Real Madrid: Is Luka Modric moving to Inter Milan?
Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric has been linked with Inter Milan. Here’s all you need to know about the alleged deal and how likely it is to go through.
The Real Madrid rumor mill doesn’t seem set to stop this summer, with Luka Modric the latest player linked with a move away from the Spanish capital. After the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus, any transfer seems possible and Madrid fans have been kept on their toes. Marco Asensio recently had to deny a move to Liverpool and Mateo Kovacic told to Marca that he wishes to leave the club.
Now, Luka Modric’s future seems uncertain after he was linked with a move to Serie A giants, Inter Milan, this week. According to Gazzetta Dello Sport, Inter is interested in signing the Croatian playmaker with Bayern Munich’s Arturo Vidal seen as an alternative.
It seemed the Chilean would be Inter’s first option until reports in Spain on Thursday reported that Barcelona have hijacked the deal and signed the 31-year-old instead, however, an official announcement is yet to be made by the Catalan club as of this time.
If these reports are indeed true, then Luka Modric will likely become Inter’s main target to reinforce the midfield as the Italians prepare for a return to the Champions League in the upcoming season.
From these same sources, it seems that Modric is willing to entertain the idea of a move to Italy, with a desire for one last big contract deal cited as his reasoning for wanting the move. The Croatian is currently on holiday in Sardinia and will supposedly approach President Florentino Perez in the coming days about his future at the club.
Currently, the deal seems highly unlikely to happen for a number of reasons.
Having already allowed Ronaldo to leave this summer, Madrid won’t be easily persuaded to letting a second key squad member go. Marca, who are the more “reliable” source when it comes to Real Madrid transfer rumors, released an article on Thursday that denies the possibility of Modric leaving.
The sources within the club have been assured that Modric won’t be departing the club and, contrary to the papers reporting that Modric is interested in a move to Italy, is quite happy in the Spanish capital and is aiming to return to first team football for the European Super Cup against Atletico Madrid.
The same report also stated that, following his performances at the World Cup and in past seasons with Madrid, Perez recognizes Modric as one of the best players in the world.
The other big issue facing Inter Milan is Modric’s current deal. The Croatian renewed his contract in November 2016, a deal which will see him stay at the club until 2020 and, most importantly, sets his release clause at €750 million.
Such a high release clause means that Los Blancos hold all the cards on any potential Modric departure and Florentino Perez reaffirmed that the club wouldn’t sell their prized asset for any less than the release fee. “The only possibility that Modric leaves is by paying 750 million euros.”
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The deal is unlikely to happen, however, one hopes that if Modric does indeed want a pay rise that the club would be more willing to give it to him. Madrid’s number 10 has marked himself in recent years as one of the greatest midfielders to ever play the game, with Croatia’s recent run to the World Cup final only emphasizing that point.
Florentino Perez has a track record of being reluctant to give out extensions or pay rises for players over 30 at Madrid, however, one hopes that he could make an exception for Modric.