Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp insists a bid of £35m would not meet his valuation of wantaway midfielder Luka Modric.
The Croatia international has been the subject of two unsuccessful bids from Chelsea this summer but is reportedly determined to quit White Hart Lane.
A figure of £35m has been mentioned as one which would tempt Spurs into selling but Redknapp is eager to hold out for more.
“If we were looking to sell him it wouldn’t meet my valuation,” he said.
“I think he is worth an awful lot more money than that. Really we’re not looking to sell Luka. We need to keep our best players so he is a player that we want to keep if possible.”
Man. United fans face allocation cut
Manchester United fans face seeing their ticket allocation for October’s Barclays Premier League clash with Liverpool slashed by more than a third because of “persistent standing” issues at Anfield.
A report submitted to Liverpool City Council has recommended cutting the visiting supporters’ capacity from 3,015 to 1,965 in an attempt to combat the problem of people blocking gangways.
The Ground Safety Advisory Group, who compiled the report after the match between the two sides in April, suggest problems with United fans at Anfield are far greater than those of other visiting clubs.
Whelan resigned to N’Zogbia exit
Wigan chairman Dave Whelan has revealed Charles N’Zogbia has not travelled with the rest of the squad for a pre-season tour of Austria.
The former Newcastle player has made no secret of his wish to leave Wigan and Whelan has admitted if a club offers £10m he will have to accept their bid.
He said: “The team have gone to Austria but ‘Zoggy’ hasn’t gone. If we do lose him, and we may well do, we will miss him enormously.
“I have always said for £10m he is an absolute snip... if Stewart Downing can change hands for £20m I don’t know what Charles is worth.”
Courtois makes loan move to Atletico
Goalkeeper Thibaud Courtois has joined Atletico Madrid on loan from Chelsea for the forthcoming season.
The Barclays Premier League side recently signed the Belgian from Genk and, regarding him as one for the future, have sent him straight on loan to the Spanish side.
Courtois, 19, passed a medical yesterday morning in the Spanish capital and completed the necessary paperwork, and will train with his new team-mates for the first time today.
Atletico were in the market for a goalkeeper after David De Gea’s departure to Manchester United this summer.
Pantsil agrees Leicester City deal
Experienced Ghana defender John Pantsil has agreed to join English Championship side Leicester on a three-year deal.
“It’s very good that a player of John’s experience and quality wants to join us at Leicester,” Leicester manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, who has now recruited eight new players this summer, said.
The 30-year-old Pantsil, who has 68 caps for Ghana, left Premier League Fulham in June, having also played for West Ham.
“He is another established Premier League footballer with a lot of caps at international level. He’s very athletic, strong, and I’m sure he will do very well for us,” added Eriksson.
Romeu heading to Stamford Bridge
Chelsea have reached agreement with Barcelona for the signing of Oriol Romeu.
Blues boss Andre Villas-Boas confirmed the news at a press conference in Bangkok, although 19-year-old Romeu is yet to have a medical or agree personal terms as he is currently with Spain at the U-20 World Cup.
The defensive midfielder made his debut for the Barcelona first team at the end of last season, but is not part of Pep Guardiola’s long-term plans at the Nou Camp.
A statement on the Chelsea website read: “Chelsea Football Club has agreed terms with Barcelona for the transfer of Oriol Romeu.”
Zamparini rules out exchange deal
Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini insists his club will only accept cash offers for playmaker Javier Pastore.
The Argentina international, valued at €50 million, is set to leave the Serie A outfit this summer and is a reported target of Chelsea, Manchester City and Roma.
“For Pastore’s transfer we will not accept player-exchange deals,” said Zamparini.
“For me, the only valid ones are cash offers. On Tuesday, we will look with Pastore’s agent at the concrete offers we have. I believe we are in the final stretch of his transfer.”
Pastore is currently under contract with Palermo until June 2015.