Modric to Newcastle Done Deal says Telegraph - WRONG! We signed him instead! HA!

[lily_lane]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ma...1YourView&xml=/sport/2008/04/24/sfnnew124.xml

Newcastle on verge of signing Luka Modric

By Rob Stewart

Last Updated: 1:42am BST 24/04/2008

Newcastle are close to buying highly-rated Croatia midfielder Luka Modric in a £12 million deal with Dinamo Zagreb.
Dinamo vice-president Zdravko Mamic met Newcastle representatives at the city's Malmaison hotel this week for talks over the playmaker who will be a key member of Slaven Bilic's Croatia side at Euro 2008.
It is understood the deal has been spearheaded by Newcastle's director of football, Dennis Wise, and should Modric, 22, sign it would represent a significant coup as he has attracted the attention of Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal.

Mamic, who oversaw Eduardo da Silva's move to Arsenal, has informally confirmed that Modric is near to finalising a move to Newcastle, where manager Kevin Keegan is short of midfield creativity.
There were suggestions last night that Modric was already celebrating a money-spinning move, although it is doubtful that he would earn the £80,000 a week being paid to Dinamo old boy Mark Viduka.
Modric had also been linked with Barcelona, but his compatriot, Portsmouth's Niko Kranjcar, recommended that he move to the Premier League.
Modric underlined his potential during the Euro 2008 qualifying campaign and was instrumental in the 3-2 defeat of England at Wembley in November that alerted clubs across Europe to his talent. Modric's arrival would hasten the departure of Turkey international Emre, but England Under-21 captain Steven Taylor is to be offered a new deal.
"Taylor is a young and promising defender," Newcastle chairman Chris Mort said. "We would like him to stay at Newcastle long term. We will sit down with Steven and his father, and hopefully work something out."

Luka Modric factfile Born: Zadar, Yugoslavia on Sept 9, 1985
Club: Dinamo Zagreb
Position: Left midfield
Claim to fame: Played in the Croatia team who won 3-2 at Wembley to end Steve McClaren's reign as England coach
Linked with: Newcastle, Tottenham, Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, Barcelona …

Did we put a bid in? Or was the lure of the cash too much for him? :shrug:

Anyway I thought I'd post as he was in a lot of SCers transfer wish list.

 

[batigol]

Sigh....one less creative midfielder whom we can get to put some brains into our midfield.

Now, we should really think about Ashravin. Deco, if he is leaving Barca, will be an ideal candidate. Rather get him than E'too or Ronaldinho to be honest...and probably more likely to get than either of them anyway.

 

[guy]

shite i hope its bollocks.

Who in their right mind would move to f*ckin newcastle! Not only is it a shit town, but the football team are worse at underachieving than we are!

There goes another ruined player!

 

[Festy]

Newcastle will surely ruin his career. Why on earth he's going to that club? I'm not disappointed that he's not coming to our club but Newcastle???????

Now after few years we'll read something like........
" Modric, who once was amongst the top European talents until he joined Newcastle..........."

 

[karennina]

Despite the management, owners, board and playing staff all changing, the biggest club in the world continue to struggle. Actually maybe it's because they change their minds like kids in a sweet shop.

 

[guy]

Modric... soon to be a sicknote

 

[Steady_nethercott]

obviously loves money over ambition, just take a look at duffs brilliant career move

 

[Bonjour]

Duff, Carr, Emre, Luque.

Moving to Newcastle has been career-defining for each of them.

 

[chinaman]

And Owen?

 

[Bonjour]

Yeah sure, why not? Him too.

 

[donny1013]

He could go to a top European club, if this is true he is making a big mistake just chasing the mighty dollar, i am surprised Whinger aint sniffing around seeing as Pleb looks to be going to Inter

 

[Festy]

Duff, Carr, Emre, Luque.

Moving to Newcastle has been career-defining for each of them.

Taylor, Milner, N'zogbia in the queue......

 

[nickspurs]

"the deal has been spearheaded by Newcastle's director of football, Dennis Wise"

Can hardly imagine that he's doing cunning negotiations. I just have visions of Wise walking into the room carrying a barcode-coloured chequebook as tall as him. Cheques are all pre-signed by Mort and with the amounts left blank.

The Dinamo VP is probably thinking "These are the types of fools we like to do business with" while saying "Welcome Mr Wise, it's an honour to meet a representative of zuch a great club like Newcastle United".

 

[lily_lane]

I watched the Bayern v Zenit match tonight and according to the comm. Moyes was sniffing round Arshavin.

If we don't pull our finger out there'll be no one left to sign who would consider coming! :roll:

 

[Crow]

...Moyes was sniffing round Arshavin.
If we don't pull our finger out there'll be no one left to sign who would consider coming!

Eek:lol:

 

[lily_lane]

....Er.. perhaps I should've phrased that a bit better...

:rofl:

 

[lily_lane]

HA! I spit on this thread! (Even though I started it!) :razz:

Telegraph + Barcodes = Bunch of numpties! :rofl:

 

[Mullers]

Newcastle on verge of signing Luka Modric

By Rob Stewart

Last Updated: 1:42am BST 24/04/2008

Newcastle are close to buying highly-rated Croatia midfielder Luka Modric in a £12 million deal with Dinamo Zagreb.
Dinamo vice-president Zdravko Mamic met Newcastle representatives at the city's Malmaison hotel this week for talks over the playmaker who will be a key member of Slaven Bilic's Croatia side at Euro 2008.
It is understood the deal has been spearheaded by Newcastle's director of football, Dennis Wise, and should Modric, 22, sign it would represent a significant coup as he has attracted the attention of Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal.

Mamic, who oversaw Eduardo da Silva's move to Arsenal, has informally confirmed that Modric is near to finalising a move to Newcastle, where manager Kevin Keegan is short of midfield creativity.
There were suggestions last night that Modric was already celebrating a money-spinning move, although it is doubtful that he would earn the £80,000 a week being paid to Dinamo old boy Mark Viduka.
Modric had also been linked with Barcelona, but his compatriot, Portsmouth's Niko Kranjcar, recommended that he move to the Premier League.
Modric underlined his potential during the Euro 2008 qualifying campaign and was instrumental in the 3-2 defeat of England at Wembley in November that alerted clubs across Europe to his talent. Modric's arrival would hasten the departure of Turkey international Emre, but England Under-21 captain Steven Taylor is to be offered a new deal.
"Taylor is a young and promising defender," Newcastle chairman Chris Mort said. "We would like him to stay at Newcastle long term. We will sit down with Steven and his father, and hopefully work something out."

Luka Modric factfile Born: Zadar, Yugoslavia on Sept 9, 1985
Club: Dinamo Zagreb
Position: Left midfield
Claim to fame: Played in the Croatia team who won 3-2 at Wembley to end Steve McClaren's reign as England coach
Linked with: Newcastle, Tottenham, Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, Barcelona …
.

:shake:

 

[DoublePivot]

And this from The Beebs rumor mill yesterday

Croatia boss Slaven Bilic has told Dinamo Zagreb midfielder Luka Modric to join Newcastle. (Various)

 

[Mullers]

Bilic was misquoted he said "DON'T go to join Newcastle." :grin: