Modric's decision to stay at Real Madrid: five reasons
Croatia captain Luka Modric has opted to spurn the advances of Inter Milan and stay at Real Madrid. AS looks at why.
An improved Real Madrid contract
In response to Inter Milan's attempts to lure Luka Modric to Italy, Real Madrid are to hand the midfielder an improved deal that will bring him into the same wage bracket as Gareth Bale, who currently pockets 11 million euros a season. Inter were offering Modric a six-year contract (four at the San Siro, two at the Chinese Super League club Jiangsu Suning, whose owners are the Nerazzurri's majority shareholders). AS understands that Modric has, like Karim Benzema and Toni Kroos, been earning about eight million a year at Real.
His chances of winning major silverware
One only needs to compare Real and Inter's recent trophy hauls to see that, by opting to stay at the Bernabéu, Modric has given himself a much better chance of continuing to challenge for the top silverware on offer. The LaLiga club have won four of the last five Champions Leagues, the last three of which have come in consecutive campaigns. Meanwhile, the Italians' last European crown came eight years ago under José Mourinho.
A family that's settled in Madrid
Family life is a factor that is expected to have had a major bearing on Modric's decision to stay put. Six years have now gone by since his arrival from Tottenham Hotspur - more than enough time for the Croatia captain and his wife and children to have now settled fully into life in the Spanish capital. An unwillingness to uproot them is likely to have influenced his decision to finally reject Inter's overtures.
New coach Lopetegui's style of play
Real's appointment of Julen Lopetegui in place of Zinedine Zidane means their style will remain much as it was under the Frenchman, with an emphasis on possession-based football that embraces patient build-up. With that in mind, it is not lost on Modric that he'll have a key role to play in Lopetegui's side - bringing with it the chance to carry on showing, or even improve on, the form that brought him the Golden Ball award as the 2018 World Cup's best player.
An even more important role within the squad
In the wake of Cristiano Ronaldo's summer move to Juventus, Modric's influence within the dressing room will grow yet further. About to embark on his seventh season with the 13-time European Cup winners, the Croat is now undoubtedly one of the squad's senior figures - and his role within the group will be all the more important now that one if its chief leaders has departed.
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