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.
Steven Toplis
