Real Madrid faces PSG in what is effectively a Club World Cup final, which could be the last game for a Real Madrid legend, Luka Modric. His departure has been officially announced for weeks and his destination has been confirmed in recent days: Milan. He may not be leaving alone, as a Real Madrid youth player could also end up at San Siro this summer, leaving around $10 million in the club’s coffers.
The farewell of a legend
“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened. HALA MADRID AND NOTHING ELSE.” That was Modric’s message after more than a decade with the club in his emotional farewell at the Santiago Bernabéu a few weeks ago. He still has a World Cup to play, where he is coming off the bench, but he is making an impact on the team. It is a team where every game of the tournament could be the last, and the Croatian is enjoying it. Modric arrived at Real Madrid more than a decade ago and is leaving as the most decorated player in the club’s history, with 28 titles to his name, in addition to that Ballon d’Or.
“In a country like ours, with less than 4 million people, someone like him is born once every 300 years in Croatia. He is a source of pride for the whole country because he is a great player, but as a person he is the same, although perhaps people don’t know that,” said Igor Tudor in the run-up to the match against Juventus. A true legend and example on the pitch who still has one last dance to perform.
Luka Modrid is coming to Milan
Luka Modrid’s undisputed quality and talent have meant that his departure from Real Madrid has not been the end, but rather he has found a destination at the highest level in one of Europe’s biggest clubs. There has been speculation for weeks about his signing for Milan, something that was publicly confirmed on Monday by Massimiliano Allegri. In his first press conference as coach of the Italian side, he left no room for doubt.
“We are waiting for Luka Modric. He will arrive in August. He is an important, extraordinary player. He needs no introduction,” said the coach. At almost 40 years of age, the Croatian arrives at San Siro after closing a legendary cycle at Real Madrid. The Rossoneri have not had a great year and the arrival of the Croatian represents a clear leap in quality in midfield.
“We have Ricci, Modric, Loftus-Cheek, who is a very important player and scored 12 goals two years ago. We also have Fofana, Bondo, and Musah. We have very good players. We will probably play with three in midfield, and depending on the individual characteristics, we will organize ourselves on the field. Above all, I will try to get the most out of them,” he added.
Miguel Gutiérrez also points to Milan
With the departure of Theo Hernández from Milan, the Italian club has to turn to the market to find a replacement, and a player linked with Real Madrid seems to be the main candidate. We are talking about Miguel Gutiérrez, who was also on the list of the white team to reinforce the left-back position this summer, although in the end, Álvaro Carreras will be the chosen one, for whom the club is already negotiating.
The player is currently owned by Girona. Gutiérrez is valued at €25 million and could leave for a figure around that amount, but Montilivi would not pay the full transfer fee, as Real Madrid, Miguel’s former club, owns 50% of the player’s rights, meaning Florentino could receive around €10 million from this indirect deal.