Manchester United have made Tottenham star Luka Modric their No1 target for 2012. The Mail on Sunday says it will take a £50million bid by United to prise away the 26-year-old, who has another chance to grab the limelight today as third placed Spurs take on League leaders Manchester City on the Premier League's biggest day of the season so far.

United, who face Arsenal in today's other clash of the titans, see Modric as their preferred long-term replacement for Paul Scholes, brought out of retirement in the last two weeks to rescue a midfield further depleted by injury to Tom Cleverley and Darren Fletcher's chronic health problems.

While United tried hard to recruit Wesley Sneijder from Internazionale last summer - and the £30m Dutchman is understood to remain keen on a move to Old Trafford - Modric is at the top of manager Sir Alex Ferguson's summer shopping list.