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Sam Allardyce: 'I nearly signed Luka Modric for Newcastle United'

Sam Allardyce reveals that he almost signed Luka Modric during his time as manager of Newcastle United, but was thwarted by owner Mike Ashley.

Sam Allardyce has claimed that he almost signed Croatia international Luka Modric during his time as manager of Newcastle United, but was prevented from doing so by owner Mike Ashley.

Modric joined Tottenham Hotspur from Dinamo Zagreb in 2008 before moving on to Real Madrid for a fee in the region of £30m four years later. Meanwhile, Newcastle signed Geremi from Chelsea instead.

Allardyce, who is now in charge of Sunderland, was appointed Newcastle boss in 2007 but left after just eight months at the helm once Ashley completed his takeover.

"I was on the way to getting Luka Modric from Dinamo Zagreb but, by then, Mike saw the scale of the full debt and put the clamps on, so I had to make do with Geremi from Chelsea," Allardyce wrote in his new book Big Sam.

"If ever there was a right club at the wrong time it was Newcastle United. I never had a chance once Mike Ashley took over.

"I wasn't his man and he just listened to more vocal fans who demanded change. We lost three games over Christmas at Wigan, Chelsea and at home to Man City, and the jungle drums were beating loudly."

Allardyce will take on his former side when Sunderland host Newcastle at the Stadium of Light on Sunday.

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Wayne Rooney of Manchester United celebrates scoring his team's third goal with his team mate Jesse Lingard during the Barclays Premier League match between Everton and Manchester United at Goodison Park on October 17, 2015
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3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest10541147719
4Chelsea105322012818
5Arsenal105321711618
6Aston Villa105321715218
7Tottenham HotspurSpurs1051422111116
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton104421714316
9Fulham104331413115
10Bournemouth104331312115
11Newcastle UnitedNewcastle104331010015
12Brentford104151920-113
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd10334912-312
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham103251319-611
15Leicester CityLeicester102441418-410
16Everton102351017-79
17Crystal Palace10145813-57
18Ipswich TownIpswich100551021-115
19Southampton10118719-124
20Wolverhampton WanderersWolves100371427-133


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