Real Madrid legend Luka Modric has been offered a €50 million two-year contract to follow in the footsteps of former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo to Saudi Arabia. According to AS, the Croatian might leave the Santiago Bernabeu this summer if the offer from the unnamed Saudi Arabia side is accepted.
Modric’s current contract will expire in the summer, and the Spanish giants are unlikely to match the cost or terms of the Saudi offer. Real Madrid prefer to renew the contracts of their older players for just one year. This was evident in their bids for Karim Benzema, Sergio Ramos, and Marcelo, among others. As a result, despite the €50 million may not sway Modric, he would consider a two-year contract.
Luka Modric waiting on new contract offer from Real Madrid
Although the 37-year-old continues to prioritise negotiating an extension with Real Madrid, the money his Saudi suitors have put on the table is massive: they are willing to treble his current income by offering him €25 million per year after tax. Furthermore, Modric would be offered a two-year contract in the Saudi Pro League, rather than the one-year deal he can expect in the Spanish capital.
Modric has alerted Madrid of the offer, but has yet to meet with the La Liga club’s general manager, Jose Angel Sanchez, to discuss it. The Los Blancos’ efforts are totally focused on securing the signing of Borussia Dortmund and England’s Jude Bellingham, despite tough competition from Manchester City, with talks over Toni Kroos’ contract renewal appearing to be nearing completion.
Modric is regarded as one of Real Madrid’s top signings in the recent decade. The Croat’s outstanding performances in key games at the end of competitions have received special attention. There are, however, two issues. The Spaniards cannot compete with what the Saudis are providing. Second, unlike Kroos, Modric is devoted to continuing to play for Croatia, whereas Kroos has withdrawn from Germany duty to focus on Real Madrid.
Croatia is scheduled to compete in the UEFA Nations League finals in June, and the veteran is also committed to representing his country in the Euros next year. At Real Madrid, there are concerns that a player of Modric’s age will be able to add several more games every season to his already arduous club responsibilities.
It was not lost on the club that he was one of the players who took the longest to get back into gear for Madrid following the World Cup in November and December. That being said, there’s no denying that he’s been phenomenal since getting back into his stride. Modric is one of Madrid’s most in-form players as the season comes to a close.
That was also the case last season, when the midfielder was instrumental in the Champions League comebacks against PSG, Chelsea, and Manchester City, alongside Thibaut Courtois and Karim Benzema. Saudi Arabia’s rivalry with Qatar has prompted the monarchy to invest extensively in football in an attempt to negate its neighbor’s World Cup bounce and proclaim its national identity.
With massive finances at their disposal, clubs throughout the country are willing to go to great lengths to get famous stars to join. The most recent example was Cristiano Ronaldo, Modric’s former Real Madrid teammate, who joined Al Nassr in January on a two-year contract worth over $200 million per year.