Chelsea Transfer Rumour: Blues Return for Croatian Wizard

Chelsea are planning to make an offer for Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Luka Modric and have informally inquired about the 26 year old's situation, the Guardian reported. The Croatian was heavily linked to Real Madrid in the last few weeks but the report claimed the La Liga giants have cooled their interest in the player and it is now understood that European champions Chelsea are back in contention for the highly rated midfielder's services.

Modric publicly expressed his desire to leave Spurs for Chelsea last summer and the Blues had three offers for him knocked back by their London rivals, including a £40mn bid on transfer deadline day and the report said Roman Abramovich made a promise to the Tottenham star that he would return for him this year and is now prepared to do so.

After joining Spurs in 2008 from Dinamo Zagreb, Modric has made more than 150 appearances for the club, scoring 17 times.

Meanwhile, West Ham United are considering a move for Tottenham centre-back William Gallas, The Sun reported. Hammers boss Sam Allardyce is looking for defensive reinforcements following the club's return to the English top flight. He has released Abdoulaye Faye and Danny Collins has gone back to Stoke City, after spending the second half of last season on loan at Upton Park.

Gallas made 15 league appearances last season but with the proposed signing of Ajax captain Jan Vertonghen and Michael Dawson's return to fitness, along with the presence of Younes Kaboul, the former Arsenal skipper is likely to slip down the pecking order at White Hart Lane.

The report says that as the Frenchman is on a lucrative contract and is now surplus to requirements, Spurs chiefs would be willing to allow him to join their derby rivals for a modest fee. If Gallas makes the switch to West Ham, it will be his fourth successive London club, after moving to the English capital with Chelsea in 2001.

The Daily Mail reported that Allardyce was also interested in former AC Milan midfielder Clarence Seedorf, who has suggested that he would be interested in playing in the Premier League.