"We would like him to end his career here" - Manager urges Real Madrid legend Luka Modric to consider move to former club
Dinamo Zagreb manager Nenad Bjelica has urged Real Madrid superstar Luka Modric to consider an emotional return to his boyhood club. The Croatian midfielder came through the youth ranks of the club, becoming one of the best players in world football.
Modric made 83 appearances for Dinamo Zagreb, scoring 27 times while producing 21 assists. He left the Croatian giants in 2008 for Tottenham Hotspur where he made a name for himself in the European circuit.
The Croatian midfielder became a superstar after moving to Real Madrid in 2012 where he won 27 trophies. The biggest highlight of the midfield great's career was winning the prestigious Ballon d'Or in 2018.
With the 39-year-old having entered the final year of his contract at the Santiago Bernabeu, Modric faces an uncertain future. There have been rumors that he could be considering retirement or could be moving elsewhere for regular first-team football.
Dinamo Zagreb manager Nenad Bjelica has claimed that he as well as the fans would love to see Modric donning the club's shirt once again. Bjelica said, as quoted by 90Min:
"Who wouldn't like to have a Luka Modric in their team? I think that every Dinamo Zagreb fan would be very happy to have Luka, at least for a year."
The Dinamo Zagreb manager added:
"He would certainly help the team a lot, but the most realistic thing is that he stays in Madrid or ends his career somewhere else, although we would like him to end his career in Dinamo Zagreb."
Modric has started only seven games for Real Madrid this season while coming on from the bench on 10 occasions. In total, he has made 551 appearances for Los Blancos till date while contributing with 39 goals and 89 assists.
Pundit questions Real Madrid's decision to sign Kylian Mbappe
Former Watford striker Troy Deeney has questioned Real Madrid's decision to sign Kylian Mbappe in the summer. Expectations were massive from the French superstar but he has not quite lived up to those lofty ambitions.
Mbappe has scored eight goals and produced two assists in 16 appearances so far this season. Troy Deeney has claimed that Mbappe is best suited to play on the left flank and is struggling to play as a number nine. He told talkSPORT, via Madrid Universal:
“I don’t think Mbappe is a natural centre forward. He can’t play on the left because Vinicius is there. Finding themselves in this situation is a huge mistake for Real Madrid."
The former Premier League striker added:
"They have opted for a name that sells shirts and promotes the brand instead of what makes them win. Maybe they have to have a little conversation about playing on the right."
Real Madrid have struggled to hit their best form this season despite winning both La Liga and Champions League last season. They are second in La Liga trailing Barcelona by six points. Meanwhile, they are 18th in the Champions League table with six points in four games.