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With Chelsea and Russian team Anzhi Makhachkala having agreed on a £13 million fee for 27-year-old winger Yuri Zhirkov, the club are preparing to make rivals Tottenham Hotspur a final offer of £38 million for creative Croatian midifielder Luka Modric, 25, according to daily English newspaper Metro.

Modric has been Chelse'a primary transfer target all summer but Tottenham's stubborn chairman Daniel Levy, renown for his good negotiating skils, is eager to show other rich Premier League and European clubs that Spurs are not a selling club.

But the player is reported to be enthusiastic about a move to Stamford Bridge, as he will have the chance to play again in the Champions League and to compete the title, and he would also likely triple his £2 million-a-year wages.

The Blues have injury concerns over midfielders Frank Lampard and Michael Essien, while young back-ups Jon Obi Mikel and Ramires did not always impress when they had the chance.

Modric would provide good ability on the ball, quiet and honest professionalism and a knack of opening up opposition defences with intelligent passing. These skills could help get the most out of nervous forward Fernando Torres.

Spurs would look to re-invest the money into the team immediately and have been linked with a double swoop for Real Madrid duo Esteban Granero and Lassana Diarra, but are probably concerned about those players' wages and mainly about the message selling Modric would send to their other key players Gareth Bale and Rafael Van der Vaart.

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Football365.com brings us quotes from Barcelona's Sporting Director Andoni Zubizarreta regarding the future of Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas, a long-time transfer target of La Blaugrana.

The 24-year-old captain, a former Barcelona youth player and a World Cup winner last summer with Spain, has played his football for the Gunners for eight years but seems keen to return to his old club to win trophies which have eluded him in a team which is criticised for its inconsistencies and naivety.

At first, Barcelona attempted to play down Fabregas's transfer value, claiming that he is not the same player as he was a year ago but the Spanish and European champions now appear to be set on capturing their primary target even if it costs them a lot more money than they hoped it would.

Some football commentators have questioned the logic behind a move for Fabregas after watching Thiago Alcantara produced some memorable football and scoring some breathtaking goals in pre-season but they have a chance to sign a player who has provided 90 assists in the last five seasons in all competitions, one who would love to put on the famous shirt.

Zubizarreta has today said that his club will negotiate any deal with discretion and respect, a claim which will grate with Arsenal manager Arsenal Wenger, who is said to be upset over the public pleading several Barcelona employees have resorted to to lure Fabregas to Camp Nou.

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Several online articles and reports today are linking last year's F.A. Cup finalists Stoke City, who finished 13th last season in the Premier League, with a £10 million bid for Tottenham Hotspur's 27-year-old Honduran midfielder Wilson Palacios.

Sportsvibe.co.uk suggests that the former Wigan Althetic player, known for his combative nature rather than his finesse, may have to take a pay-cut to join the Potters, but it is a sacrifice he might be willing to make if it means he starts more matches in the League and prolongs his international career.

With his current manager Harry Redknapp impressed by the improved performances of Brazilian youngster Ranieri Sandro over the second half of last season and eager to have England midfielder Tom Huddlestone back from injury, Palacios may be frozen out of the picture soon.

If a deal can be struck with the Midland club, it would also release much-needed funds for Tottenham's pursuit a forward with a proven goalscoring record at the highest level, a commodity in great demand currently.

Players such as new Juventus signing Mirko Vucinic and Barcelona target Giuseppe Rossi have slipped by recently because the North Londoners cannot afford their wages, but the club is determined to bring in ''two or three'' players still, according to manager Redknapp.

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FOXSoccer.com today relays the comments supposedly made by Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson regarding star forward Dimitar Berbatov's future at Old Trafford.

Ferguson was quizzed by French media after a United XI lost out Marseille and said that it was possible for the 30-year-old Bulgarian to play in France. Although not explicit, an excitable press has jumped to all kinds of conclusions, especially in view of the extravagant spending of PSG's new leading shareholders Qatar Investment Authority (QIA).

Les Parisiens are trying to tie up a £35 million deal for young Palermo attacker Javier Pastore, but the arrival of Berbatov in Paris would be seen by many as the marquee signing as he is a player of proven domestic and international quality, capable of scoring important goals against the highest quality opposition.

The former Tottenham Hotspur and Bayer Leverkusen forward is said to have been devastated that he was left out of United's squad for May's Champions League final against Barcelona and, contrary to recent quotes in the media attributed to him, may feel up for one last challenge in his career instead of remaining in England and facing the possibility of playing second fiddle to Javier Hernandez, Wayne Rooney and new signing Ashley Young.