EXCLUSIVE: Get Modric! Manchester City in bid to beat United and Chelsea to Spurs ace
By Simon Jones
Last updated at 11:09 PM on 10th June 2011
Manchester City are set to spark a three-way auction for Luka Modric after declaring their intent to sign the Tottenham midfielder.
Roberto Mancini has identified the skilful Croat as the creative talent who can help spearhead City's assault on the Champions League and Barclays Premier League title next season and is ready to start the bidding at around £30million.
But the Italian won't have an easy run to Modric as Chelsea and Manchester United are determined to sign the 25-year-old.
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, in particular, is an admirer of Modric and will match City all the way in a bidding war that Tottenham will find hard to resist.
Sir Alex Ferguson fears being priced out of the move as he lines up other targets, with City ready to treble Modric's £55,000-a-week salary and Abramovich set on Champions League success.
Harry Redknapp has branded Modric 'irreplaceable' and chairman Daniel Levy insists no stars will be sold this summer as he again fights to qualify for Europe.
But his failure to do so this year has left Spurs vulnerable to bids.
Modric said: 'If there will be an offer which will be good for Tottenham and for me also, then a transfer is of course possible.'
He again failed to commit to the club on Friday, saying: 'I'm a Tottenham player and will be in London on July 7 to begin preparing for the season, but I want to say that transfers could occur later.'
Chelsea and City are also set to go head to head for Palermo's Argentina playmaker Javier Pastore, 21, who said he wanted to quit Italy.
Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini said he had 'given up' on the £40m-rated star.
Arsenal and Spurs are vying for Lille forward Gervinho. Lille general manager Frederic Paquet said: 'We received an offer of ?12m (£10.6m) from Tottenham which was refused.'
The bid has pushed Arsenal into action in the race to sign the 24-year-old.
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