Isn't he a Spurs fan? Why on earth weren't us and them going for the same players?
https://theathletic.co.uk/2424148/2021/03/10/how-tottenham-signed-modric-if-we-lose-him-to-newcastle-we-should-both-resign/
The problem was that, in that January window in 2008, they had failed to secure their target and, in the months that followed, new suitors emerged. Shinawatra’s City continued to circle, but Newcastle, with Keegan recently restored as manager, suddenly threatened to trump all-comers. On paper at least, the 22-year-old Croatian fitted the profile of a Mike Ashley signing. He was young, boasted huge potential and, therefore, significant sell-on value. For Keegan, here was a player whose qualities on the ball would illuminate St James’ Park.
Accounts differ among those involved as to why that interest foundered. Keegan claims to have fielded a call from the player’s agent — Mamic’s son, Mario, was one of an entourage of representatives — in mid-April. It was made clear to him from the outset that Spurs’ interest was retained and that, in all likelihood, White Hart Lane would be his preferred destination if a fee could be agreed with Dinamo. But there was clearly an opportunity to gazump Tottenham as long as no firm agreement was in place. The asking price was apparently £16 million — well short of the figure Mamic had claimed would be required only a few months earlier, for all that the wage package would be hefty. But it was still within Newcastle’s capabilities. They were a viable option.
Until, that is, the agent flew to the north east and, having listened to Keegan’s passionate sale’s pitch, was dismayed to discover the club’s vice-president Tony Jimenez was more sceptical over his client’s qualities. According to the account of the talks in Keegan’s autobiography, subsequently reiterated when they were queried publicly by Jimenez, the vice-president — who was heavily involved in the club’s transfer business at the time — suggested the player was “too lightweight for English football”, “too small”, “decent, but not good enough”.
A flabbergasted Keegan could barely comprehend what he was hearing. The agent, unsurprisingly, was unimpressed.
looks to escape from Steven Gerrard’s attentions at Wembley (Photo: Mike Egerton – PA Images via Getty Images)
Jimenez has since denied Keegan was ever in the key meeting with Modric and his representative at the stadium on April 22, 2008 — he has suggested the manager met the player at the training ground earlier in the day — and insisted Ashley had simply baulked at Dinamo’s asking price, with an additional £2 million due as commission for the agent, “and didn’t want to take the risk”. He also pointed to an alleged gentleman’s agreement with Tottenham whereby the two clubs would not compete for the same players, and claimed he then telephoned Levy to tell him Newcastle had withdrawn their interest and Spurs should sign the midfielder.
Which, of course, would have rendered Levy’s subsequent mad dash to Zagreb rather unnecessary.
If that is as clear as mud, Modric has since confused the situation further by publicly claiming he was blissfully unaware of any formal interest from Newcastle, and implying he had never been present at either of the mooted meetings. Or, as was reported in England and Croatia at the time, that he was resident at the city’s Malmaison hotel over the course of his stay. Indeed, there is no mention whatsoever of the club as potential suitors in his book.
Time can blur the finer details. Regardless, the agent’s detour to Tyneside, if a tactic, clearly had the desired effect. Spurs were suddenly conscious they faced real competition for a player they envisaged would be theirs in the summer. “Newcastle had recently been a top-five club (they had settled more recently in mid-table, though Ashley’s takeover, completed in May 2007, remained something of an unknown quantity) and were used to overpaying on player wages to attract signings to the north east,” says Comolli. “They were paying more money than us at the time to convince players to go there.
“With all due respect to Newcastle, Luka wanted to come to us. But at the same time, if we were not quick enough to do the deal, we knew they would throw more money on the transfer fee, and especially more money at the player. So we had to be very quick. That’s when Daniel worked his magic.”
