Tottenham Hotspur supporters try to avoid stepping down the same street as their Arsenal counterparts, so they may not be best pleased that Luka Modric, their new signing, wants to live next door to the old enemy. They may not feel the same treachery as when Sol Campbell crossed Seven Sisters Road in 2001, rather more astonishment that the Dynamo Zagreb midfield player plans to reside in a flat in the same building in Hertfordshire as Eduardo da Silva, the Arsenal forward.

With only a smattering of English, Modric wants to be near to his Croatia team-mate, who lives with his wife and child, rather than stay in a hotel when he arrives for pre-season training in July. “Eduardo and I have a friendship, but that will end no sooner the season starts and when we play against each other,” Modric said, in jest.

On Saturday, the midfield player watched Tottenham draw 1-1 against Bolton Wanderers. A day later, he did some sightseeing, visiting Buckingham Palace with Anca, the Croatian-speaking minder employed by Tottenham. Modric has only twice previously visited London, in November when Croatia ended England's Euro 2008 aspirations and in August 2006 when Zagreb played Arsenal in the Champions League.

Modric learnt that Tottenham had agreed a fee of about £15.5million with Zagreb late on Friday night. “I couldn't sleep as I was so excited and I knew that I had to get up early to fly to London,” he said. The playmaker has spoken of his surprise at the speed of the deal and he is not alone. Newcastle United, who were thought to be close to a deal, were shocked to be pipped to the Croat's signature, as was Sven-Göran Eriksson, the Manchester City manager. The Swede had been banking on Modric's close friendship with Vedran Corluka, the City and Croatia defender, to secure a deal.

Instead, Corluka can enjoy a place to stay when visiting the capital. “I am looking forward to inviting Vedran and Niko Kranjcar [the Portsmouth and Croatia midfield player] to London so we can have some fun,” Modric said.

After more medical tests yesterday, Modric will return to Zagreb today to aid his club's challenge for the league and cup. He has been offered a five-year deal by Tottenham believed to be worth about £60,000 a week and will wear the No14 shirt because his favoured No10 is worn by Robbie Keane, the forward. Modric met Juande Ramos, the Tottenham head coach, after the Bolton match, but has not yet been properly introduced to his new team-mates.

“Ramos thinks that I am one of best young players in world, but I need to prove that again for Tottenham and also in the European Championship this summer,” Modric said. “He said I was a good signing for the club.”

As part of the deal, Tottenham will play Zagreb in two friendly matches, the first at White Hart Lane in the summer.

Tottenham Hotspur have decided against embarking on a post-season tour to Asia. The North London club received an offer to play a friendly match against Kingfisher East Bengal, in India, and another in Singapore in the week after the end of the Barclays Premier League season, on May 11. However, Tottenham's demands of about £650,000 per match and the short time in which to organise the matches were stumbling blocks.

As part of their preparation for next season, Tottenham will hold a training camp in Spain in July. They have entered the Feyenoord Jubileum tournament in Rotterdam at the start of August - Celtic and Borussia Dortmund are the other foreign teams taking part - and may play in a second tournament before the season starts.