Thursday's gossip column - transfers and rumours
- From the section Football
TRANSFER GOSSIP
Luka Modric, 26, plans to submit a written transfer at Tottenham in the next seven days to trigger a £30m-plus tug-of-war between Manchester United and Real Madrid.
Tottenham could ease the pain of losing Luka Modric by signing Turkey midfielder Nuri Sahin, 23, in part exchange.
Chelsea are closing in on Fiorentina striker Stevan Jovetic, 22, after being told they can have him for £25m.
Napoli have told Manchester City and Chelsea to forget about signing Uruguay striker Edinson Cavani, 25.
United Arab Emirates club Al-Shabab say they have no interest in signing 32-year-old striker Michael Owen following his release by Manchester United - claiming he is "on the downhill".
Ajax defender Jan Vertonghen's hopes of a £9.5m move to Tottenham are fading because of a clause in the 25-year-old's contract entitling him to 15% of the transfer fee.
Borussia Dortmund's Lukasz Piszczek, 27, is top of Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo's shopping list for a new right-back.
West Ham have upped their bid for 31-year-old striker Grant Holt to £6m and hope a £4m payment up front will convince Norwich to sell.
Liverpool are ready to make a move to sign Ivorian striker Lacina Traore, 22, from Russian club Kuban Krasnodar.
Manchester City have made the first move to tie key forward David Silva, 26, to an improved contract.
Birmingham City have rejected a £6m offer for Jack Butland, 19, from Southampton.
Sunderland want to offload Ahmed Elmohamady and George McCartney to West Ham by the end of the month.
EURO 2012
Cesc Fabregas hailed Spain's penalty shoot-out win over Portugal as a "miracle", while coach Vicente Del Bosque called for one last mighty effort as they look to claim their third consecutive major title.
Football's law-makers will approve goal-line technology next week after officials failed to give a Ukraine goal against England.
Wayne Rooney flew to Los Angeles for a break to get away from the disappointment of England's Euro 2012 exit.
Joachim Low has spelt out how England could copy Germany - and start playing attractive football.
OTHER GOSSIP
Rangers will begin pre-season training with only three players, with a host of contract rebels advised not to accept their wages if they choose to leave.
Leon Britton's agent has appealed for England boss Roy Hodgson to take a close look at the midfielder.
Roman Pavlyuchenko has told Lokomotiv Moscow they have captured Tottenham's best defender by signing Vedran Corluka.
Olivier Giroud is just the man to end Arsenal's seven-year wait for a trophy, says the club's former midfielder Stewart Robson.
AND FINALLY...
Birmingham City were left red-faced after news of Lee Clark's appointment as manager was leaked on the internet - by his children.