Breaking News: Spurs land £20m Modric!!!

[Morrison]

Tottenhamhotspur.com - News Extra - Luka To The Lane

The Club is delighted to announce that it has reached agreement with Dinamo Zagreb for the transfer of Croatian midfielder, Luka Modric.

Personal terms have been agreed with the player and he will now undertake a medical and apply for a work permit.

[Morrison]

Goal.com - Tottenham - Tottenham Complete Modric Signing - Report

“Everything has been agreed and Modric will be going to Tottenham,” said a source from Zagreb. “All the details are in place and the fee is £20m.”

[Trim]

Surprising! Good signing for Spurs.

[unitedfan]

Big Big Big signing. In my opinion, Luka Modric is good enough play for anyone in the world.

As that kind of playmaker though, it'l be interesting to see where he plays, and/or if Spurs change their system to fit him in.

[keano10]

Very good news Maybe this will convince Berbatov to stay?

I wouldn't be surprised if we do change our system next season. Spanish managers seem to like this 4-2-3-1 formation with 2 wingers and 1 attacking midfielder playing just behind a lone forward and I think Modric could be that attacking midfielder.

[Oliver_Kahn]

Originally Posted by keano10

Very good news Maybe this will convince Berbatov to stay?

I wouldn't be surprised if we do change our system next season. Spanish managers seem to like this 4-2-3-1 formation with 2 wingers and 1 attacking midfielder playing just behind a lone forward and I think Modric could be that attacking midfielder.

For that though, you'll need to sign a top class DM first. I don't think Huddlestone-Zokora is solid enough to give Modric the freedom he needs.

And what happens to Boateng now ?

[unitedfan]

And what happens to Boateng now ?

He's been deadwood all season. Losing his place in the pecking order to O'Hara has surely sealed his exit.

It's fairly certain Ramos will go after a fair number of players. He signed 4 in January, another one now, and is reportedly planning and overhaul of the squad. O'Hara has been quite solid though, and Huddlestone is also a good player - both of them young. Jenas to, of course, has put in some very good performances under Ramos. He'l probably get in another DM, but he's got good players there.

[Oliver_Kahn]

Originally Posted by unitedfan

He's been deadwood all season. Losing his place in the pecking order to O'Hara has surely sealed his exit.

It's fairly certain Ramos will go after a fair number of players. He signed 4 in January, another one now, and is reportedly planning and overhaul of the squad. O'Hara has been quite solid though, and Huddlestone is also a good player - both of them young. Jenas to, of course, has put in some very good performances under Ramos. He'l probably get in another DM, but he's got good players there.

Good enough to challenge for top 5 though ?

Forgot about Jenas, good point. I rate Huddlestone, but I don't think he is good enough, yet. O'Hara I've only seen once, don't know how good he is tbh.

And shame about Boateng, he was pretty good for Hertha, I thought he'd do well in England.

[unitedfan]

Good enough to challenge for top 5 though ?

Forgot about Jenas, good point. I rate Huddlestone, but I don't think he is good enough, yet. O'Hara I've only seen once, don't know how good he is tbh.

Like I said, he'l probably bring in another one. I think thatd then be enough.

Spanish managers seem to like this 4-2-3-1 formation with 2 wingers and 1 attacking midfielder playing just behind a lone forward

Ramos was very much a 442 man at Sevilla. I don't see where Modric would play in such a system though, so you may think you'd go 4231, or something similar. But then, that would sacrifice the Keane-Berbs partnership, which, imo, you just cannot do. I'm not sure where Modric will feature.

[keano10]

If Ramos sticks to 4-4-2, I'm not sure where Modric will fit in either. I haven't seen enough of him to say whether he could play as the AM with just one DM to cover for him, a bit like Scholes used to at Man Utd with Roy Keane behind him.

I totally agree that we need another DM. Huddlestone is a good player, and has lost a lot of weight since Ramos joined, but I'm still not sure he is mobile enough to play that role. Zokora in my opinion is not good enough and Jenas cannot play the DM role either as he likes going forward too much. The only other option is O'Hara, who could be moulded into that type of player.

If Berbatov leaves (which does look likely), maybe Ramos will change the formation next season. It certainly will be an interesting summer at WHL.

[Oliver_Kahn]

What about Poulsen for DM ?

Sevilla will probably not qualify to the CL and Poulsen has a very nice 10m € buy-out clause.

Also from Sevilla, there's Diego Capel with a 18m € buy-out clause, he has been a revelation player for Sevilla this season and you're in a need for a left-footed winger.

Originally Posted by unitedfan

Ramos was very much a 442 man at Sevilla. I don't see where Modric would play in such a system though, so you may think you'd go 4231, or something similar. But then, that would sacrifice the Keane-Berbs partnership, which, imo, you just cannot do. I'm not sure where Modric will feature.

Modrid could do an Anderson and become more of CM. When Anderson joined Utd, I didn't think he'd fit in well because he was more of an attacking mid who played in front of 2 DM's, but now he's arguably your best CM.

[kyan]

Spurs have been linked with both Poulsen and Capel since Ramos joined, that could just be lazy journalism considering they used to play for Ramos and they're in the 2 positions Spurs desperately need, but either way they'd both make sense.

On the Modric signing, it certainly is a coup, although a very expensive one. I'm sure Spurs fingers will be crossed that it won't be another Easter European flop (a la Rebrov) and rather a success (a la Berbatov) but this was a high-risk transfer.

Interestingly enough in the list of 5 or 6 players that Ramos wants to keep next season, Zokora was among them. I don't particularly rate him, not good enough at timing his tackles to be a DM and not creative enough to be a creative CM, but very athletic. I prefer Jenas but I imagine he'd probably get the chop.

Although Ramos could do what Redknapp does with Kranjcar, and play him wide left with a free role.

[NJ10]

Surely a new keeper should be top of Spurs' shopping list. I believe they want Kameni from Espanyol or Gomes from PSV.

Spose this is a bit of a typical Spurs signing, a creative midfielder when they need a bit more steel. But he's a good player is Modric, and if they have the money then good luck to them, I just think personally replacements are needed elsewhere.

[skeeta]

Modric is class, but rather lightweight (especially in an English context). He will need at least one (and preferably two) guys in midfield to win the ball for him and add some bite.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Ramos effect made up my mind to join Spurs, says new boy Modric as he eyes big European nights

Luka Modric has revealed the importance of Juande Ramos in his decision to sign for Tottenham - and he wants to play in the Champions League under his new head coach.

Spurs have agreed a £15.8million deal with Dinamo Zagreb for the Croatia international, and the move will be sealed when the formalities of a medical and work permit are completed.

Chelsea were thought to be interested in Modric earlier in the season and Newcastle made no secret that they wanted him, with the deal being seen as a coup for Spurs in their bid to eventually play in the Champions League.

The 22-year-old wants to play in Europe's top club competition under Ramos.

He said: "I want to play for Tottenham in international football - Champions League or UEFA Cup games.

"I want to achieve big things with the club and be in the top group of teams in the Premier League. I am happy that the coach Juande Ramos wanted me, it is the most important thing that the coach wants you as a player.

"It is right that many clubs in England were interested in taking me, but my favourite from the first meeting was Tottenham because I am a big fan of coach Ramos."

With other clubs declaring their interest in Modric, Spurs acted quickly to secure the midfielder.

"We had to speed things up because if not we could have lost him," said Ramos. "The chairman acted very quickly."

Modric offers Ramos options across his midfield next season.

"We've signed him because the player is able to adapt to the characteristics of the team," said the Spurs head coach. "He can play in any position in midfield.

"He is a footballer with an enormous future and I just hope he gives the best of himself when he's here."

Modric is seen as the playmaker to supply Dimitar Berbatov but Ramos suggested at the weekend that the Bulgaria striker could be allowed to leave if a club meets Spurs' valuation.

"We know the situation of Berbatov and we are quite calm about it. If a team comes along and pays the asking price the chairman wants, then possibly yes," he said. "If not, we're delighted to have him here."

The Daily Mail