Chelsea Transfer Rumours - Modric, Lukaku, Kalou and Torres

Widespread reports have touted Chelsea to make a third bid for Tottenham's Luka Modric, believed to be around the region of £30 million.

According to a report in goal.com, Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas is keen to bring the Croat to Stamford Bridge and Chelsea always expected the saga to proceed well into August. The Blues also looked upon Tottenham's interest in Juan Mata in the backdrop of Spurs assistant manager Kevin Bond's assessment of the situation, in which he appeared to suggest that Modric could be sold given the right price, as a sign of the softening stance from the London neighbours.

However, that is far from the case as the report quoted a Tottenham source as saying that any future bids would be outrightly rejected irrespective of its value.

"Absolutely nothing has changed and Modric will not be sold. The value of any further bids is completely irrelevant to the chairman," a Tottenham source told Goal.com. "Modric is working hard in training and he has now got his head around the fact that he is staying."

Tottenham don't want to be known as a 'selling club' while Modric's sale would also send negative vibes to the club's other stars including Gareth Bale and Rafael Van der Vaart.

Elsewhere, Chelsea are reportedly close to completing a deal for Anderlecht striker Romelu Lukaku, with reports suggesting that the player has already agreed a five-year-contract with Chelsea and only a transfer fee between the two clubs remains to concluded.

Belgian reports suggest that Anderlecht president Herman Van Holsbeeck has travelled to London for negotiations.

Lukaku, however, is expectant of a deal to be concluded soon. He told Le Soir, "I am waiting very calmly for the phone call that will tell me everything has been agreed between the clubs. Anderlecht and my agent are aware that this uncertainty is not good for me or the club. They will resolve things at some point."

When asked if was ready for Chelsea, he said, "Absolutely. If I'm surrounded by players better than those I'm currently playing with at Anderlecht, I have the ability to adapt quickly and raise my game. I wouldn't play immediately if I join a top European club but I will be in an environment that will make me stronger. I will need a period of adjustment, perhaps a season, before I can compete.

"It has been suggested that I should play, most of all, and not lose time sitting on the bench, but if I went to a big club like Real Madrid, Manchester United, Bayern or Chelsea, I wouldn't want to burn out. Those games at that level are much more intense. If I go into a challenge with Vince (Vincent Kompany) in training with the Red Devils (the Belgian national team), I always feel - 'Ooomph, I will need some time to adapt there!'

"I don't want to go somewhere to be fifth choice, though. I couldn't. I would say yes to two experienced strikers and a youngster, because that would mean I could develop and get a couple of games."

However, he refused to rule out the possibility of continuing at Anderlecht.

"I think we'll have a great season," he said in De Morgen. "I am counting on the possibility of still being here. But if I stay it will be to destroy all opposition. I want to make it an exceptional season then."

He added, "A coach for the strikers would be useful, you can see that everywhere, but right now I am content with what I have. I told the manager last year that I needed it, because I wasn't making any progress, but I am having individual training sessions, helping my finishing in packed areas and such."

Elsewhere, Salomon Kalou has rubbished rumours linking him to AC Milan.

Reports suggested that Kalou would be used as a makeweight to bring Alexandre Pato to Stamford Bridge, but the player himself has moved to deny speculation.

After he recently tweeted a quote from former US President John F Kennedy, which said "Change is the law of life and those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future", many read this as a sign that Kalou was preparing to move.

However, the Ivoirian moved to nip the speculation in the bud. When a fan asked the player, through Twitter, "Are you going to join AC Milan? That's what people are saying," he replied with a simple, "No. I'm not."

Finally, a report in the Metro claims that Villas-Boas is set to drop Fernando Torres to the bench for the opening match of the season, after deciding on Didier Drogba as the target man in his 4-3-3 formation. The report also suggests that Daniel Sturridge could be given the nod ahead of Nicholas Anelka and Kalou for a starting role in the flanks after impressing in pre-season.