Milan, Italy– In a highly anticipated transfer, Croatia captain Luka Modric has officially completed his move to AC Milan, signing a one-year deal with an option to extend until June 2027. The Serie A club confirmed the arrival of the midfielder on Monday, marking a new chapter for the player who recently concluded an illustrious 13-year tenure with LaLiga giants Real Madrid. Modric, who turns 40 in September, joins the Rossoneri after his departure from Real Madrid following the Club World Cup.
A New Chapter in Milan
Modric’s arrival at AC Milan was previously hinted at by newly-appointed coach Massimiliano Allegri earlier this month, building anticipation among the club’s faithful. Expressing his enthusiasm, Modric shared in an Instagram video posted by Milan, “Very happy to be here to start a new chapter in my career.” The midfielder will wear the iconic number 14 shirt for Milan, a number he previously donned during his four years at English side Tottenham Hotspur. He had revealed in 2018 that he chose the number to honor Dutch football legend Johan Cruyff, stating, “It’s an immense honour for them to compare me to (Cruyff)… I wore the no. 14 at Tottenham in honour of him, and because the no. 10 wasn’t available.”
An Illustrious Legacy from Real Madrid
Modric departs Real Madrid as one of the club’s most decorated players and arguably one of the greatest midfielders of all time. He announced in May that he would leave the Spanish capital after the Club World Cup, concluding his time with 597 appearances and an astonishing 28 trophies. His extensive list of accolades at Real Madrid includes four LaLiga titles and an unparalleled six Champions League crowns. His final appearance for the club came on Wednesday, as a second-half substitute during their 4-0 loss to Paris St Germain in the Club World Cup semi-finals.
Croatia’s Golden Boy
Beyond his club achievements, Modric is widely considered Croatia’s greatest player of all time. He has represented his country a record 188 times, scoring 28 goals. He famously captained Croatia to their first-ever FIFA World Cup final in 2018, where he was awarded the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player. That same year, in December, he made history by winning the prestigious Ballon d’Or award, becoming the first player other than Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to claim the prize since 2007.
Reinforcing Milan’s Midfield Ambitions
Modric’s wealth of experience and unparalleled vision are expected to significantly bolster AC Milan’s midfield. He joins a unit that already features talents such as Youssouf Fofana, Yunus Musah, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, with Samuele Ricci also joining from Torino earlier this month. Milan, who finished eighth in the Italian top-flight league last season and consequently failed to qualify for European competition, will be hoping Modric’s arrival can inject the quality and leadership needed to climb back to the top tiers of Italian and European football. Their Serie A campaign is set to kick off against newly-promoted Cremonese on August 23.
Discussion about this post