Ousmane Dembele names one player he would like Barcelona to sign from Real Madrid
Barcelona attacker Ousmane Dembele has named Luka Modric as the one player he would like the Blaugrana to sign from Real Madrid. Modric has been one of Los Blancos' key players since joining the club in 2012.
The Croat has been absolutely superb during his stint at the club. Over the years, he has become one of the best players for the Spanish giants. Speaking about Modric, Dembele recently said (via Barca Universal):
"Which player would you sign from Real Madrid? Luka Modric. I like Ter Stegen a lot, but Courtois is a great goalkeeper too. But if I have to choose just one, I choose Modric."
Modric scored six goals and provided six assists in 52 games across competitions during the 2022-23 season. He has so far made 488 appearances for the team since joining over a decade ago, scoring 37 goals and providing 77 assists.
He has won 23 trophies with the club, including five UEFA Champions League trophies. The recent praise from Barcelona's Dembele shows that the 2018 Ballon d'Or winner is well respected even among rivals.
Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong recently praised Real Madrid legend Luka Modric
Ousmane Dembele is not the only Barcelona player to praise Luka Modric in recent days. Frenkie de Jong also lauded the Croat after the recent UEFA Nations League semi-final showdown between Croatia and the Netherlands.
Croatia won the game 4-2 after extra time. Modric scored a goal from the penalty spot and was excellent during the match. Speaking about the Real Madrid ace, De Jong said after the game (via Madrid Zone Twitter):
"Luka Modrić is amazing, I enjoy watching him a lot, his technical skills are amazing and there is no doubt that he can continue to play at the highest level. He was the best on the pitch last night."
Modric, meanwhile, highlighted De Jong's qualities as a player ahead of the semi-final clash. He said (via Metro):
“For me, Frenkie is definitely the best Dutch player. The game starts with him. It’s always a pleasure to play against him. He’s young, he’s got talent and he’s a good guy. A top player, one of the players I like to watch. He’s special.”
Despite Real and Barca having a heated on-pitch rivalry, the players share mutual respect. They don't shy away from recognizing an opposition player's quality.