Spurs Sign Modric

[Alonso]

BBC

 

Tottenham have won the race to sign Croatia midfielder Luka Modric for a fee believed to be £15.8m (20m euros).

 

The Carling Cup winners have agreed terms with the in-demand 22-year-old, fending off interest from Premier League rivals Newcastle.

 

The play-maker will leave Dinamo Zagreb for White Hart Lane this summer subject to passing a medical.

 

Modric must also obtain a work permit but that should be a formality as he is a regular in the Croatia national team.

 

On Tuesday, Modric was reported to have been on Tyneside to discuss a move to Kevin Keegan's Newcastle and visit the club's training ground.

 

Recent reports have also linked him with Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal.

 

After making his name in the Bosnian league as a teenager, Modric moved to Croatian club Inter Zapresic before joining Dinamo in 2005.

 

He made his debut for Croatia a year later and has gone on to win more than 20 caps for Slaven Bilic's side - including the home and away victories over England that cost them their place at Euro 2008.

[Gooner Spy]

Good player, but massive money.

 

Where the hell do they get their money from?

[Rimbeux]

Good player, but massive money.

 

Where the hell do they get their money from?

 

I dont know the exact figures, but they do not pay a hell of a lot in comparison to us and definitely in comparison to you guys, £90m a year wage bill that you have, wouldn't shock me if their bill was iro £30m a year less than yours, deloitte probably have good estimates. I'm pretty sure the highest paid Spurs players are Keane and King, who I dont think are on more than 60k a week, probably even less. Adding in that the PL money has gone up by at least £10m a season for everyone and they charge a fortune to get in, I can see how they can compete for CL fees, whilst not paying CL wages. Their issues come when the likes of Berbatov and Carrick get offered twice the wages to move to CL clubs. Newcastle pay out on both levels, fees and wages, previously by borrowing cash on the back of a 50k weekly gate.

[Gooner Spy]

I dont know the exact figures, but they do not pay a hell of a lot in comparison to us and definitely in comparison to you guys, £90m a year wage bill that you have, wouldn't shock me if their bill was iro £30m a year less than yours, deloitte probably have good estimates. I'm pretty sure the highest paid Spurs players are Keane and King, who I dont think are on more than 60k a week, probably even less. Adding in that the PL money has gone up by at least £10m a season for everyone and they charge a fortune to get in, I can see how they can compete for CL fees, whilst not paying CL wages. Their issues come when the likes of Berbatov and Carrick get offered twice the wages to move to CL clubs. Newcastle pay out on both levels, fees and wages, previously by borrowing cash on the back of a 50k weekly gate.

 

I dont know that our wage bill is as astronomical as it used to be - shipping out Henry and Ljungberg apparently shaved off in the region of 10m per year. Now, if you believe what you read, only Gallas and Fabregas are above the 60k mark, which must be more in line with the likes of Spurs than the likes of Chelsea, Mancs, and I guess, yourselves too.

 

It just amazes me that Spurs seem to have a bottomless pit of money, yet have nototiously tight ownership.

[Rimbeux]

I dont know that our wage bill is as astronomical as it used to be - shipping out Henry and Ljungberg apparently shaved off in the region of 10m per year. Now, if you believe what you read, only Gallas and Fabregas are above the 60k mark, which must be more in line with the likes of Spurs than the likes of Chelsea, Mancs, and I guess, yourselves too.

 

It just amazes me that Spurs seem to have a bottomless pit of money, yet have nototiously tight ownership.

 

 

You guys published it in your accounts for the last financial year, the most recent results, aye your next one may show a drop, but others have joined and will join and new contracts are given out. My personal theory is that a lot of your young players under first team level are on very big wages for their level, and enough of them on £1/2m a year and more adds up. Spurs wont have the same 'investment in youth', but whatever it comes down to you paid out £90m in wages last year, which is the same as Man Utd, about £15m less than Chelsea, and about £15m more than Liverpool.

 

I remember coming across Spurs bill a year or so back and it was about £15m odd less than ours. All they lack is a CL income, but they keep their wage bill, which is actually the truer and main cost of players if truth be told, more so than transfer fees, under tight control.

[Guest Linton]

I dont know the exact figures, but they do not pay a hell of a lot in comparison to us and definitely in comparison to you guys, £90m a year wage bill that you have, wouldn't shock me if their bill was iro £30m a year less than yours, deloitte probably have good estimates. I'm pretty sure the highest paid Spurs players are Keane and King, who I dont think are on more than 60k a week, probably even less. Adding in that the PL money has gone up by at least £10m a season for everyone and they charge a fortune to get in, I can see how they can compete for CL fees, whilst not paying CL wages. Their issues come when the likes of Berbatov and Carrick get offered twice the wages to move to CL clubs. Newcastle pay out on both levels, fees and wages, previously by borrowing cash on the back of a 50k weekly gate.

 

 

Their best paid player is Darren Bent. He has something like 90k in salary.

[lfc003]

i'm glad he didnt go to a Chelsea or Man U..next season shall be interesting

[Gooner Spy]

Their best paid player is Darren Bent. He has something like 90k in salary.

 

 

 

If that's true, and its not the first time I heard it, say for arguments sake he is on a 4 year contract, that means that Bent will have cost them 34.72 million pounds!

 

And they say Wenger should buy more Englishmen!

[Guest JV]

Excellent signing for them.

[Rimbeux]

Their best paid player is Darren Bent. He has something like 90k in salary.

 

That's at best bad guesswork by France Football, most likely complete b******s. That was the figure West Ham claim to have offered him to join them, a move he turned down saying he was not going for the money for his next move. Seeing as Spurs have had well pubicised contract issues with Defoe, King, Keane and Carrick to name a few, always citing their wage structure and it being unbreakable, putting Bent on likely double their highest earners would not only go against all that, but also inflate their bill out of control as any players with parity clauses get rises and other knock on the door demanding parity, issues we have not heard a bean of, so in conclusion...

 

 

These are from 05-06, since when Man Utd and Arsenal have released salary bills of £90m and Spurs £43m. Spurs also made £30m profit before player trading on turnover of £100m in 06/07. They are simply a well run ship who do not overpay their players and can therefore compete in the transfer market, but as we know, clubs spend more on wages (the major cost) every year than on transfers.

 

Top wage bills 05-06

Chelsea - £114m

Manchester Utd - £85m

Arsenal - £83m

Liverpool - £69m

Newcastle Utd - £52m

Spurs - £40m

Edited April 26, 2008 by Rimbeux

[richt71]

Modric's agent has confirmed he's agreed to join Spurs for a fee of just over £20m pounds!

[Old red eyes]

He's a good player but Spurs are welcome to him for that sort of daft money.

[floyd]

Top wage bills 05-06

Chelsea - £114m

Kerry Dixon and Mickey Droy will be kicking themselves

[Raj]

Kerry Dixon and Mickey Droy will be kicking themselves

 

Paul Cannoville must be wondering whether all the racist abuse was worth it.

£80 quid against Barnsley with two cars parked behind the goal at the Shed End, must have felt like s***e

[growler]

not just spurs, but man city, villa, potentially newcastle all will be looking at the CL and want to get in. It will be come interesting the first time one of those break in to the top 4, what happens to the team that misses out.

[muleskinner]

Spurs have spent a shedload of cash and I don't doubt they will be higher placed next season but Ramos has been there for 6 or so months now and there league form has barely improved. I think Villa will be best placed to challenge for a top 4 place next season but I don't think they will do it. It will just be who finishes were again from the 4 current incumbents IMO.

[Hassony]

Spurs have spent a shedload of cash and I don't doubt they will be higher placed next season but Ramos has been there for 6 or so months now and there league form has barely improved. I think Villa will be best placed to challenge for a top 4 place next season but I don't think they will do it. It will just be who finishes were again from the 4 current incumbents IMO.

To be fair it was the same when GH took over complete control half way through the season, we didn't start to improve until the season after. Plus he is still having to play clowns like Robinson! they have already won a cup and if he buy the right players than I am sure they can improve next season, but with the money they have spent anything less than a challenge to the top 4 should be regarded as a failure

[muleskinner]

With Spurs record with managers I wouldn't be surprised to see him sacked if he doesn't get a top 4 finish next season.

[growler]

with Ramos, he has qualified for the UEFA cup, they aren't going down, whats to play for in the league? They are already planning for next season and I am sure the training is being worked in that way too, with ramos getting a feeling for the league and other players etc. I expect them next season to be firing on all cylinders.

 

If the worst was to happen and we lose Rafa, I would want Ramos, I like him a lot