Luka Modric Feels Strong Enough To Continue At Real Madrid For One More Season
Luka Modric feels that he has enough in the tank to renew and play one more season for Real Madrid. The Croatian wants to prove that he can operate at the highest level despite being 37 years of age.
The midfielder has been the heart of Real Madrid’s midfield for close to a decade now, and the current season has been no different. Despite guiding his team through a rebuild, manager Carlo Ancelotti sees the experienced Modric a part of the backbone of his side and maintains him as a starter for all big games.
The 37-year-old has played a part in 22 of the team’s 24 La Liga matches so far, finding the back of the net four times and providing three assists. He is one of the Merengues’ creators-in-chief providing 1.4 key passes per game and fashioning eight big chances so far.
In recent years, Los Blancos have resisted handing veteran players long renewals. It has been the norm to sign extensions of only one or two seasons for players past the 30-year mark given the inevitable age-related decline. Yet, Modric has been one to put that theory to bed.
The 2018 FIFA World Cup finalist has aged like fine wine and continues to baffle on the field with his exquisite passes and movements. He is already a club legend in his own right and is a player who will go down as one of the greats of the game.
His contract at Santiago Bernabeu runs out in June. Modric now seems close to a one-year extension, but it is clear that his role next season may be far less prominent.
If Real Madrid sign Jude Bellingham in the summer, the club will look to use next season as a means to gradually phase out the Croatian International. However, if Modric’s track record is anything to go by, the midfielder will make it difficult for the manager to even consider playing him in a secondary role.
