Toon close in on Luka
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NEWCASTLE are close to signing £12million-rated Croatian midfield star Luka Modric.
Dinamo Zagreb vice-chairman Zdravko Mamic jetted into Tyneside on Tuesday and met Toon officials in a hotel to discuss the move. Modric, 22, has been targeted by a host of European big guns with Chelsea and Arsenal among the favourites to land him.
But Geordies executive director of football Dennis Wise has won the battle. Modric will join after Euro 2008 and has even hosted a farewell dinner party with Dinamo pals to toast the transfer.
A source close to Modric said: “Mamic came back to Croatia and insisted that Luca is close to moving to Newcastle. “He always talked about Spain but Portsmouth’s Croatian star Niko Kranjcar has told him to move to England. "The money Newcastle are offering is fantastic.”
Meanwhile, Toon boss Kevin Keegan is set to offer defender Steven Taylor, 22, a new deal.