 million to sign Luka Modric from Tottenham Hotspur, paving the way for the midfielder to finally leave.
Real Madrid have bid more than pounds 40 million to sign Luka Modric from Tottenham Hotspur, paving the way for the midfielder to finally leave.
Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea are also attempting to sign the
26-year-old Croatia international but it is understood that a deal could be struck with Real in the next few days.
Real had cooled their interest, after an inquiry earlier this summer, in which they had offered cash plus Turkey midfielder Nuri Sahin but talks are understood to have resumed over a straight cash offer.
Spurs chairman Daniel Levy has been quoting an asking price of pounds 50 million for Modric but the Real offer is expected to be the best one, he will receive with the player preferring to move to Spain rather than join PSG.
Levy is adamant that if Modric quits Spurs then he will also leave the Premier League and the chairman will not even countenance an offer from Chelsea whose interest may, indeed, wane now that they have agreed a deal to sign the exciting young Brazil playmaker Oscar for around pounds 22 million.
That move came about after Chelsea hijacked Spurs's bid to sign the 20 year-old from Internacional and, should Modric go, it is likely that they will make a move for Joao Moutinho although they will not meet Porto's asking price of more than pounds 30 million for the Portuguese midfielder. A deal, however, does seem likely for Moutinho to eventually move to White Hart Lane.
Yesterday Spurs's new head coach, Andre Villas-Boas, confirmed that the club would listen to offers for Modric after he once again informed them he would like to leave. "The interest Luka is getting from a number of different clubs is the same as he got last year," Villas-Boas said. "Luka is a player of major importance for the football club and that is why he attracts so many clubs.
"At the moment, it's in the hands of the chairman to accept the right proposition. Chelsea was involved last year so there is nothing new in the situation. If the player's ambition is to move to another club, we can respect that decision, but there are club interests that the chairman will defend and I think only when the right offer is met, there will be more use."
Villas-Boas, who coached Moutinho at Porto, added of the midfielder: "He was one of the most important players of Euro 2012, he had a fantastic tournament, and he's an important player for Porto. It doesn't mean that it's the only target, but if something happened of course he's the player we look on with interest."
Moutinho has already expressed an interest in joining Villas-Boas at Spurs, who are waiting to hear whether Emmanuel Adebayor will join the club on a permanent basis. Spurs, who had the Togo international on loan last season, have made an offer to the striker, who is free to leave Manchester City, but nothing is agreed as yet.
"The squad has some fragilities, particularly on the striker position - we are looking for somebody else," Villas-Boas said. "We are extremely willing to have Adebayor on board with us. It's just a remote possibility at the moment."
However Spurs have no interest in signing Daniel Sturridge, who is thought to be for sale at Chelsea. The club also intend to keep Rafael van der Vaart, despite interest from Bundesliga clubs, although that may change if a replacement is signed.
Spurs are also expected to make an announcement soon on the future of Ledley King, who is expected to retire from football.
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