EPL Transfer Rumours: Chelsea Shying Away from Luka Modric and More
By on July 9, 2011
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Today's top English Premier League transfers include reports of Chelsea switching their attentions from Tottenham Hotspur's Luka Modric to a young German playmaker, Manchester City making big-money moves for two world-class forwards and Sunderland chasing an eighth signing of the summer.
SKY Sports' ''The Totaliser'' shows Premier League clubs have already spent a combined £133 million this summer on attracting the best talent available within their budgets, but this figure is expected to double over the coming weeks as new managers such as Chelsea's Andre Villas-Boas and Aston Villa's Alex McCleish start to make changes to the squads they have inherited.
Plus clubs like Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, which have been dormant since mid-May, will step up the pursuits of several transfer targets as they become more aggressive pushing unwanted squad players out the door.
Keep it here for the latest EPL moves.
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Goal.com runs an article today which reports that Paris Saint-Germain's Turkish forward Mevlüt Erdinç will not be moving from the French capital to Newcastle United.
Magpies boss Alan Pardew had targeted 24-year-old Erdinç, scorer of 58 goals in 129 Ligue Un appearances, as a suitable and value-for-money replacement for Andy Carroll, who left the club for Liverpool in January for £35 million.
In fact, the Turkish forward looked all set for a £7.5 million move to the Premier League after PSG accepted a bid but Newcastle were not willing to match the player's wage demands.
Pierre Frelot, Erdinç's agent, has now said that his player will remain at PSG next season, even though he may have to fight for his place with new £14 million signing Kevin Gameiro.
Mirror football claims Tottenham Hotspur are on the verge of completing the important transfer of 16-year-old Ivory Coast sensation Souleymane Coulibaly from Italian team AC Siena for £2 million.
Although yet to make a professional appearance, Coulibaly has attracted attention from Real Madrid after he scored nine excellent goals in just four matches for his country during this summer's FIFA U17 World Cup, including four against Denmark and a hat-trick against Brazil.
Recently dubbed rather prematurely in some reports as the new Drogba, Coulibaly possess speed, strength and an uncanny ability to score goals, all of which Spurs are looking for as they seek to break back into the top four positions in the Premier League following a season in which they controlled several key matches but could not convert good chances into goals.
Now the English newspaper's website says Spurs chairman Daniel Levy will fly to Italy this weekend to wrap up an early deal and will also meet young Mexican forward Antonio Michael Pedroz Whitham, who may also move to White Hart Lane from Jaguares.
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The same website also reports that Sunderland are lining up a move for Liverpool flop Alberto Aquilani, who spent last year on loan at Juventus.
Changes in management and poor form have combined to turn Aquilani's Premier League experience into a nightmare and the Reds have seen a return of one goal in 18 league appearances on their £16 million investment in the 27-year-old Italian playmaker.
Such is new manager Kenny Dalglish's lack of faith in a player he has seen very rarely in action that he decided to buy young England international Jordan Henderson from Sunderland to boost his midfiled, rather than bringing back the Italian for a last chance to prove his English doubters wrong.
Now it seems that the club who lost Henderson is set to steal a march on other interested parties such as Fiorentina with a cut-price move for a player they think has the talent to influence matches in their favour.
http://www.footylatest.com/sunderland-set-for-stunning-raid-on-liverpool/23136
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Website footylatest.com suggests that Chelsea may be ready to concede defeat in their pursuit of Tottenham Hotspur's Croatian midfielder Luka Modric.
In an article today, they claim that the West London club will instead bid for Werder Bremen's 22-year-old German star Marko Marin, who has a £30 million price tag.
Spurs held showdown talks last week with Modric, in which he reiterated his desire to play in the Champions League but the 25-year-old will not risk further upsetting his current club and fans to pursue a move and may instead be ready to listen to an improved contract offer to stay at White Hart Lane.
Marin is a similar player to Modric: a creative and intelligent yet unprolific midfield player who has the potential to improve his overall play if surrounded by the right players.
http://www.footylatest.com/chelsea-want-30-million-sensation-after-failed-modric-bid/23132
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The Daily Mail today claims that Manchester City will look to buy Atletico Madrid forward Sergio Aguero and Internazionale forward Samuel Eto'o to replace disgruntled captain Carlos Tevez.
Tevez has again stated his desire to leave the club, where he seems to have become increasingly unsettled over the past season.
Eto'o, who scored 21 goals last season in Serie A and impressed in the UEFA Champions League, is one option but is thought to be demanding high wages and is quoted as saying: "I have a month off not to evaluate [a few offers]...I'm close to my final big contract and we'll have to see whether I should stay or go."
Inter Milan are thought to value the 30-year-old Cameroon international at £20 million, while Atletico Madrid are holding out for nearly twice that amount for Aguero, who is only 23.
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