Chelsea boss Avram Grant is expected to give the green light to signing Dinamo Zagreb midfield schemer Luka Modric.

Grant watched Croatia lose 2-0 in Macedonia at the weekend and newspaper reports claim that Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich sent a private jet to fly Dinamo Zagreb president Zdravko Mamic to London.

Abramovich reportedly held talks with Mamic and offered a £3.5m downpayment to give Chelsea first refusal for the midfielder and Mamic turned it down.

Chelsea assistant boss Henk Ten Cate tried to sign Modric when he was in charge at Ajax while Arsenal's Arsene Wenger has also shown an interest