Modric agrees to a one-year contract with AC Milan to wear Johan Cruyff No. 14 jersey
The Serie A team declared on Monday that Croatian captain Luka Modric has completed his transfer to AC Milan on a one-year deal with a June 2027 extension option.
After 13 years with Real Madrid in La Liga, Modric left the team.
Earlier this month, Milan’s new coach, Massimiliano Allegri, confirmed the midfielder’s arrival.
In an Instagram video posted by Milan, Modric, who turns 40 in September, stated, “Very happy to be here to start a new chapter in my career.”
Milan claims that Modric would honor Dutch great Johan Cruyff by wearing the number 14 shirt he wore when playing for Tottenham Hotspur in England for four years.
For people to compare me to (Cruyff) is a great honor. After winning the Ballon d’Or in 2018, Modric had stated, “I wore the no. 14 at Tottenham in honor of him, and because the no. 10 wasn’t available.”
In May, Modric, one of the greatest midfielders of all time, announced that he would be leaving Real Madrid after the Club World Cup.
He has won 28 trophies in his 597 games for the Spanish squad, including four La Liga titles and six Champions League titles.
In the second half of Real Madrid’s 4-0 loss to Paris St-Germain in the Club World Cup semifinals on Wednesday, he came on as a substitute, marking his final appearance for the squad.
It’s a sad conclusion. He is a Real Madrid and world football great. After the game, Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso declared, “He’ll be remembered for many more good things than the 25 minutes he played today.”
Modric is considered Croatia’s greatest player of all time, having made a record 188 appearances and scored 28 goals.
He won the Golden Ball at the 2018 World Cup after leading Croatia to their first-ever final.
Aside from Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, he was the first player since 2007 to win the prized annual award in December of that year.
Youssouf Fofana, Yunus Musah, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are already part of Milan’s midfield, which is strengthened by Modric’s arrival. Samuele Ricci joined from Torino earlier this month.
Milan missed out on a European tournament after finishing ninth in the Italian premier division the season before.
Their Serie A campaign will begin on August 23 when they take on newly promoted Cremonese.
