Italian agent Sabatino Durante confirms Luka Modric was close to joining Inter and Napoli and believes the Real Madrid star will end his career in the USA.
The Croatia international, who won the Ballon d’Or in 2018 after helping his national team reach the World Cup Final in Russia four years ago, had been strongly linked with a move to Inter in 2018, months after Cristiano Ronaldo’s transfer to Juventus.
Italian football agent Durante confirms the Croat had a fair chance of joining the Serie A giants four years ago.
“He was close to Inter, but then Real Madrid made an offer the Nerazzurri could not match,” he told TvPlay as quoted by FcInter1908.
Modric’s contract with Madrid was due to expire in the summer of 2019, but then he extended his stay at the Bernabeu until June 2021.
“He would have been happy to come to Italy because he loves the country and speaks a bit of Italian,” continued Durante.
The Croatian star had been close to moving to Serie A also at the beginning of his professional playing career, before joining Tottenham from Dinamo Zagreb in 2008.
“I remember that [former director] Pasquale Marino wanted him at Napoli. He was told that Modric would have played at the highest levels of football. After a while, he joined Tottenham.
“I know the Croatians and I know Modric wants to stay at Madrid as long as possible and then go to the USA,” concluded the Italian agent and intermediary.
Modric’s contract expires at the end of the season and Durante refused to rule out a contract extension with Carlo Ancelotti’s side.