Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.
Real Madrid transfer news: Luka Modric makes contract decision amid Inter Milan links
LUKA MODRIC will resist interest from Inter Milan to stay at Real Madrid and sign an improved contract with the club, according to reports from Spain.
The Croatian has been strongly linked with a surprise move to the Serie A side since the end of the World Cup, where Modric was excellent for the runners-up.
The 32-year-old was named the tournament’s best player in Russia, receiving the Golden Ball in recognition of his performances.
And Inter made Modric a genuine target with Inter boss Luciano Spalletti having publicly declared that he was “dreaming” alongside club supporters of the player’s San Siro arrival.
Inter were thought to have lined up a €10million-a-year deal (£8.9m) offer for Modric, with an extra two years at Chinese Super League side Jiangsu Suning after four in Milan with the two clubs sharing the same owners.
Luka Modric returns to Real Madrid training after World Cup
But the Italians are set to be disappointed with Spanish news outlet Marca reporting that Modric has reached an agreement to remain at the Bernabeu.
A new deal has been lined up for Modric, who has been in Madrid for six years since joining from Tottenham, to see him paid on level terms with captain Sergio Ramos.
With Cristiano Ronaldo having joined Juventus earlier this summer, the only player that will be paid more than Modric is winger Gareth Bale - who is understood to be on around £350,000-a-week after tax.
Marca say that Modric’s new contract reflects his importance and value with the club’s hierarchy understood to have been keen to tie his future down.
The player and his representatives have been quiet on the matter but Real Madrid president Florentino Perez declared that the only way Modric would leave this summer would be if his €750million (£676m) release clause was met.
Marca’s claims that Croatia international will stay directly contradict those of Sky Italia, who claim Modric told Perez for the second time yesterday that he wants to join the Nerazzurri.
Ex-Barcelona midfielder Thiago Alcantara is among the names to have been linked to Real alongside Tottenham’s Christian Eriksen and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic of Lazio.
But Modric is expected to stay and took to social media yesterday after returning to training at the club’s Valdebebas base, declaring himself ready to get “back to work”.
That followed a cheeky post from Modric’s compatriot Ivan Perisic, who plays for Inter.
The winger posted on Instagram a picture of himself with fellow countrymen Marcelo Brozovic and Sime Vrsaljko with his caption asking: “Who is missing?” while Modric’s account was also tagged.
But with another Croatian midfielder, Matteo Kovacic, having been allowed to leave Real Madrid to spend the season on loan at Chelsea - it is increasingly likely Modric will remain with the European champions.
Modric has made 257 appearances, scoring 13 goals, since joining Madrid in the summer of 2012 and has won 14 trophies since then including the last three consecutive Champions League titles.