Tottenham win race to sign Modric

Tottenham Hotspur have signalled their intentions for next season by agreeing a £15.8million deal for Luka Modric from Dinamo Zagreb.

The 22-year-old is understood to have agreed a five-year contract and is set to undergo a medical imminently, and the deal will be completed when the player obtains a work permit.

He was at White Hart Lane today to watch the Barclays Premier League clash against Bolton.

'I'm happy to be joining such a big club,' said Modric, who will go to the European Championships with Croatia before starting pre-season training with his new club.

'It will be a real pleasure to play in the English league which is the best in Europe, with three English clubs in the semi-finals of the Champions League.'

Spurs have ambitions of eventually playing in the Champions League themselves and the signing of Modric is seen as a coup as Chelsea were believed to be interested earlier in the season and Kevin Keegan wanted him at Newcastle.

Dinamo sporting director Zoran Mamic added: 'We're very happy. Luka is leaving for an environment where he's going to progress, while Dinamo showed that we know how to do good deals.'

Spurs head coach Juande Ramos may deploy Modric as a central playmaker but he could also use him to solve the problem the club have had on the left flank in recent seasons.

Martin Jol wanted a left winger last summer but ended up playing Steed Malbranque there before the Dutchman was sacked and Ramos was brought in.

Ramos is expected to bring his own players in over the summer ahead of his first full season, with goalkeeper Carlos Kameni thought to be on his radar.

Tottenham 1 Bolton 1

Bolton's relegation battle looks set to go to the wire after earning a valuable 1-1 draw against Tottenham at White Hart Lane.

Stelios Giannakopoulos came on at the break and opened the scoring for the visitors, only for Steed Malbranque to reply shortly after, with Spurs failing to take their chances to dent the survival hopes of Gary Megson's men.

After two 1-0 victories, Megson now has a draw at White Hart Lane to take into the business end of the season, with two games remaining.

His task has been made tougher following the suspension of Kevin Davies, who was watching on the bench.

Grzegorz Rasiak has deputised as the lone attacker but simply does not have the physical presence of Davies, with Jonathan Woodgate and Michael Dawson going untroubled until the Polish forward was taken off at the break.

Rasiak chased tirelessly as Bolton looked for a way into the game, but it was a frustrating return to White Hart Lane for him after a brief, unsuccessful spell at Spurs earlier in his career.

Watching in the stands was a new Spurs signing, Luka Modric, who has agreed a £15.8million move from Dinamo Zagreb.

There are hopes for the Croatia midfielder to be the playmaker to supply Dimitar Berbatov next season, if Spurs can hold on to their striker.

As usual, Berbatov and Robbie Keane were at the heart of Spurs' attacks. Keane had the first effort on goal, toe-poking straight at Ali Al Habsi after latching onto a Berbatov flick.

Berbatov almost got a sight of goal but Jermaine Jenas' chipped through-ball was just too strong.

Spurs made most of the running, but they too found chances difficult to create. The clearest opportunity in the first half came seconds before the break when Keane had a close-range effort bundled wide by Ivan Campo.

At times the hosts looked as though they were playing in an exhibition - they have little to play for as European football has been secured with the Carling Cup.

They could still have a huge say in the relegation battle as they also face Reading next week.

Spurs boss Juande Ramos had predicted a physical encounter and Bolton lived up to his expectations, with Gavin McCann taking out Aaron Lennon on the right flank but escaping a booking from Mark Clattenburg.

Megson's first change was forced, in the 20th minute, when Joey O'Brien picked up a knock, with Danny Guthrie coming on.

But it was his double substitution at half-time that got the game going, with the visitors rewarded within 30 seconds of the restart.

Spurs failed to clear and El-Hadji Diouf, who was on for Rasiak, laid the ball back to Gretar Steinsson on the right flank.

Dawson and goalkeeper Radek Cerny clashed together in the six-yard box and Stelios, on at the break for Campo, prodded home.

Tottenham's reply came in the 52nd minute, with Keane slipping the ball to the back post and Malbranque clipping his finish past Al Habsi.

Despite the goal, Ramos still brought on Darren Bent for Dawson, with Spurs going for three strikers in attack.

They should have taken the lead when Keane was on the end of a flowing move, but Al Habsi was out to block bravely.

Malbranque was found in a similar position to his goal, arguably for an easier chance, but was wide with his volley.

Al Habsi was called into action again in the 66th minute when Berbatov drilled towards the bottom corner, with the Bolton goalkeeper down sharply.

The Bolton goalkeeper did not have to work as hard when Bent was sent through and lobbed tamely into his hands.

Bent also had a header cleared off the line by Guthrie in stoppage time, while Berbatov headed over when found unmarked.

Bolton boss Gary Megson believes the point earned against Tottenham at White Hart Lane has set up a cup final for his side against Sunderland next week.

Megson's men are a point above the Barclays Premier League relegation zone and face title-chasing Chelsea on the last day of the season - meaning they need a win against Roy Keane's men.

They were staring at relegation when Aston Villa thrashed them 4-0 but they have responded with two wins and now a draw at White Hart Lane.

Megson said: 'We've just played two cup finals. When we trooped off the pitch at Villa Park we were the lowest we've been for some time.

'It was a really poor performance and result and we had two away games coming up. We managed four points from them and it's a position when the Sunderland game is a cup final.

'We will have 25,000 people there, hopefully helping us get a result we need and then let's see other results. It's so complicated.

'It doesn't matter if Sunderland are safe or not, we have to perform like I know we can.'

Megson admits his side were fortunate to get a point at Spurs after struggling to create chances.

They took the lead just after the break when Stelios Giannakopoulos tapped in but Steed Malbranque levelled in the 52nd minute.

Despite Birmingham and Reading drawing, Megson did not view the 1-1 as a missed opportunity.

'We have to view ourselves in isolation, not other people,' he said.

'We didn't play well and were fortunate to go in at half-time all square, although Tottenham didn't have many chances despite the possession.

'To score the first goal we're pleased with but we didn't hang onto it long enough.

'It was probably not an opportunity lost, given the opposition.'

Megson has highlighted team spirit as a key factor in their hopes of beating the drop.

'I've never been disappointed with spirit,' he said. 'Villa was our lowest ebb, the spirit was okay even if it didn't look like it from afar. We've responded in the right way, with decent performances.'

In the end Megson needed goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi to be in top form to protect their point.

'Ali's been waiting for his opportunity, we know he's a decent goalkeeper,' the Bolton boss said.

'He's just had a couple of clean sheets and we were unlucky with the build-up to the goal today.'

Spurs head coach Juande Ramos feels his side let themselves down with their finishing.

'I think the players tried their best they could, they had some great chances and the final touch wasn't as accurate as it could have been,' said the Spaniard.

'There were chances to win the game but football is like that, if we don't take our chances then you will not win.'

Luka Modric

Tottenham have won the race to sign highly-rated Croatia midfielder Luka Modric for a fee believed to be £15.8million.

The Barclays Premier League club have agreed personal terms with the 22-year-old, who was reportedly courted by many of Europe's top sides, and he will leave Dinamo Zagreb for White Hart Lane this summer subject to him passing a medical.

Modric must also obtain a work permit but that will be a formality given his status as one of the continent's most coveted talents. 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 the Three Lions their place at Euro 2008.

His silky, two-footed passing caught the eye in both the England clashes and reports linked him with possible transfers to the likes of Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal and, most recently, Newcastle.

On Tuesday, Modric was reported to have been on Tyneside to discuss a move to St James' Park and visit the club's training ground. And Newcastle manager Kevin Keegan, speaking this week, made no secret of his admiration for a playmaker who was also thought to have been a target of Barcelona. "If you had a list of the midfield players around Europe who Newcastle could possibly attract, Luka Modric would be one of them," said Keegan. "I think he would be pretty much on everyone else's list as well because he is a fantastic prospect. "If you look at the midfield players who have a fantastic future, he would be one of them. But every other club in the league, from Arsenal and Manchester United, would like Modric."

The signing of Modric is a major coup for Spurs manager Juande Ramos and the Tottenham hierarchy, who needed to make a statement of intent after a hugely frustrating season for the north London club. Spurs were widely tipped to break the stranglehold of the big four before the current season began - most likely at the expense of bitter rivals Arsenal - but under former boss Martin Jol they made a disastrous start to fall way off the pace for even a UEFA Cup spot.

Since his arrival in October, Ramos has overseen a major improvement in fortunes, including a Carling Cup triumph which has guaranteed European football for next season. Spurs' season appeared to be fizzling out disappointingly with just a single win in their last seven league games, and a swingeing overhaul of the squad was predicted for this summer. But any discontent among supporters at the team's stuttering form is sure to be alleviated by the imminent arrival of Modric who appears certain to be one of several new arrivals at White Hart Lane over the coming months.

Wigan 1 Tottenham 1

Emile Heskey salvaged a 1-1 draw for Wigan for the second time in six days against visiting Tottenham, although their fight for survival is far from over.

Bolton's win at Middlesbrough means the Latics are now just five points clear of the Barclays Premier League relegation zone with three matches remaining.

That means Wigan fans will not be allowed to rest in a time of the season famously described by Sir Alex Ferguson as `squeaky bum time', although Heskey's strike soon after Dimitar Berbatov had opened the scoring means another point gained for the Latics, rather than two dropped.

Bizarrely, this was a game that had a distinct end-of-season feel to it, but only for the fact it was played with an openness more akin to two teams with nothing on the line.

In Spurs' case that was definitely true, with comments levelled of late that manager Juande Ramos' players have spent most of the last few weeks as if they had already begun their summer holidays.

Given the way they started this game, though, that was far from the case as they appeared the team in desperate need of points to avoid the drop.

After just 10 seconds captain Robbie Keane found himself in space inside the area, but his eventual shot was weak, allowing Chris Kirkland to make a relatively comfortable save.

Yet that chance set the tone, and with Aaron Lennon marauding down the right wing, it was Wigan's defence whose minds were seemingly elsewhere.

Just five minutes later the electric Lennon had powered his way towards the deadball-line before turning a low ball into the six-yard area where
Berbatov sidefooted home with ease.

It was his 23rd goal of the season, ending Wigan's proud home record of five successive clean sheets stretching over eight hours back to mid-January.

The Latics' back four were still sleeping 80 seconds later when Lennon waltzed his way past a number of lame challenges to the edge of the area.

A short lay-off to his left found an unmarked Steed Malbranque, but Kirkland continued with the heroics that had proved so crucial to Wigan claiming a superb point at Chelsea on Monday.

The confidence gained from that result ensured no heads dipped in the Wigan ranks as they were back on level terms seven minutes later.

Following a mis-control from Keane, Wigan broke with devastating effect with a move that involved Paul Scharner, Marcus Bent and Kevin Kilbane.

From Kilbane's cross, Heskey turned on the ball and drilled a 15-yard shot beyond Radek Cerny, just inside his left-hand post.

Heskey was being man-marked by Didier Zokora, who was playing at centre-back in the absence of Jonathan Woodgate after the latter's late withdrawal with a slight ankle injury.

It is hard to imagine Woodgate would have been so easily duped by Heskey, but Tottenham's loss was undoubtedly Wigan's gain.

What then followed was a game where the midfield was virtually bypassed altogether, turning it into a clear defence-versus-attack affair.

Bent and Palacios had chances for Wigan, similarly with regard to Alan Hutton and Michael Dawson for Spurs, who perhaps should have headed into the break with the lead.

Referee Lee Probert, though, dismissed what appeared to be a clear penalty when Wigan captain Mario Melchiot hauled down Berbatov, to the anger of the Bulgarian.

Fortunately, the open nature of the game was not restricted to the first half as the second was as equally entertaining.

Bent had the best chance after Kilbane, Michael Brown and Palacios had all combined in the build-up, with the latter splitting Spurs' defence with a precision ball on the hour.

With only Cerny to beat, Bent opted for power over finesse and crashed his shot against the crossbar, with the rebound just eluding Heskey.

Before that, Spurs arguably played the better football, only for Kirkland to thwart Lennon at point-blank range, while Keane failed to capitalise on a Scharner slip.

After the miss from Bent, Jermaine Jenas blazed over after being afforded a clear sight of Kirkland's goal by Keane.

Although the entertainment value remained high, inevitably the chances dried up, despite Wigan being the more pressing side as they searched for a winner.

It came at a cost, though, as both Heskey and Bent limped off late on with injuries that will prove a major concern for Bruce at such a critical stage of the campaign.

Tottenham 1 Middlesbrough 1

Middlesbrough edged closer towards a mid-table finish after two fortuitous goals at White Hart Lane meant they shared a 1-1 draw with Tottenham.

An impish piece of skill from Dimitar Berbatov set up the opener, with Jon Grounds putting through his own net, before Stewart Downing had an effort deflected in to level matters in the second half.

With Barclays Premier League survival virtually assured, Gareth Southgate's men can take heart from their recent narrow defeat to Chelsea and last weekend's draw against Manchester United.

Fabio Capello was in the stands to monitor the likes of Jonathan Woodgate, who was his usual calm self as he faced Brazilian striker Afonso Alves.

Down the flanks, Capello kept an eye on the raw pace of Aaron Lennon up against Downing, while Jermaine Jenas made the yards down the middle.

Then there were the young defenders in Michael Dawson and David Wheater - plenty to play for among the Englishmen despite the game looking meaningless on paper.

Robbie Keane, making his 250th appearance for Spurs, wrote in his programme notes about the importance of every match despite securing European football already by winning the Carling Cup.

And without the intensity of a relegation clash, at least there was open football on offer.

Boro thought they had taken the lead with just 73 seconds on the clock.

Pascal Chimbonda's slip allowed Gary O'Neil down the right and Alves tapped in after Jeremie Aliadiere met the cross first time and Radek Cerny parried - but the strike was ruled out for offside.

Jenas fired over from the edge of the area and it was Lennon's perseverance that set up Spurs' first real chance when he robbed George Boateng in midfield.

The ball was spread to Keane and the cross was met by Berbatov but Mark Schwarzer did not have to move to make the save.

Jenas then went on a driving run, aided by a back-heel from Keane, and went beyond the Boro defence. His progress was only stopped when Schwarzer rushed out to smother the shot.

The opener came in the 26th minute and Berbatov took the plaudits despite Grounds getting the last touch. He flicked the ball over the Boro defence for Jenas to break the offside trap as Keane ran backwards from an offside position.

Jenas lost momentum but fed Berbatov on the right flank. The Bulgaria striker flicked the ball up and volleyed over a cross that Lennon met first time, with the ball going in off Grounds' knee.

Boro, who had Emanuel Pogatetz booked for a foul soon after the opener, looked for a way back into the game.

They were almost gifted a chance when Cerny came out to claim and dropped the ball on the edge of the area to prevent handball, but he managed to scramble clear.

In the second half, Wheater met a corner with a firm header and it required Lennon, the smallest player on the pitch, to head off the line as he guarded the post.

Alves also played Aliadiere down the right channel and Dawson was over to block the Frenchman's shot.

Spurs could have extended their lead on the hour mark when Berbatov's finish, after Keane had flicked on Alan Hutton's cross, came off the post.

The response of Boro boss Southgate was to take Grounds off for Adam Johnson. Fabio Rochemback also came on, for Julio Arca.

Alves got another sight of goal soon after and it took another brave block from Dawson to deny him.

But Boro were level with 21 minutes remaining through Downing's fortunate strike. Choosing to shoot with his weaker right foot, the winger's shot from 25 yards taking a deflection off Berbatov's head and going in.

Alves raced through and could have sealed it, but his finish went wide, then Gilberto had to block off the line when Tuncay Sanli shot.

Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate was delighted with the response from his players after giving them a half-time dressing down for their 'unacceptable' first 45 minutes at White Hart Lane.

'We were too 'end of season' in the first half,' said Southgate. 'The goal we conceded epitomised that. Not acceptable. In the second half we responded brilliantly and were more positive and we asked Tottenham questions.'

'I'm pleased we have shown we are not dead in games and we can create enough, even away from home, to win matches,' he added.

'But I'm not pleased with the first half because it was not acceptable for the supporters who travelled. I'm glad we got ourselves out of jail in the second half.

'We couldn't have been a lot worse. I felt it was important. We had a few pats on the back recently with the way we've played but the first half was not us, not the players I know, and it didn't represent the talent we have in the dressing room or the professionalism we have got.

'Hopefully it is a lesson learned because we are a young group and if they thought they could come here and just play a nice game of football and win, we've learned the lesson very quickly that you cannot do that in this league.'

In the end, Afonso Alves or substitute Tuncay Sanli could have snatched victory for the visitors.

'Possibly we created enough to win it but you do not deserve to win it if you play like we did in the first half,' Southgate added.

Spurs head coach Juande Ramos admitted his side are struggling to motivate themselves now European qualification has been secured and there is no danger of falling from mid-table.

'Possibly the lack of importance of the points at the moment meant the players dropped their guard a little,' he said. 'The game is 90 minutes and we have to look at the game as a whole.'

However, Ramos' focus will not be on which players he wants to retain.

'All the players have had their opportunities, they have all been used at some point when I've made substitutions and they've all had their chances,' he said.

'We always want to produce the best performance possible but you have to understand the situation the team is in.

'We are in the middle of the table, the points aren't excessively important - we can't reach the top part of the table and we don't seem to be in danger.

'It is not easy to get the maximum motivation when the team is in this situation.'

Blackburn 1 Tottenham 1

Morten Gamst Pedersen cancelled out Dimitar Berbatov's opener as Blackburn and Tottenham fought out an entertaining 1-1 draw.

Berbatov put Spurs ahead six minutes into the Barclays Premier League contest at Ewood Park, with Pedersen levelling after fine work by David Bentley after half an hour.

Chances were plentiful at either end after that and Rovers felt Bentley was denied a penalty late on, but a draw was a fair result.

Both sides had been intent on winning, Blackburn to maintain their European ambitions and mid-table Spurs because they had little to lose.

The result was an open and entertaining contest in which flair players Bentley and Aaron Lennon, rivals for a place in the England team, wasted few opportunities to showcase their skills.

England goalkeeper Paul Robinson was left out by Tottenham after being troubled by an ankle injury and his replacement, Radek Cerny, gifted Rovers an early opportunity.

Cerny came out of his area but, after a misunderstanding with Pascal Chimbonda, hesitated and then fluffed a clearance.

Andre Ooijer flighted the ball deep into the box, but Cerny managed to scramble back to punch and his defenders tidied up.

Spurs responded emphatically as Steed Malbranque slipped the ball into the Blackburn box for Jenas to look up and square for Berbatov in front of goal.

The Bulgarian did not make clean contact but, from such close range, he could not fail to net his 22nd goal of the season, Blackburn's appeals for offside falling on deaf ears.

Berbatov went down on the edge of area under pressure from Steven Reid moments later, but referee Peter Walton gave nothing.

Spurs kept up the pressure, with Lennon forcing Ryan Nelsen to concede a corner from a dangerous cross from the left.

Pedersen had Blackburn's first serious attempt on goal, but his low shot was easily gathered by Cerny.

Lennon looked a handful as Spurs did most of the pressing, but they were caught out just before the half-hour mark by a moment of magic from Bentley.

The England midfielder, subject of speculation over his future this week, brilliantly controlled a Reid ball on the right to breeze past Chimbonda, again looking uncomfortable on the left.

Bentley powered on to the byline and then pulled the ball back for a grateful Pedersen to finish clinically.

The goal enlivened Bentley and he and Lennon then seemed to take turns to try outdo each other.

Both were denied free-kicks within moments of each other after seemingly being impeded, Lennon after breaking into the box and Bentley in racing clear from midfield.

Bentley also hit one superb crossfield pass and, just before the interval, forced Cerny to save from a curling 30-yard free-kick.

Bentley created the first opening of the second half with a good ball over the top for Jason Roberts, but the striker was harshly penalised for a foul on Michael Dawson.

Spurs quickly counter-attacked and Berbatov tested Brad Friedel with a low shot, as did Roberts on Cerny when Rovers got their chance to break back.
With little respite in the action, Lennon then found space down the right and found Malbranque with a low cross, but Friedel was alert to the Frenchman's shot.

After that flurry of activity, the game settled down, but attack remained very much the intention of both sides.

Bentley fired a shot wide from distance and Robbie Keane raced into the box, only to run out of options and see an attack break down.

Blackburn had strong appeals for a penalty turned down when Bentley felt he was impeded by substitute Gilberto in the area.

The best Rovers got was a free-kick on the edge of the area a few minutes later, but Bentley fired that straight at Cerny.

Spurs had a similar opportunity in the dying moments, but Jenas barely tested Friedel with his effort.

Blackburn manager Mark Hughes felt his side were denied a late penalty during their 1-1 draw with Tottenham at Ewood Park.

Hughes thought Rovers midfielder David Bentley was impeded by Spurs substitute Gilberto eight minutes from the end of the Barclays Premier League contest.

Rovers had already come from behind with Bentley setting up a Morten Gamst Pedersen equaliser after an early Dimitar Berbatov goal.

Hughes said: 'It was a penalty. David has picked up the ball in the midfield area and burst forward with real purpose at the heart of their defence.

'The guy has obviously stood in front of him and actually made a move with his leg to make sure David went down.

'The very minimum it should have been is obstruction, and that wasn't given either. We felt it was a certain penalty.

'We are a little disappointed with that because we had done really well to get back on level terms.

'We didn't start at all brightly, Spurs were better in that early period.
'If you give good players time and space they will pick you off, which they did.

'But I think the goal stirred us, we were better after that. We scored a great goal ourselves.'

Both goals were well worked, with Berbatov striking for the 22nd time this season after Steed Malbranque threaded a superb ball through for
Jermaine Jenas to square to the Bulgarian.

Pedersen also benefited from excellent build-up play as Bentley brilliantly controlled Steven Reid's crossfield pass and powered past Pascal Chimbonda before crossing.

It proved an open game, one both sides were clearly intent on winning, but with few clear-cut chances a draw was a fair result.

Hughes, however, was also disappointed when Jason Roberts was penalised by referee Peter Walton for a foul on Michael Dawson after breaking clear on goal.

'The second half could have gone either way but I always felt we could create opportunities and the penalty would have been a key decision had it gone for us, he added.

'I didn't feel our front guys had much help from the referee.

'I harp back to one incident when Jason Roberts had very minimal contact on the lad Dawson. I've seen the replay and I think Dawson just misjudged the flight of the ball.

'But overall it was a decent Premier League game - two evenly-matched teams.'

The draw was a blow to Blackburn's hopes of qualifying for Europe, while mid-table Spurs seemingly had little to play for.

Spurs boss Juande Ramos said: 'In the first half we had some excellent chances and good possession of the ball.

'I think we should maybe have settled the game in the first half but then the equaliser came and the second half was much more even.

'As the game went on there were less and less chances and I think it was always going to be a draw towards the end.'

Ramos had no opinion on Blackburn's penalty claims.

He added: 'From the bench it is hard to see, there were a lot of players around and sometimes on these incidents it is hard to make a call.'

With all the recent publicity given to players' apparent lack of respect for referees, there was one amusing incident when Tottenham captain Robbie Keane appeared to tell Berbatov to behave.

Berbatov felt he had been fouled but Keane gesticulated pointedly to his strike partner to suggest that looking aggrieved would not benefit him.

'Players always want to do their best out there on the field. Sometimes particular incidents might not quite come off but it shows there is a real desire there,' added Ramos.