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Luka Modric: Croatia star ‘sad’ at Real Madrid as Inter Milan chief gives transfer update
REAL MADRID star Luka Modric is “sad” at his current club but a move to Inter Milan in January has been spiked.
Real Madrid were desperate to keep Modric over the summer after he was named Player of the Tournament at the World Cup.
The Croatian was supposedly angling for a move to Inter, following in the footsteps of Cristiano Ronaldo, who joined Juventus in the summer.
But no move materialised as Real slammed the door shut on an exit.
Modric has since been named the FIFA Best Player for 2018 and is the favourite to win the ballon d’Or this year.
But Gazzetta dello Sport claim the midfielder is ‘sad’ at the Bernabeu and wants to leave.
It is claimed Modric still has hopes of a move to Inter in the coming months.
However, Inter themselves are unlikely to broker a deal in the January transfer window.
Inter sporting director Piero Ausilio said a move for Real Madrid gem Modric in January is “impossible”.
"Modric is impossible in January, but we know where to look,” he said.
“The most important thing for the next window will be quality."
Whether Modric will wait until the summer to push for an Inter move, or seek a new suitor in January, it remains to be seen.
The 33-year-old joined Real from Tottenham in 2012 and has won four Champions League titles with the Bernabeu club.
Modric to Inter Milan should NOT happen says Craig Burley
However, major changes impacted on the squad over the summer, with Zinedine Zidane quitting as manager and Ronaldo jumping ship to Real.
Life under a new regime has not gone completely to plan, with Julen Lopetegui having overseen three defeats in their last four games.
As for Modric, he is set to play for Croatia against England tonight and believes his country was underestimated at the World Cup in the summer.
"We felt a little bit disrespected and not enough recognition we thought we deserved,” he said.
"It was a little bit of extra motivation for the team, not that we needed any for a World Cup semi-final. That's how I felt.
"Is it a problem for England? That's something you need to answer for yourself and analyse."