Transfer News, Rumours and Bollocks Thread

[AKBapologist]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2...sea?CMP=twt_gu

Tottenham's Luka Modric puts in transfer request to force Chelsea move
• Croatian stuns Spurs while on tour in South Africa
• Midfielder's request follows Spurs' rejection of £27m bid


The breakdown in relations between Luka Modric and the Tottenham Hotspur chairman, Daniel Levy, was complete on Wednesday when the midfielder handed in a transfer request in an attempt to force through a move to Chelsea.

Modric took the step after Tottenham, who have said he is not for sale at any price, rejected a second offer from Chelsea which valued the Croatia international at £27m and followed a previous £22m bid.

The playmaker flew to South Africa with his team-mates for a pre-season tour out of respect for his manager, Harry Redknapp, who has repeatedly praised Modric's attitude and said he understood why the player was keen to join Chelsea. Redknapp has, though, joined Levy in stating that Modric is not for sale.

At the weekend Modric openly criticised Levy in an interview with a Croatian newspaper and accused the chairman of breaking a gentleman's agreement to sell him to a bigger club this summer.

Tottenham have denied making any such agreement and have been considering whether to fine Modric for his remarks.

The 25-year-old has described Chelsea as his "dream" destination, saying he would like to move to play again in the Champions League next season and challenge regularly for trophies.

Redknapp, speaking before news of Modric's transfer request became public, said he hoped the trip to South Africa would benefit Modric. During the 10-day tour Spurs are due to play in a tournament that also involves Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates.

"Hopefully he will go away and get a bit of football now and just get on with it," Redknapp said. "We hope that he will come back and get ready for the new season."

Steven Pienaar would be one of the squad members who would benefit most from Modric's departure but he said he hoped the former Dinamo Zagreb player will stay. "You are always looking to strengthen and for us it's important that we all stick together as a team and make the most of it," Pienaar told Sky Sports News.

William Gallas has not travelled with the squad due to a calf problem and the defender Ledley King and the midfielder Sandro are out with knee injuries.

Sandro will report to the club's training ground on Thursday to be assessed after the Brazilian Football Federation sent him home from the Copa América amid fears that he had torn the meniscus in his knee.

The captain Michael Dawson has reacted angrily to claims that he has fallen out with the hierarchy at Tottenham over a new contract. "I think I have always demonstrated that I am a proud player and captain of this club and nothing has changed in that respect," the central defender said

[Japan Shaking All Over]

West Ham open to loaning Parker admits Sullivan

By MirrorFootball

"But if we can't get the right fee for him I think he accepts he will be playing for West Ham next year in the Championship.

"He is a supreme professional and I am sure he will do a wonderful job whether he is with West Ham or somebody else.

"I mean we would love a deal - and this has been mooted - that maybe we loan him out for the season for a substantial fee and then when we get promotion he comes back to us.

makes it sound so easy.......any takers?

[selassie]

Tell you what. Early days, but Jenkinson looks exactly what we need. No nonsense, tough and strong. Really impressed with him on his debut.

I didn't see the game yesterday but heard glowing reports about him.

[Özim]

Don't think we can really make too much of a judgement from a pre-season game against Malaysian opposition to be fair.

We'll see how he gets on when the real thing starts.

[selassie]

Don't think we can really make too much of a judgement from a pre-season game against Malaysian opposition to be fair.

We'll see how he gets on when the real thing starts.

True, he'll probably be used sparingly anyway, just CC & maybe FA Cup.

I'm still extremely worried about Central Defence and have a horrible feeling that Arsene isn't going to do anything about it. I get the impression that if he can't get the players he wants on the CHEAP, he'll just do nothing.

[Özim]

True, he'll probably be used sparingly anyway, just CC & maybe FA Cup.

I'm still extremely worried about Central Defence and have a horrible feeling that Arsene isn't going to do anything about it. I get the impression that if he can't get the players he wants on the CHEAP, he'll just do nothing.

I'm worried about the trasnfer situation as a whole to be honest, we don't seem overly concerned about it.

Wenger has signed Gervinho and some kids and now he's gone off on tour and seems very content with the business he's done.

I just get the feeling we'll see one more player max if we see one at all that is.

[LDG]

Oh yeah, jenko won't get loads of games....though I have a suspicion he'll be left back more often than not when Gibbs bruises his big toe.

CB is a problem, in that we need to replace Squilacci. IMO, in Djourou, Vermaelen and Kos, we have three very good CB's. Djourou came on leaps and bounds last year, and despite what some say, I think Kos (for his first season) started remarkably well. It's all about organisation anyway....and hopefully some of Verms leadership qualities will start to tell here....

We do need another quality CB though.

[Letters]

Don't think we can really make too much of a judgement from a pre-season game against Malaysian opposition to be fair.

We'll see how he gets on when the real thing starts.

Unless he was crap of course in which case you'd say how rubbish he is.

Meh.

[LDG]

[Özim]

Unless he was crap of course in which case you'd say how rubbish he is.

Meh.

Not really, it's pre-season who gives a sh*t?

Besides if I thought they were rubbish I'd say so before we'd signed them as I have done many times in the past

Don't know anything about this guy, other than the fact he's from a lower league team and has hardly ever played.