We broke the news yesterday that Newcastle United had invited Dinamo Zagreb officials to Newcastle earlier in the week to discuss the transfer of their 22 year-old midfield star Luka Modric.
Luka Modric – deal already done and dusted?
This morning the Daily Telegraph is reporting the story, and says Newcastle are close to buying the highly-rated Croatian midfielder in a £12M deal, already agreed with Modric’s Dinamo Zagreb club.
Dinamo vice-president Zdravko Mamic met Newcastle representatives at Newcastle’s Malmaison hotel earlier this week for low-level talks, and we believe the deal could well be done and dusted.
The deal has been led by Newcastle’s new director of football, Dennis Wise, and the capture of Modric would be a huge coup for the Tyneside club and out new Recruitment team, as the player has attracted the attention of other top clubs Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal, as we reported yesterday.
Mamic has even informally confirmed that Modric is near to finalizing the move to Newcastle, where manager Kevin Keegan is looking for extra top-class midfield talent. The Telegraph is even reporting that Modric may already be celebrating his huge move on a personal basis.
Modric had also been linked with Barcelona, but wanted to move to the Premier League.
It’s not clear if Modric arrives, what would happen to Emre, although Keegan may want to keep the Turkish midfield star. We need all the midfield talent we can get to fire the engine room of Kevin’s new team, currently under construction on Tyneside.
If the transfer does go through we believe it would be welcomed by the Newcastle faithful.
Comments welcome.
107 comments so far
Kash2
Apr 24, 2008 at 9:34 AM
Comment #41Arshavin would be a welcomed buy too.
Geordie Gerrard7
Apr 24, 2008 at 9:39 AM
Comment #42i would want arshavin, modric, moutinho, sidwell, arombrieta, dunne and bullard
valle
Apr 24, 2008 at 9:45 AM
Comment #43Moutinho, Arshavin and Modric all play the same postion and each of them would cost loads of money, i dont think that would be very wise…
Hadji
Apr 24, 2008 at 9:50 AM
Comment #44All we need is to agree with his salary demands and he’s ours.It was written by the Croatian press that Newcastle was very generous with the transfer fee but when it came to Modric’s salaries they started acting as if they have a snake in their pockets.Lol
Gunnar Pétur / Iceland
Apr 24, 2008 at 9:50 AM
Comment #45This would with out a doubt prove to be a great signing for NUFC. BUT I won’t even think of celebrating until I see this guy wearing the black and white stripes. I’ll keep my fingers crossed until then.
Geordie Gerrard7
Apr 24, 2008 at 9:52 AM
Comment #46no they dont, arshavin is more left sided, moutinho is more a central midfielder, and modric can float, also all these signings would give great rotation, and are all young.
Matthew Tom
Apr 24, 2008 at 9:57 AM
Comment #47Yes he looks very good, just the sort of player I feel we should be looking for.
But he’s only been over for a cup of tea and a chat. Let’s wait til we see him in the shirt and shaking hands with Kev on the pitch.
valle
Apr 24, 2008 at 10:00 AM
Comment #48Arsharvin CAN play all over, but has lately mostly been used behind the striker… Modric CAN play on the wing, but is used maily as a playmaker where his vision can be exploited the most… Moutinho is ALSO a playmaker… It seems to me all these guys are prefered as central offensive players, and buying them just because they are good and then playing them in their secondary position dosnt make any sense at all…
valle
Apr 24, 2008 at 10:03 AM
Comment #49Furthermore, all of them would cost 10 millions, meaning 30 millions on playmakers alone… Imo, Modric is a great buy and after him we should start to look at a centre back and a left back… after that if there is more money, new wingers and a good def mid replacement for old Butt.
Geordie Gerrard7
Apr 24, 2008 at 10:08 AM
Comment #50if we need wingers, it has to be lennon and someone like farfan, in january we all wanted wright-phillips, but in all honest truth, would anyone still want him?
valle
Apr 24, 2008 at 10:11 AM
Comment #51I agree about Lennon, he is more direct and lets go of the ball earlier than Milner, and in all honesty Miners crossing isnt much better than Lennon’s.
toonarmy08
Apr 24, 2008 at 10:15 AM
Comment #52up the toon.if modric story is true then we have a great young talent on our hands.Get arshavin lennon mcgeady dunne and the boy from bilbao and we have very good team for nxt season.
Geordie Gerrard7
Apr 24, 2008 at 10:20 AM
Comment #53we just need someone with blistering pace such as lennon, thats what we have been missing as the only player with pace to burn is oba, i used to like it when we had dyer and bellamy, we could break whenever and as quick as we liked, i liked the old sir bobby system with buy young and quick players. i still think its auwesome that viduka is modrics cousin, someone told me a while ago but only looked it up yesterday
marat18
Apr 24, 2008 at 10:20 AM
Comment #54Arshavin plays a bit different position than Modric, and he will costs around 8-10 mill. Andrei is a winger and Modric I guess is a central midfielder.
I would like to have both of them, but Modric is far better option as I see it.
Also I would glad to see us getting big strong stiker and CB.
Add here Riise and you will get:
———-Harper or Given———
Beye—–Taylor—-CB—Enrique
(Geremi)-(Faye)———-(Riise)
Arshavin-Barton-Modric-Milner
————(Butt)–(Emre)–(Duff)
—————Owen-FC
————(Martins)-(Viduka)
Dreams, dreams, dreams…
Sorry, my CD-drive is broken, so this site is the only place where I can play FM2008 :)))
valle
Apr 24, 2008 at 10:22 AM
Comment #55We could have loads of pace if we also go after McGeady that we have been linked with… That would be 2 wings you didnt catch if you first lose them…
geordie nick
Apr 24, 2008 at 10:23 AM
Comment #56id rather have wright-phillips than lennon any day, wouldnt mind farfam though, and cant wait to see if this modric transfer is confirmed by kk or mort sometime soon
Graeme
Apr 24, 2008 at 10:24 AM
Comment #57Once the play-makers are sorted, a true “shearer” type of player, to replace the duke would be good. Wouldnt mind Crouch, but there must be better available in Europe and Africa.
Another LB to cover for Enrique would also be helpful – its going to be an interesting transfer window this year!!!!!
valle
Apr 24, 2008 at 10:27 AM
Comment #58Marat18
Arshavin graduated from Smena football school. In 1999 and early 2000 he played for Zenit’s farm club, Zenit-2, in the Second Division.
In 2000 he was included in Zenit squad. He played in various positions on the field, starting as a right midfielder, then as an attacking midfielder and finally adopted second striker’s role playing on a flank or behind a target man
(From Wikipedia… Go read it)
valle
Apr 24, 2008 at 10:28 AM
Comment #59Graeme… True, but who?… Cant really think of who could do the job
valle
Apr 24, 2008 at 10:34 AM
Comment #60And btw, we dont need another Left Back to cover for Enrique, we need Enrique to cover for another left back…
Dom4Toon
Apr 24, 2008 at 10:36 AM
Comment #61Exciting stuff!!!
please please be true!!!
toonhitman
Apr 24, 2008 at 10:36 AM
Comment #62lets not get carried away yet its not a done deal
Geordie Gerrard7
Apr 24, 2008 at 10:40 AM
Comment #63no way, i like enrique alot, give him next season, we need cover for him. anyway, anyone know what the croation press are saying today about the transfer?
marat18
Apr 24, 2008 at 10:41 AM
Comment #64valle
I know who Arshavin is – seen him a lot watching Russian league and national team.
You can say that he is a second striker playing on a flank. Yes, he is. Zenith plays counter-attacking football, so it means that “second striker playing on a flank” plays as a winger.
BTW, today is UEFA cup semi, Bayern Munich vs Zenith S-Pb.
Wiki is not always correct.
Michael
Apr 24, 2008 at 10:45 AM
Comment #65Am working down in London at the moment and had a very interesting dinner with a sensible Chelsea fan last night. Apparently Joe Cole is very unhappy at the moment and Wise is using his connections to help the process along. Also, if Wenger wants miserable Charlie so much what about a swap for Walcott? Or Clichy plus cash?
milnerfan
Apr 24, 2008 at 10:45 AM
Comment #66http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/article1081523.ece done deal?
Geordie Lumberjack
Apr 24, 2008 at 10:48 AM
Comment #67I would love it, love it!
Leo
Apr 24, 2008 at 10:50 AM
Comment #68bloody hell its getting to be hysteria on hear with this little rumour, its a hoax im so sure.
gutted though because it would be a great signing
THELONGSHANKS
Apr 24, 2008 at 10:54 AM
Comment #69If we pull of this transfer id say this team for next season.
given
alves,kompany,terry,lahm
ronaldo,modric,kaka,messi
huntelaar,villa
280 million for the lot so ashley has 620million left to sit back and watch his new team and decide who goes on the back of his new jersey?
Geordie Gerrard7
Apr 24, 2008 at 10:55 AM
Comment #70leo, what you mean its a hoax, i think its to good to be true but it seems as though it is true.
valle
Apr 24, 2008 at 10:57 AM
Comment #71Marat18… Wiki is as true a source as you can get (On the net i might add), but in regards to the comment about a second striker on the flank being a winger, i dont agree… at least thats not how i see a winger (Which i feel should lie in midfield)… What you are talking about is simply a left sided attacker.
Geordie Gerrard7
Apr 24, 2008 at 10:59 AM
Comment #72id prefer owen than villa, i cant stand him, always goes missing in the big games, remmber against chelsea?? he was shocking, thats why im not bothred if man united or arsenal or anyone signs him, he is sooo weak also.
marat18
Apr 24, 2008 at 11:07 AM
Comment #73valle
yes, but when your team is sitting deep and waiting for counter-attack, then flank striker does what usualy wingers do – run down the flank and create moments for striker(s) or sometimes act on his own.
Anyway – that how I see it 🙂
And this is KK who we deal with – his wingers always were attacking-minded.
CRAIGG
Apr 24, 2008 at 11:09 AM
Comment #74Lads i would love this to happen, but dont forget Woodgate was a done deal in January and that went pearshaped
We are also linked with SWP and Sidwell today SWP as Milners long term competion on the right, And Sidwell as Butts long term replacement as he has played mostly as a DM at Chelsea.
Spyro
Apr 24, 2008 at 11:17 AM
Comment #75on Newsnow.com there are a couple of chelsea blogs bitterly complaining about us potentially stealing modric from under avram grants nose, hahahah
Dondatta13
Apr 24, 2008 at 11:29 AM
Comment #76Guys, IF theres a GOD we would throw our hat in the ring for this fella Rafeal Van Der Vaart. How long will he be happy to stay at HSV. Kevin Keegan played at HSV from 1979-1982 ; )
This guy would be a dream signing OMG, imagine him in a the famous black & white of NUFC.
Well …… He’d be better than the last #23 to grace SJP in the toon strip lol (Shola Bambi-obi)
Heres a mouth watering link to feast your eyes on
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYujRdlyGJ8&feature=related
Robert from Serbia
Apr 24, 2008 at 11:46 AM
Comment #77the deal with Luka Modric is already done !!!he signed for Newcastle,and he already told his friends to make a party….and the president of Dinamo told that the deal is done,just some personal thins need to be finished…Newcastle did make highest bid,and around 15 mill !
aaron d
Apr 24, 2008 at 11:50 AM
Comment #78whats your source Robert from Serbia?
geordie nick
Apr 24, 2008 at 12:28 PM
Comment #79now all we need is to hear kk or mort come out and confirm this deal, but from what i have been reading i am confident that he is comin 2 the toon!!!! FINGERS CROSSED EH LADS!!!!
Toon_Ksk
Apr 24, 2008 at 12:41 PM
Comment #80OMG OMG OMG!!! FVCK YES!!!